Compass Box No Name No. 2

Peat on the nose and smoke on the tongue with a sweat finish. Very unique whiskey!

N: tight brine, slight dank (boginess), picking up the cherries, P: sweet tar, sherried peat, chocolate brine F: full, robust, chocolate

Spend a few minutes on the nose. Silky layers of balanced vanilla, smoke, fruit, and malt. So lovely and complex. Sip and the middle opens to even more floral layers of fruit and subtle cake frosting so balanced with smoke and salt. What is this magic? It pulls you in for more. The mouthfeel is pleasantly oily, sliding into a long, not too over bearing, peaty melt. My favorite of 33 tastes at Tampa Bay's 'Whiskey Tampa Foxtrot'.

This was one of more than two dozen whiskies I sampled at the Whisky Show, so don’t expect nuanced notes or a meaningful rating. What I can say is that it is very different from its Ardbeg-led predecessor and perhaps as delicious. I got two distinct pulses of flavor - a blast of peat followed by a wave of richer sherry notes. It’s an unusual two-step structure that suggests this is a sequel akin more to Godfather II than Jaws: The Revenge. I eagerly await an opportunity for a more considered tasting.