Compass Box Enlightenment + Oak Cross

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Carissa Hickling

Compass Box just does blends to a different standard. These are no run of the mill drams. Their quirky sometimes stunning packaging is as appealing as what is contained in the bottles too.

At Whisky Live in Singapore (November 2017), I skipped all the whiskies sampled not so long ago with the Whisky Ladies to instead focus on lightly sniff, swish and spit my way through two.

Enlightenment 46%

Nose – Fruity, malty, cereals, bit of pepper, crisp fruits, teasing vanilla
Palate – Sweet light spice that grows, bright, citrus
Finish – There… with more spice

Overall it is exceedingly nice and eminently drinkable.

And what do the folks over at Compass Box have to say?

Inspired by the writers, philosophers and scientists of the Age of Enlightenment, this blend of fruity fragrant Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskies is bursting with aromas of fresh orchard fruit, vanilla, soft spice and pear.

Oak Cross 43%

Nose – Light oak, malty with a bit of fruit
Palate – So smooth with a woody spice, clove
Finish – More oomph than expected, warm and stays

In many ways Oak Cross is a great name for this whisky…. it has solid oak crossed with a nice spice. It absolutely works!

And the Compass Box folks insight?

We begin by sourcing whiskies from three single malt distilleries; one for its ethereal fruity character, one for its enchanting perfume and one that lends a complex and substantial structure to the blend.

All are aged in American oak casks before we place a portion into innovative hybrid casks featuring heavily toasted new French oak heads. These give the whisky an added richness and spice-like complexity. By carefully blending back the French oak-aged whisky with its American oak-aged forebear, we are able to create a refined, rich, but well-mannered malt whisky, with fruity aspects that will remind you of baked apple or pears, complemented by a rich, toasty oak character.

More Compass Box experiences:

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Whisky Live Singapore 2017

Posted on February 4, 2018 by Carissa Hickling

So here we are in February 2018… and I’m only now getting around to sharing observations from November 2017 Whisky Live Singapore…. Why the delay?

Because I found it really hard to put into words that after such a terrific experience at Whisky Live Singapore 2016, the 2017 edition simply wasn’t for me. Which seems exceedingly churlish to admit when the organizers were kind enough to extend a day pass.

However rather than dwell on disappointments, let me focus on the key benefit of attending any Whisky Live anywhere in the world – the whisky!

There definitely were highlights and I captured a few fleeting notes on my sniff, swish (and mostly spit) experiences… And before you gasp in dismay about not savouring and swallowing, I firmly adopt a “Survival Guide” approach to explore to the max and over-indulge to the min.

There is a price to such a “speed dating” method. Notes cannot be complete and lack in-depth insights. Instead, they are just quick surface impressions… like a teaser… merely giving a sense of what might come… if only…

So with that caveat in mind, welcome to explore with me Whisky Live Singapore 2017:

Amrut with Kadhambam 50% and Portonova 62.1%
AnCnoc 12 year 40%, 18 year 46%, 24 year 46% with Stuart Harvey
Armorik from France with Breizh 42%, Classic 46%, Double Matured 46%
Benromach with the 5 year 40%, Organic (2010/2016) 43%, Peat Smoke (2007/2016) 46%
Compass Box with Enlightenment and Oak Cross
Gordon & MacPhail with Balmenach (2008/2016) 46%, Linkwood 15 year, Ardmore (1997) 45%
Paul John introducing the zodiac series with Kanya 50%
Sansibar with Glentauchers 8 year 48.2%, Spicily Sweet 48%, Smokey Peated 48%
Signatory with Linkwood 8 year (2008/2016) 40%, Cambus 24 year (1991/2015) 51.9%
Wolfburn trio with Northland 46%, Aurora Sherry Oak 46%, Morven Lightly Peated 46%

Whisky Live Singapore’s Collector’s Room picks for 2017:

And what did I walk away with? You may be surprised:

Signatory Vintage’s Discontinued Distillery Grain
- Lowland – Cambus Single Grain 24 year (1991/2015) Cask 55891 51.9%
Sansibar
- Speyside – Glentauchers 8 year 2005 48.2%
- Blend – Sansibar’s Spicily Sweet 48% for a combined evening of the Whisky Ladies and Bombay Malt & Cigar gents

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Whisky Lady – January 2018

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Carissa Hickling

Everyday Asia

January was nearly travel free!!! Til the 31st Jan when I hopped on a plane to Bangalore…

However I still couldn’t join all whisky related sessions…. sigh… thus is the life of a working gal, even if the Whisky Lady element remains!

All our Mumbai based whisky groups had an opportunity to meet.

It kicked off the Bombay Malt & Cigar gentlemen hosting with the Whisky Ladies for an evening of three Douglas Laing blends and one Sansibar blend:

Highland blend – Timorous Beastie 46.8%
Lowland blend – Epicurean 46.2%
Islands blend – Rock Oyster 57.4%
Sansibar’s Spicily Sweet 48%

As the Whisky Ladies had already joined the gents for a round of independent blends, we decided to have a completely random evening of “Contributor’s Choice” which resulted in: