Must Try

Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

48.9% ABV
$130
Website
Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018

What the Blender Says

This is our sixth edition of Flaming Heart, a whisky born of oak, smoke and fire.

First released in 2006, Flaming Heart was the first whisky to combine the rich, complex spice of Scotch aged in new French oak with the evocative peat-red smoke of Islay malt.

It created a genre-defying style that was smouldering, spicy, complex – and so popular that we’ve re-released it five more times in the years that followed.

In this 2018 edition, we have reintroduced a subtle sherry-cask influence that adds an additional layer of complexity and richness. A medium smoky-peaty base is enriched by a sweet maltiness and notes of baking spices and dried fruit.

It’s a whisky to enjoy late into the night, perfect served neat or paired with rich cheeses.

FLAVOUR PROFILE: A medium smoky-peaty base is enriched by a sweet maltiness and notes of baking spices and dried fruit. Full on the palate and very long on the finish.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS: This is a whisky to enjoy late into the night. Drink it neat or with water, or try pairing it with rich cheeses.
TECHNICAL DETAILS: Bottled at 48.9%. Natural colour. Not chill filtered. A limited edition of 15,050 standard bottles and 800 magnums. June 2018.
LEAD WHISKYMAKER: Jill Boyd, 2018.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Smoke and peat with sherried fruit nuts under a fog of sea air, smoked meats and a touch of iodine.
Palate:  Thick and creamy mouthfeel with peat smoke, stewed fruits – berries, plums, peaches – exotic spice notes with honey and a hint of anise along with a touch of sea salt.
Finish:  Long and smokey with an ashy earthiness and hints of fruit.
Comments:  Flaming Heart is one of my favorite offerings from Compass Box, and probably the brand I’ve bought more bottles of than anything else in terms of Scotch whisky. When I first discovered it in 2015 (although ironically finding a 2012 release!), I bought it based solely on a review I read (this one!) and my experienced lined up with Richard’s.  I probably picked up a half-dozen bottles of the 2015 release over the course of 2 years (never bought more than 1 at a time!), so I did compared my sample of this 2018 edition (thanks Rich!) to that.  Very similar for sure – this has maybe a touch more ash/smoke, and the 2015 has maybe a touch more fruit.  When I did a blind side-by-side, I wasn’t sure I could tell any difference.  If you like smokey, peaty whisky that has a nice balance of fruit and spice – I can’t see how this would disappoint.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Barrell Seagrass

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Barrell Seagrass
Rye Whiskey Finished in Martinique Rum, Madeira & Apricot Brandy Barrels

59.2% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Seagrass
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Barrell Seagrass is an ode to coastal memories, blended to evoke the joy of a day on the beach and an evening listening to the soothing rhythm of waves. Hot sun, brisk air, dry sand, and oceanside vegetation are brought to mind. A ripe and inviting tropical nose and grassy, bright body evolve to a finish as long as the view down the shore on a clear day.

Seagrass highlights the grassy oceanside notes we love in rye and the opulence and spice of finishing barrels. It is a blend of American and Canadian rye whiskeys, with each ingredient meticulously sourced and finished separately in Martinique Rhum Agricole casks, apricot brandy casks, and Madeira barrels.

Each component whiskey brings its own attributes to Seagrass, revealing unique layers of flavor from start to finish. In classic Barrell Craft Spirits fashion, Seagrass is a true original, with its own unique personality in the BCS Portfolio and the whiskey landscape at large.

FLAVOR NOTES

A basket brimming with tropical and orchard fruits lies at the heart of this juicy whiskey, with prominent tones of ripe apricot from the brandy casks. The tropical notes are kept in check by a broad array of spicy and herbaceous rye aromas and complemented by the delicate florals of grassy, Martinique rhum. With a splash of water, the oxidized Madeira notes emerge, candying the fruit and bringing out an earthiness on the palate.

​Neat
Appearance: A pale tawny with straw highlights.
Nose: High concentrations of bright, fruity esters lend a perfume-like character to the aroma. Honeydew melon and plum sit alongside a slice of ripe apricot resting out in the sun. The underlying rye is revealed by a sea-like salinity, tarragon, and elderflower.
Palate: Sweet and juicy, Seagrass opens on pear, lychee, and white grapefruit. Classic rye flavors of cinnamon, rosemary, fennel seed, and rosehip aren’t far behind. Unctuous texture and sandy tannin are complemented by a delicate astringency so common to Canadian whiskeys.
Finish: Fresh and clean, but the persistent tannin and astringency focus the powerful burst of camphor, chalk dust, and scorched earth.

With a few drops of spring water

Despite bright notes of passionfruit and geranium, the nose settles down considerably. The fresh notes are now candied — papaya, orange peel, and ginger. Liege waffle and beef tallow lay a rich foundation. The palate grows creamier, displaying french vanilla ice cream, pawpaw, and orris root.

What Gary Says

Nose: Bright and fruity, with poached pears, melon, a soft citrus note, gentle rye spice, honeysuckle and fennel, with a hint of cedar.
Palate: Sweet with tropical fruit notes of kiwi and grapefruit, vanilla, cinnamon, savory spice notes with pepper.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with herbal earthy notes.
Comments: Really interesting rye, with tropical notes along with that cedar note I get in a lot of Canadian rye. Non-age stated, but I asked and they shared that the barrels used range in age from 5 to 12 yrs old, and the various finish durations ranged from 3 weeks to about 6 months. I’m a fan of finished whisk(e)y, and appreciate the uniqueness going on in this dram, which floats between sweet and savory nicely. If you don’t like finished rye, this might not be up your alley – although I would still try it if you have a chance.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Rebel Distiller’s Collection 113 Proof

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Rebel Distiller’s Collection 113 Proof
Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

Barrel 7112054 | Barrel Filled 6/16/2015 | Hand Selected by: Sherlock’s Lucky 13

56.5% ABV
$40
Website
Rebel Distillers Collection 113 Proof

What the Bottle* Says

Hand Picked from Extraordinary Barrels
Wheated | Defiantly Smooth
Distilled and Aged in Kentucky for Lux Row Distillers Bardstown, Kentucky
* The producer doesn’t mention this product on their web-site, so pulling what details I can from the bottle!

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel corn, charred oak, coffee cake with vanilla icing and a hint of anise.
Palate:  Caramel with chocolate, cinnamon, anise, vanilla, honey, nutty notes of almonds and hazelnuts.
Finish:  Bit short with slightly burned snickerdoodles and oak.
Comments:  Not old or complex, which isn’t what you’d expect on a 5 yr old near-barrel proof bourbon, but a solid high proof wheater. I tried this side by side against a recent Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, and by comparison this was similar with a bit more corn and a bit less spice. Takes water really well, with more chocolate coming in. If not for the short finish, this would be a solid ‘Must Try’. As a single barrel product, I’d expect some variability, but priced fair enough that taking a flyer is probably worth it.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Compass Box Myths & Legends III

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Compass Box Myths & Legends III
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$150
Website
Compass Box Myths and Legends III

What the Blender Says

Scotch whisky has a rich array of stories, myths and legends.

However, what start as myths can become received wisdom, influencing our understanding and restricting our enjoyment. We have deployed blending to challenge assumptions, biases and prejudices concerning Scotch in this limited edition series we call Myths & Legends.

For Myths & Legends III we have taken some of the same parcels of malt whisky used in Myths & Legends II and added peated malt whiskies from a pair of celebrated island distilleries.

Some would object to our actions on principle. Famous single malts are always too precious for blending, they say; the sanctity of the category seems to take precedence over quality.

However, thanks to our parcels of well-regarded malt whiskies, the tropical fruit and butterscotch notes of Myths & Legends II are now further enriched by a deep and enchantingly aromatic smoke profile.

Never blend the famous names? The breadth of generous and complex flavours found in Myths & Legends III dismantles such superstitious thinking.

FLAVOUR PROFILE: Papaya, mango and butterscotch meld with aromatic and assertive peatiness.

SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS: Enjoy neat, late at night, and in the heaviest glass you can find.

Not Chill-Filtered, Light 5 Micron Filtration | Natural Colour | Lead Whiskymakers: Jill Boyd and James Saxon | A limited edition of 4,564 bottles | July 2019

What Gary Says

Nose:  Freshly shoveled earth and peat, caramel, faint fruit notes.
Palate:  Thick and creamy mouthfeel, rich fruit with butterscotch, peat and smoke.
Finish:  Long, drying with peat and fruit.
Comments:  I do love peat, so if someone said “What if we take some Myths & Legends II and add some peat and smoke?”, I would not have batted an eye, nor discouraged it.  For this, they took the components for Myths & Legends II and added some 23 yr old Highland Park, as well as some 15 yr Caol Ila to the Glen Elgin party (with the additions amounting to just 15%).  I like both of those distilleries, so would further have been on board. I think this is a fine example of where “less is more”.  Wish I had tried this one first so I wouldn’t have Myths & Legends II to compare against, as I think I likely would find this a perfectly delicious pour.  The nose is a lot more peaty than the palate, and some water brings out more notes of kiwi and mango on the nose. But if someone offered me my choice from the series, I’d go with II without much of a thought.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Compass Box Myths & Legends II

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Compass Box Myths & Legends II
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$150
Website
Compass Box Myths and Legends II

What the Blender Says

Scotch whisky has a rich array of stories, myths and legends.

However, what start as myths can become received wisdom, influencing our understanding and restricting our enjoyment. We have deployed blending to challenge assumptions, biases and prejudices concerning Scotch in this limited edition series we call Myths & Legends.

Myths & Legends II blends together malt whiskies of different ages from a single Speyside distillery. We wish to show how process matters more than provenance when it comes to the flavours of single malts. In addition to the aromas of tropical fruits and butterscotch you will also discover subtle savoury notes and spiciness.

The distinctive profile has nothing to do with “Speyside”; process decisions made at the distillery, the effects of maturation, and our own choices regarding the balance of the final blend determine the whisky’s quality and character. Clues to a whisky’s flavour lie in the glass and not the distillery’s region.

FLAVOUR PROFILE: Expressive tropical fruitiness combines with silky butterscotch and sweet spices.

SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS: Serve neat to appreciate the spicy and waxy character. Alternatively, pour over a large cube or ball of ice to accentuate the deliciously rounded mouthfeel and tease out notes of pineapple.

Not Chill-Filtered, Light 5 Micron Filtration | Natural Colour | Lead Whiskymakers: Jill Boyd and James Saxon | A limited edition of 4,446 bottles | July 2019

What Gary Says

Nose:  Tropical fruit salad with coconut, peaches and mangos; toffee, subtle oak, heather and floral notes.
Palate:  Thick and creamy mouthfeel, rich fruit notes of peaches and pears, spices, butterscotch, light caramel, toffee, nutmeg, a faint hint of clove.
Finish:  Long with a bit of pepper amongst fruit notes.
Comments:  Wow – Myths & Legends stepping up with the second installment!  A lovely, rich dram.  Another distillery which I’m unfamiliar with – this time Glen Elgin, consisting of casks from 16 to 23 years old.  I need to find some independent bottlings (which isn’t to detract from the blending skills involved in creating this gem).  This is both elegant and robust at the same time – an absolutely lovely whisky.  Raising the bar as I look to the conclusion (although to be clear – nothing says you have to try them in succession).

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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