Origin: Scotland
Type: Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
Gradation: 43%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon first fill and recharred
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: Compass Box Whisky Co.
Average price: € 95.00
Official website: www.compassboxwhisky.com
Vote: 84/100
After a long time, I have a blended whisky from the Compass Box masters in my glass in an unusual version: instead of a malt, this time it’s a grain blended.
An annual release, with a slightly different recipe for each batch, this is Glaser’s first bottling, back in 2000, based on grain whiskies produced by Cameronbridge, The North British Distillery, Port Dundas, Invergordon, Strathclyde, Dumbarton and Girvan.
The mix, as I mentioned above, changes from year to year, varying the distilleries of origin and the proportions, leaving as a fixed feature only the ex-Bourbon casks and recharred American oak. As is the bottler’s custom, the exact composition of the blend is available for each release, which you can download in pdf here.
Tasting notes
The nose opens with a sour vein reminiscent of kefir, followed by hints of coconut, cashews, nutmeg, vanilla, sugar paste, lime, pencil shavings. Creamy and refreshing.
The palate starts with a hint of pepper and nutmeg on a good texture of vanilla cream, cereal biscuits, liquorice root, anise, almonds, bergamot, sugar paste. Along the length the alcohol tingles slightly and the flavours become softer, like vanilla biscuit.
Medium-long finish of nuts, vanilla, coconut, bergamot.
I’m not crazy about grains, and this inevitably influences my approach to whisky: what I write is always the result of my very personal feelings, and should be taken as such. Having said that, here I found myself with a good blended, balanced, pleasant, but that I wasn’t crazy about. An excellent product that will probably fully satisfy the lovers of the genre.
Reviews of Compass Box whisky in the blog
Other perspectives:
The Whiskey Wash