My partner will sometimes introduce me as a ‘Single Malt Snob’… he does so with great affection and humour, knowing I’m far from snobbish in life but am particular about my whiskies.
It does highlight a perception that an old single malt MUST be good whereas a blended whisky MUST be rubbish.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
While there are some absolutely stunning single malts… there are equally some rather good blends.
And the folks over at Compass Box are out to prove you should pay attention to well crafted blended whiskies. They keep surprising whisky watchers with their creative approach and beautiful marriage of art and science.
They also set in motion a movement for transparency after being told to stop disclosing the component whiskies that go into their blends.
They aren’t demanding others mandatorily disclose what goes into that whisky you love so much… they are simply asking for the right to share with consumers what goes what they create.
Hard to argue with such an approach but they have a fight on their hands… read more here.
Juveniles sampled at La Maison du Whisky (Whisky Lady)
Living in India means either sampling these blends outside of the country or depending on a whisky club member to source and bring into the country…
Through both approaches, have enjoyed til date seven Compass Box blends:
- Asyla 40% – A beautiful woman – light, soft fruits and perfume delight
- Great King’s Cross Artist’s Blend & Glasgow Blend 43% – Two contrasting ends of a well crafted spectrum from citrus spice to smokey sweet
- Hedonism 43% – Unusual and one you grow to love or simply not connect with… however clearly unforgettable
- Juveniles 46% – Uncomplicated, sprightly and playful
- Spice Tree 46% – Think roasted spices with zest à la chilli chocolate…
- The Peat Monster 46% – No hairy scary monster, it is rich peaty and surprisingly well-balanced
Anyone have a favourite Compass Box blend? Or another blended whisky?
From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:
- Facebook Whisky Lady in India – https://www.facebook.com/WhiskyLadyIN
- Twitter @WhiskyLadyIN
Whisky Lady 
I totally agree with you about Compass Box. They’re a breath of fresh air when it comes to pushing back the boundaries of blending and opening eyes to what’s possible with whisky. I’ve only tried their Spice Tree, which I thought was my favourite blend ever until I tried their Great King St Glasgow Blend, which I felt was even better. I’ll have to try more on your list. I’ve got a bottle of Hedonism and Orangerie but my ‘special’ Compass Box bottle is a miniature of their Eleuthera, a vatted malt which they stopped producing when they ran out of the Brora 15yo component. I’m regretting only having 5cl but I’m sure it will be worth every sip. I must try The Peat Monster which sounds yummy!
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For me the Glasgow Blend tops Artists Blend for the Great King Street expressions. Ooooh haven’t yet made the acquaintance of Orangeries or Eleuthera… Lucky you to get a sample. For Peat Monster, I’ve heard there is a fair degree of variation between editions. I quite enjoyed the one we tried. Bottom line – they are doing terrific stuff and can’t wait to sample more!
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I heard the same thing regarding Hedonism (re Peat Monster) but I found a file on the Compass Box website which showed the different tasting notes for different batches of the vatted grain. It makes finding or writing a review a bit of a pain but it’s enjoyable to have the variety, especially when you know they’re consistently good.
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Indeed – consistently good though I did find my 1st swig of Hedonism a bit… well… overwhelming in its coconut oil element. Could have been how it was stored though. Gotta respect Compass Box being open about the different nuances of the different batches while still achieving an overall similarity in character.
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