Tastes

Review from Barreled from November 2016 Part four of the Compass Box Whisky sampler pack reviews. This NAS whisky is a blended grain scotch, meaning it has no malted barley components, and if I read correctly, it is the first of its kind. As always this is natural color and non chill filtered. The color is pale straw and virtually identical to The Peat Monster. 43% ABV. The information provided by CBW states it is composed of 70% eastern Lowland single grain and 30% western Lowland single grain. The casks are 100% first fill American oak. The nose is simply fantastic. Intense vanilla with caramel and coconut. Light creamy pastry and custard notes. Gentle oak and slightly floral. This is like nosing an empty glass that had bourbon in it 5 minutes ago. Light lemon citrus and a slight mango-pineapple fruitiness. Very complex. Showcases the superior casks that CBW sources. The palate is soft and gentle but not at all weak tasting. Again, vanilla and oak, with a corn sweetness very similar to bourbon but without the heat. More custard and light citrus like lemon or grapefruit peel. If you can imagine if the Scottish made bourbon and matured it in refill casks instead of virgin wood like actual bourbon, that's what this is. Exceptional whisky. The mouthfeel starts out slightly creamy and turns very dry. It coats the mouth. The finish is medium length but the dry mouthfeel goes on and on. I wasn't sure what I would be getting when I opened this sample bottle, but wow was I surprised at the complexity and wonderful aromas and flavors. If I see a bottle of Hedonism on a shelf I would not hesitate to grab it. If I'm not drinking something heavily peated or one of maybe 4 bourbons, I want to be drinking Hedonism. Of course that won't always be the case because I love to explore new bottles, but this is really great stuff. Cheers! Addendum: after having tried so many more whiskies since I initially wrote this review, I have to say that there are many excellent drams out there I would love to make my everyday drink of choice, but this one still holds up.

Review from Barreled from November 2016 Part three of the Compass Box Whisky sampler pack reviews. This blended malt scotch is a NAS that is non chill filtered and natural color. It weighs in at 46% ABV and has a burnt orange/amber color. According the to information provided by CBW in the box, this appears to have the same spirit composition as their Oak Cross. They are also using hybrid oak casks like Oak Cross, but a different proportion of oak varieties and at a heavier char level. Toasted oak is the initial offering on the nose. Vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon are there in spades. Some ginger and butterscotch as well. There is definite brown sugar/molasses and some orange peel. I also got a hint of grilled bananas or banana chips. A very well balanced nose; rich, round and sweet. To me, the palate is not as well balanced, more spice than sweet but with a name like Spice Tree I'm not surprised. Clove, nutmeg and some vanilla. There is definitely a sweetness, but the spices are so overpowering for me that I can't seem to pick out individual fruity or sweet flavors. Still very enjoyable though. Slightly oily and even a waxy mouthfeel. The finish is medium in length but the spices do linger and turn sweet with a slight cocoa aftertaste. Overall I think this is better than the Oak Cross, but not by a huge margin. I get the impression that if the Macallan 12 YO was matured in anything other than sherry casks it would be similar to The Spice Tree. I think this deserves a 4, but I'm going with 3.75 because I think it could use a bit more balance on the palate. Still a winner though! Cheers

Review from Barreled from November 2016 Part two of the Compass Box Whisky sampler pack reviews. This blended malt scotch whisky has no age statement but I read that all components are at least 10 years old. Oak Cross gets its name from the custom hybrid casks being used made with virgin French oak heads and first fill American oak staves. It is composed of 60% northern Highland single malt, 20% Highland single malt, and 20% Speyside single malt. As are all CBW whiskies, it is natural color and non chill filtered. This one is a nice golden color and is 43% ABV. The nose is heavy with ripe red fruits and oak spices. Vanilla, toffee, and some clove. Sweet berries and maybe some pineapple candy. A hint of toasted coconut. Every time I picked up the glass to nose it I got an initial smell of melted butter that quickly faded into oak. On the palate there are plenty of oak spices as to be expected. Toffee, vanilla, caramel. Some bourbon sweetness from the American oak. The French oak is definitely there as well with more intensity. Lightly fruity but not much. There was a brief and fleeting mint/menthol note as well. Creamy mouthfeel. The finish is medium short and is very oaky. I immediately compared this blend to the Glenlivet 15 YO French Oak Reserve. This one is fruitier and the American oak give more of a sweetness, but the French oak notes are very similar. Both display high quality oak casks. Overall, it's not an exceptional whisky, but for a blend it's very good. Easy to drink and good for any occasion. 3.5 Cheers

Review from Barreled from November 2016 Part one of the Compass Box Whisky sampler pack reviews. As are all CBW whiskies, this is natural color and non chill filtered. This blend is 40% ABV. This NAS is a blend of 50% Lowland single grain, 40% Highland single malt and 10% Speyside single malt. Which distilleries, I'm not sure. All aged in first full American oak ex-bourbon casks. Based on the color, which is a pale straw, I would guess this is a very young whisky that was aged in very lightly charred casks, otherwise the first fill wood would have had a greater influence on the color. The nose is very light and fruity up front. Pears, green grapes and strawberries. First time I've ever nosed strawberries and it was a nice experience. Floral notes after the fruit. Once it sits in the glass the fruit starts to fade and the bourbon oak starts to dominate. Vanilla and bourbon sweetness, but still very light. The palate is just as light as the nose. Soft vanilla, light oak spices and bourbon caramel sweetness. The mouthfeel is very creamy. The ex-bourbon casks really shows its influence the longer it sits. The finish is quite short but very clean. Sweet but restrained with some light peppery oak. John Glaser called this a Sunday afternoon or a before dinner whisky and I couldn't agree more. Very light and well balanced. Perfect for the scotch novice or experienced whisky fan who is looking for something light to relax with. 3.5

Stop number 72 on the SDT is Glenburgie. This Speyside distillery is used primarily for blends in the Ballantine’s lineup. It has been mothballed 3 times in its long history, most recently in 2000. It was completely rebuilt between 2003-2004 and started production again in 2004. Its output is a hefty 4.2 million liters of alcohol per year. This 15 year old (which mathematically puts it as being distilled before the time the distillery was most recently mothballed) comes from the independent bottlers at Gordon & Macphail. Bottled at 43% ABV and is natural color of a pale gold and I suspect it is non chill filtered. The nose starts with a strong vanilla and black licorice note. Fennel, green oak and ginger. Some bitter cocoa powder and a little pepper. The vanilla becomes stronger and a hint of red berries shows up with some distant oranges and tangerines. The fruitiness gets turned up a notch and takes on more of a tropical feel. Light coconut and pineapple, kiwi and banana. All of these fruits are fairly light, but are there nonetheless. Echoing the nose, the palate is loaded with vanilla and black licorice with a touch of cocoa powder. Those tropical fruits come in fairly quickly. Coconut, pineapple and banana. Faint kiwi and oranges. Some light raisins. Green oak and a slight metallic note that is a little out of place but isn’t too much of a distraction. Fairly sweet but there is some bitterness to balance it all out. A light bodied mouthfeel, creamy, mouth coating and dry. The finish is fairly short (after the first sip the finish was nonexistent but picked up after subsequent sips), dry with tropical fruits and vanilla. Really this is not a bad dram at all. Good tropical flavors with a nice vanilla, but it just doesn’t have that “wow” factor going for it. A good independent bottling and it might actually work well in a tropical mixed drink like a piña-colada if there is no rum on hand. At $80, it’s not really worth it though. Thanks to @LeeEvolved for the sample. 3.25 Cheers

Stop number 71 on the SDT is Benrinnes. This Speyside distillery is almost exclusively used as a blending component in Dewars produced blends. The distillery has been destroyed by fires and floods in its history and each time has been rebuilt and modernized. Up until 2007 they used what is known as a partial triple distillation, unlike the standard double distillation used by the vast majority of Scottish distilleries. I read what it meant, but most of it went over my head so I won’t try to explain it. This 17 year old from Berry Bros’ was distilled in 1997 (so it was produced using that triple distillation method) and bottled in 2015 from cask number 9631. Bottled at 46% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of a pale straw. The nose starts with a very nice creamy vanilla. I love whisky that has strong vanilla notes so I immediately too notice. Perfumed oak comes in with a powdered sugar sweetness. Toffee, caramel, brown sugar/molasses. It becomes fruity with coconut, plums, grapes, pineapple, a little peach and nectarines. Some light bourbon notes and a bit of lemon oil. A touch grassy/herbal and a hit of candle wax. More vanilla, honey and green tea. The palate arrives peppery but the moment you swallow there is an explosion of tropical fruits. Mango, papaya, coconut, and pineapple. Charred oak and leather, tobacco and honey. Mixed berries, cherries and brown sugar. A touch of wood spices like nutmeg and ginger. So very different than what the nose presented. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is mouth coating and dry. A long finish with oak, tropical fruits, a faint licorice and tea. What started as a nice vanilla on the nose ended with huge tropical flavors. I really wasn’t expecting that. This is a rare winner from Berry’s. At $78 it’s a very reasonable price for a 17 year old. The quality is there, but it’s not something I would want to sip on too often. It’s intense at times which can be a little wearing on the tongue. Thanks to @LeeEvolved for the sample. 3.5-3.75 Cheers

Stop number 70 on the SDT is Royal Lochnagar. Lochnagar was the first distillery to ever receive a Royal warrant, which basically means it was the first to provide scotch to the Royal Palace, and thus granted the title “Royal” Lochnagar. This 12 year old Highland single malt is bottled at 40% ABV and is chill filtered and has colorant added making it an amber color. Fresh stone fruits on the nose. Apricots and red plums. Oranges, tangerines and marmalade. Melons, strawberries , blackberries and a touch of vanilla. A light but elegant oak. Typical Highland profile so far. Floral honey, light mint and herbs. A little nutmeg and ginger. Strong notes for only 40%. A sherry sweetness with maple syrup and some cherries forms after a while. The faintest trace of wood smoke and a strange aromatic note I can’t quite place. Not bad at all. The palate echoes the nose with the apricots and tangerines. Honey, herbal tea and light oak. Licorice, ginger and light vanilla. Not a very complex palate, but that’s not always a bad thing. A medium-light bodied mouthfeel, mouth coating, a little creamy and dry. The finish is medium length, very dry with apricots, oak and herbal tea. A strong flavor profile given the low ABV which brings to mind the Cragganmore 12 year old. I know that one is from Speyside, but it’s also at 40% and has strong flavors. A really nice and fruity nose, but the palate and finish fall a little short. For around $50 it’s a pretty good value, but there are better bottles out there. Would have been a 3.75 were it not for the very dry finish and the shortcomings of the palate. So a 3.5 it is. Thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for the sample. Cheers

Stop number 69 on the SDT is Glendullan. Glendullan is a single malt better known as The Singleton of Glendullan. There is a long story about the origins of the name Singleton, which I won’t bore you with, but it’s interesting to note that there are three different Singleton brands. In the USA we get The Singleton of Glendullan, in the U.K. it’s The Singleton of Dufftown, and in Asia it’s The Singleton of Glen Ord. All are Diageo owned. This 12 year old Speysider is bottled at 40% ABV and as many Diageo products are, this is most likely chill filtered and has colorant added making it a solid amber color. The nose is honey, very floral honey, followed by a strong malty note. A brief hit of sherry followed by very sweet fruits. Apples, apple juice, oranges and apricots. Cherry limeade and a candy-like sweetness reminding me of strawberry jellybeans. Light bananas and walnuts. Vanilla buttercream and toffee with a sprinkling of cinnamon. A bit of oak, fresh cut green oak, and some minty herbs. The palate is malty with honey and a lemon/lime citrus. Bananas and a hint of chocolate. Some slightly bitter oak, but it’s well balanced. Light oranges and apricots. While tasting, my wife started cooking dinner and the house was filled with the aroma of chicken scampi. It completely changed everything I was getting from the whisky so I stopped there. It has a light bodied mouthfeel that is a little creamy and thin. A medium short finish with oak, malt, tannins and is on the dry side. Not a bad dram, though nothing really jumps out and screams “Look at me!” A typical profile for a Speyside scotch, just a tad muted. A nice value buy at around $40-45. Not something I would keep around the house, I’d probably go for an Aberfeldy 12 if I wanted something similar. 3.25. Thanks for the sample @Scott_E Cheers

Stop number 68 on the SDT is Glen Ord. This Diageo owned Highland distillery does release single malts but it would seem most of what it produces goes into various Johnnie Walker blends. It appears that their official bottles are not readily available here so we have this independent bottle from A.D. Rattray. 11 years old, distilled on 9/1/2004 and bottled on 7/4/2016. One of 316 bottles from an ex bourbon hogshead, cask # 142. Bottled at cask strength of 58.9% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of pale straw. The nose starts fairly grassy and floral. Some bourbon sweetness. Green oak and some fruits emerging. Apples, green grapes, nectarines, pears and a lemony citrus. Sweet spearmint hints at more of that bourbon cask influence. The huge ABV really shuts down the nose on this one so a generous amount of water was added. After the water I got honeyed cereal, faint butterscotch, licorice, anise, a little pickled ginger and an earthy note. Not a horrible nose, but it was not too complex and took a lot of coaxing and water to get what I could. The palate is hot hot hot! I pretty much had to add water right away and, much to my surprise, water made it even hotter. I added a little more water and it got hotter still. I had to add a ridiculous amount of water to make this palatable. After that I was able to pick up on oaky pears, black licorice, pepper, a little honey. It’s a bit sour and bitter as well. Once it’s watered down to the point where you can drink it without setting your tongue on fire, you realize it’s just not good. Medium to full bodied mouthfeel that is dry. A long finish with licorice, oak and pears. Very dry. This is pretty bad, probably the worst single malt scotch I’ve ever had. Way too hot and water made it worse until so much was added that it killed almost everything else. Nothing really good to speak of except a nice pear note throughout the whole profile. Avoid this one like the plague. Thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for the sample, but I’m glad it’s gone. 1.75 Moving on...

Stop number 67 on the SDT is Tormore. A fairly unknown Speyside distillery, they do have several official releases but are not widely available, which leads me to this independent bottle from Berry’s. 21 years old, distilled in 1992 and bottled in 2014, 54% ABV, non chill filtered and natural color of pale gold. Cask reference # 100. The nose starts on the earthy/vegetal side. It transitions into warm oak, floral honey and cereal malt. Hints of sherry and nuts. Fruity with apricots, red plums, faint banana, grilled pineapple, toasted coconut, pears and melons. There is a very faint wood smoke, buttery biscuits and a light toffee. Old leather and tobacco with a hint of lemon. Apple skins, vanilla, ginger and some mint/herbs. A bit of a weird waxy/soapy note at the bottom of the glass. The palate has strong oak and oak tannins. Sherry, likely refill or third fill. Pineapple, tangerines, apple skins, faint coconut. Light tobacco and leather. Dates, raisins, slightly vegetal. Finishes with a bit of sawdust. Medium bodied mouthfeel, lightly oily and mouthwatering. A medium length finish with sherry oak, fruity with a touch of bitterness. Dry. Finally a good bottle from Berry’s. Not a great bottle, but a good one. Some nice complexity on the nose, but not so much on the palate. It’s a bit jumbled at times and seems to lack real cohesion. At $120 it’s too expensive for what you get, but it’s a good price for a 21 year old. Thanks to @Telex for the sample. 3.5. Cheers