Must Try

Hedonism by Compass Box Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
43% ABV
$90 to $110
Website

What the Blender Says:
Hedonism is our unique and award-winning blended grain Scotch whisky. We produce it once or twice per year, depending on our ability to source the quality of casks we require. Rare and old, it’s something special for both the collector and the new whisky enthusiast.

Rare, Old Scotch Grain Whisky
Hedonism is unusual in the Scotch whisky world: a blended grain Scotch whisky. It is very rare to see 100% grain whisky bottlings, in Scotland. Going back 100 years, grain whisky brands were more common, but they were overtaken in popularity by the big brands of blended Scotch, which comprised both grain whisky and malt whisky. Today, most Scotch grain whisky gets blended into the big brand names, typically at young ages. For Hedonism, we search for old casks of Scotch grain whisky. And we only produce Hedonism once a year, when we find casks with the right flavour profile.

Rich, Sweet, Alluring
When good Scotch grain whisky is aged in good quality American oak casks, the results can be stunning: a rich, sweet, alluring whisky, redolent of vanilla, pastry cream and coconut. You’ll find all these things in our Hedonism bottlings. We believe that great Scotch grain whisky is the little-known treasure of the Scotch whisky industry.

Flavour Descriptors
Elegant flavours of vanilla cream, toffee, coconut.

Recommendations
As an aperitif, serve with a small amount of chilled water. Late in the evening, serve neat. Also makes a great whisky sour.

Distillery Sourcing
Will vary according to batch but typically whiskies from the following distilleries: Cameron Bridge, Carsebridge, Cambus, Port Dundas or Dumbarton. 60% East Lowland Single Grain (Caramel) and 40% West Lowland Single Grain (Vanilla, Coconut, Creme Brulee).

Wood
100% first-fill American oak barrels or rejuvenated American oak Hogsheads.

Bottling Details
43%. Not chill filtered. Natural colour

What Richard Says:
Nose: As soon as you open the bottle you get a whiff of alcohol based skin treatment like Tend Skin or something. Fortunately, that fades quickly into a light, sweet creaminess.
Palate: Pina coladas and vanilla fudge. Creamy and slightly sweet and oily. An almost dulce de leche flavor.
Finish: The is sharp. It’s there and then not. This isn’t a slow fading encore. There’s also a little chalky chocolate note. It’s kind of like unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder.
Comments: I’ve had a love affair with Hedonism for years. It was my first introduction to scottish grain whiskies (and Compass Box) back in 2002. It’s still as lovely as I remember it. Batches change a little bit over time as stocks are available but John Glaser does an excellent job at holding the style. A dram not to be missed!
Rating: Must Try

Compass Box Oak Cross Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
43% ABV
$55 to $60
Website

What the Blender Says:
We call this whisky Oak Cross because it offers the best characteristics of both American and French oak aging. A rich, medium-bodied blended malt Scotch whisky, Oak Cross combines vanilla characters from American oak and spicy, clove-like characters from French oak.

Innovative New Oak Casks
We work with a small mill in France that produces some of the highest quality cooperage oak in the world. It was our work with this mill that led us to experimenting with secondary maturation of malt whiskies in casks fitted with new French oak heads. This is something no one else in Scotland does. The result is whisky with more character and complexity. We use this technique on about 40% of the whisky in Oak Cross and it results in a superior finished product.

Flavour Descriptors
On the palate, notes of clove and vanilla accent a sweet maltiness and subtle fruit character.

Recommendations
Suitable as an aperitif served with a chilled water in the winter months. Full enough to serve as a summertime digestif. Excellent match for many cheeses.

Distillery Sourcing
Made entirely of Highland single malt whiskies from the villages of Brora – 60% (fruitiness), Carron – 20% (meatiness) and Alness – 20% (perfume).

Wood
All the whiskies are aged for their primary maturation in a mix of American oak cask types. The marrying casks are a mix of first-fill Bourbon barrels (60%) and our proprietary “Oak Cross” casks made of American and new French oaks (40%).

Bottling Details
Bottled at 43%. Natural colour. Not chill filtered.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Heather, grape jam covered toast, and a back note that’s a little meaty.
Palate: Surprisingly sweet. Peaches and cream, raw cane juice, and candied pineapple.
Finish: Woody and dry like an over handled California Chardonnay and then a big whump of spicy pepper and wood that lingers a while ultimately turning almost minty.
Comments: I’m a bit perplexed. I remember this always being my least favorite of the core Compass Box range but tasting it again after several years I don’t know why I felt that way. This is delicious.
Rating: Must Try

Compass Box Asyla Blended Scotch Whisky
40% ABV
$50
Website

What the Blender Says:
The ultimate “everyday,” “before dinner” or “Sunday afternoon” Scotch whisky. With just a splash of chilled water, this blend of soft, sweet grain whiskies and elegant, refined malt whiskies epitomises “deliciousness” in the world of Scotch whisky.

The Secret is in the Oak
The secret to making Asyla is the quality of the casks. We use only whiskies aged in first-fill American oak casks because these yield whiskies with more vanilla character, more richness and more sweetness than refill casks. Asyla is made with 50% malt whisky. There are few blended Scotches that use as high a malt content as we do at Compass Box. The result is a carefully crafted, elegant blended Scotch whisky that makes the perfect aperitif.

Flavour Descriptors
Sweet, delicate and very smooth on the palate, with flavours of vanilla-cream, cereals and a subtle applelike fruit character.

Recommendations
Ideal as an aperitif served in a white wine or similar glass with chilled water to taste. Try before a meal with shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Distillery Sourcing
Single malts from the towns of Alness and Longmorn; single grain whisky from Fife.

Composition
A. 50% Lowland (East) Single Grain Fruitiness
B. 40% Highland Single Malt Perfumed
C. 10% Speyside Single Malt Fruitiness

Wood
100% first-fill American oak ex-Bourbon. Vanilla

Bottling Details
Bottled at 40%. Not chill filtered. Natural colour.

What Richard Says:
Nose: The nose is light and delicate with wisps of heather, honeysuckle, and turned apples. It reminds me of some of the mid-20th century perfumes and lotions my grandmother used.
Palate: The mouth feel is lovely, creamy and inviting. Creme brulee and fresh hay.
Finish: This whisky leaves like a long slow goodnight kiss after a date. Soft at first and then pushes in a little harder with wood, pepper, and alcohol before slowly pushing away.
Comments: Gosh, I think I have a crush on this pretty lady. This is a lovely and delicate whisky. It is easy to approach and even easier to enjoy. One word of caution though, to the peat freaks and those always looking to push the limits of robust flavor, this is probably not the dram for you.
Rating: Must Try