Compass Box No Name No. 3

Although this whisky has no name, it will surely be remember as one of Compass Box most exciting peaty releases. The third part of the "No Name" collection, has been bottled at 48.9%abv, and it is a blended malt from Clynelish, Mortlach, Bowmore and mostly Laphroaig. A lovely looking bottle like most from this "whisky maker", offers a well crafted dram, that you can actually feel every malt that has been used, in separate ways while they are blended together. Pale straw color. On the nose, it begins with grass, humid sown land. It smells like a Gym. Gunpowder, a fresh can of tennis balls and acid prunes. Pine tree, floor cleaner. It is too crazy to be true. After some sips, the aroma turned into plastic with condensed milk. It smells like a horse stable and milk formula powder. Super complex. The palate is a bit of a transition to a wonderful aftertaste. Plastic and gooseberries; salt, toffee and oranges. A second sip gave me condensed milk, vanilla, hay and prunes. After some sips the orange note has overcome everything. Aftertaste is ashy but very pleasant. An elegant cigarrette; gooseberries, pepper and something that i can describe as a scorching viking war in your throat. Elegant, powerful, peaty, flavorful. Very long finish. Overall, this is the true proof that blends can be a superb dram; where the individual malts can shine as a whole. So many crazy, interesting notes here have made this dram incredibly tasty and enjoyable. My score for this beauty is 94 over 100.

Wow

Good Peat. Burning tires and nail polish remover. Vanilla toasted pineapple palate.

This is truly magical. My favorite whisky is Ardbeg Uigeadail and this does something similar but at a different angle that really intrigues me. I love peat and brine and protein and sherry and all that those add up to together, but this replaces the darker sherry and protein in Oogie with a bright but rich fruitiness that accentuates the more ashy character of Laphroaig in a way that reminds me of a raspberry compote on a dark chocolate cake. The contrast and richness of both extremes is what I love about this whisky. At the end of the day it is what it is, a Laphroaig 10 where the iodine was replaced with fruit, which doesn’t satiate me like Ardbeg, but like a nice dessert, it’s not meant for a main course, but you won’t forget how good it tasted either.

The nose starts with a mix of soft smoke, lemongrass and a hot asphalt road next to the ocean then dark chocolate covered candied bacon, hay bales and sea salt vanilla taffy that fades to fruits of persimmons, lychee and mango that transitions to candied ginger and fresh opened can of tennis balls with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a moderate sour, bitter and peppery spice before fading to soft citrus and floral notes then tangy barbecued short ribs, burning hay bales and sea salt vanilla taffy that fades to fruits of persimmons, lychee and mango that transitions to candied ginger, spearmint and fresh opened can of tennis balls with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with dark chocolate raisins, lemon zest, Granny Smith apples and light ash from a campfire from the night before. Overall, this is a great blend by Compass Box that brings in some soft smoke along with a nice balance of the citrus, meats and ocean brine, but the taste starts with a higher bitter, sour and peppery spice than I’d prefer before finally allowing the notes from the nose to come through and finishes on the ashy side. Side by side with No Name 1, the No Name 1 seems sweeter with a lighter peat profile whereas the No Name 3 has bolder flavors with zesty fruits but leans towards an ashier profile. I don’t think I can pick a winner between the two and am going to rate them as equals. Thanks @ctbeck11 for providing a generous sample of this one.