Origin: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Strength: 46%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon first fill, ex-Sherry and new
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: Compass Box Whisky Co.
Average price: € 95.00
Official website: www.compassboxwhisky.com
John Glaser’s departure from his creation, Compass Box, was one of the shocking but somewhat expected events of 2024. The change in the company’s majority ownership two years earlier also foreshadowed a change of pace for the bottler, which probably led to the founder’s departure.
And there have been changes, with the discontinuation of Spice Tree and The Story of the Spaniard, and the introduction of three new bottlings, including this Nectarosity, which is said to have been designed by Glaser.
A blend composed of 64.4% single malts (Linkwood, Balmenach and Clynelish) and single grains for the remainder (Cameronbridge and Girvan), as always with a detailed composition that you can find here, including ex-bourbon, ex-sherry and Palo Cortado casks and new customised casks, all to evoke the flavours of fine pastries.
The special feature of the new casks is that they are used for the initial maturation of the grains, which then continues in other types of casks, while the single malts are matured in “new but used” casks.
Tasting Notes
Sweetness is prominent on the nose, with fruit (peach, pineapple in syrup, apple, apricot, orange), cotton candy, marzipan, shortcrust pastry and wildflower honey. A hint of baklava. A second layer of custard, candied ginger and a touch of cinnamon. Up to this point, it could be a blended malt, but then a hint of acetone reminds us of its true nature, which, together with a slight vinous note, mitigates the risk of cloying sweetness.
The fruit tones down on the palate, with white and ripe fruit giving way to red and tart notes. More generally, the sweetness becomes sour and the influence of the grain part of the blend increases. Currants, raspberries and gooseberries make an appearance along with sweet liquorice, with a greater presence of citrus fruits in lemon and blood orange, while spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg) raise the tone, bringing out a bitter and pungent soul with vegetal veins (tea leaves, fennel). All the sweetness is reduced to a minimum, with hints of shortcrust pastry, sugar paste and almond only in the length, while the honey and vanilla components seem to have disappeared completely.
Medium-length finish with bitter and vegetal notes, spices, citrus fruits, red fruits and almonds.
Review: If I was to look at the consistency between name and content, it would be completely disregarded when drinking, in stark contrast to a nose that would promise something else entirely. A decent blend, but nothing more.
Vote: 83/100