Compass Box Great King St Artist's Blend

Compass Box - the hipster’s blend. Well, that’s just the reputation, this bottle is the Artist’s Blend. It’s a core entry-level offering from Compass Box (alongside its Great King St brethren, the Glasgow blend), but not included in the infamous 5 signature blends sampler. An absolute gem in my opinion. One of my recent key criteria is drinkability/repeatability since I tend to purchase bottles vs samples or one-off drinks at the local watering holes and this bottle ticks the box perfectly. Reaching for this one regularly before any other in my collection is a good sign. Appearance is super light yellow & nose is a fragrant blend of apples, butter, lemon, and a surprisingly pleasant alcohol aroma. For me, the Artist’s Blend comes alive on the palate. Those apples from the nose turn into Honeycrisp (my fave) alongside some vanilla notes, wood spices, and a hint of smoke way off in the distance. Completely delicious (disclaimer: the light profile a great fit for this balmy SoCal climate). Rating: Would probably bump the Distiller score up to the low 90s. Rounded up to 4.5 stars based on pure enjoyment. Bonus pts too since I found it under $40 even at the neighborhood store that marks everything up 20-25%. Cheers ya’ll