Compass Box Spice Tree

Not bad for what it is. A solid blend with a nice spicy finish.

After The Spaniard this is my second sample of Compass Box blends. And it is very similar to The Spaniard indeed on the nose. It is bright and fresh. There is mixed orchard fruits, apple cider, white grapes, milk with honey, fresh saw dust. Are there spices though? If so it is light Christmas cookie spices if at all. Interesting on the palate. Acidic and now indeed spicey. Fresh ginger, pepper, Italian herbs, nutmeg. Also orange zest and bitter nuts. The finish is short and fruity with a slight bitter wood aroma and a good bunch of dried & roasted spices. All in all really quite similar to The Spaniard, which I liked a little better. This Spice Tree doesn’t trigger the right points to make it really memorable for me. It is still good and very well composed for what it is.

Nose - apple, peach, lemon, orange zest, raisin, milk chocolate, caramel, nougat, vanilla cream, honey, pecan, walnut, cinnamon, ginger, clove, perfume, sweet oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - cereal grain, oat, honey, orange zest, green apple, black cherry, lemon, chocolate, raisin, clove, ginger, walnut, cinnamon, sweet oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing long with sherried fruit, nut, and chocolate flavors. There’s a whole lot going on here, in a good way. I wish there was slightly less ethanol on the nose, as the fumes obscure many of the great aromas. Also, the taste has some sourness running through the mid-palate and finish, which isn’t ideal. I find this to be reminiscent of Nikka From the Barrel, but not quite as well executed. Overall, this is a solid offering.

Excellence flavor, somewhat like what I felt from Lagavulin (minus peat), sweet.

Très bon blend