Compass Box Juveniles

A little bit of sawdust, a hint of vanilla (or is that just my imagination?), sweet palate, some fruit (apple) in the finish, and even a slight bitternes, but more sweet. Well balanced, nothing in your face. Just a tad too much burn.

This bottle is very bright and light. Notes of honey and floral. There is a peppercorn spice in the finish that adds some body. The image in my head while drinking this is wind on a golden wheat field. There is a wheat quality to this that mixes with the honey to give you a bright drink. Usually scotch is for cold weather for me. But this is a summer drink.

Compass Box is famous for making some bespoke expressions for important whisky bars and restaurants of the world. This is the case for "Juveniles", a wonderful looking bottle, that actually has a rattle bell on the bottom. Juveniles is actually a "Bistrot  Vins" from Paris, place that was honoured by this bottle. This is a blended malt made from Clynelish, Balmenach, Glendullan & Strathmill, with a 46% abv. On the nose: Pineapple and meringue. Sawdust, gooseberries, very fresh. Spongy cake. On the palate, it mimics the same notes. Pineapple and beautiful meringue. Sugary notes. Meringue sweets. Acid. Cotton candy. Aftertaste is very sugary. Sugar with milk. Pineapple creamy. Overall, this was a truly enjoyable expression. Soooo easy to drink, very sweet and citric. This one is a dangerous dram, since i feel that i can have a full bottle without much hesitation. My score for it is 92 over 100, which is very surprising for a not too expensive Compass Box.

Good but not worth the $135 price tag. Orchard house and slice tree have more bunch and are a better price.

As I was pouring a dram of Juveniles, I kept hearing an odd dinging noise. At first I thought someone was walking their dog outside but then realized it was coming from the bottom of the bottle. In the bottle is a built in recess with a little jingle bell in there. How fun! Now on to the whisky: Immediately I am getting bright notes on the nose. Honey, green apples and pears dominate, bringing sweet and tart to the party. The tail of the finish turns drier, with a bit of tannic oak and grass. On the taste, the wine cask is immediately noticeable but not in the form of tart red fruits. No, this is a bright and acidic mix of green apples and pears. If you swirl the whisky in your mouth, you will make out sweet vanilla and honey on the inside of your lips. The tail end of the taste brings in some tannic charred oak. The finish pushes the whisky fully into the "dry" category, again bringing tannic charred oak with black pepper and tongue tingling baking spices. Remember those apples and pears from the front of the taste? If you wait right until the tail end of the finish, you can catch a glimpse of them as this whisky makes its exit. Although not my favorite, if nothing else; Compass Box is never boring, especially their limited selections. If you can still find a bottle of Juveniles, give it a try!

Enjoy exploring Compass Box blends. This was no exception. Had it not been "on sale" probably would not have gotten a chance to enjoy it. Went back and bought two more bottles. We did a cheese paring with it, if you get a chance watch John Glaser's video with the cheese pairings. A unique and fun way to experience this whisky. Light, and fruity with minimal to no smoke. Like wine, it pairs well with cheese and really brings out different nuances of both the liquid and the cheese.