Compass Box Spice Tree

Review from Barreled from November 2016 Part three of the Compass Box Whisky sampler pack reviews. This blended malt scotch is a NAS that is non chill filtered and natural color. It weighs in at 46% ABV and has a burnt orange/amber color. According the to information provided by CBW in the box, this appears to have the same spirit composition as their Oak Cross. They are also using hybrid oak casks like Oak Cross, but a different proportion of oak varieties and at a heavier char level. Toasted oak is the initial offering on the nose. Vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon are there in spades. Some ginger and butterscotch as well. There is definite brown sugar/molasses and some orange peel. I also got a hint of grilled bananas or banana chips. A very well balanced nose; rich, round and sweet. To me, the palate is not as well balanced, more spice than sweet but with a name like Spice Tree I'm not surprised. Clove, nutmeg and some vanilla. There is definitely a sweetness, but the spices are so overpowering for me that I can't seem to pick out individual fruity or sweet flavors. Still very enjoyable though. Slightly oily and even a waxy mouthfeel. The finish is medium in length but the spices do linger and turn sweet with a slight cocoa aftertaste. Overall I think this is better than the Oak Cross, but not by a huge margin. I get the impression that if the Macallan 12 YO was matured in anything other than sherry casks it would be similar to The Spice Tree. I think this deserves a 4, but I'm going with 3.75 because I think it could use a bit more balance on the palate. Still a winner though! Cheers

The Bottle: Compass Box has always excelled in this area, and The Spice Tree is no different. This is an elegant and artistic label that not only looks great on the bar, it would make for a fantastic poster as well. In addition to the artwork, there is a load of history and tasting notes on the label, all very good stuff. They nicely tell you that the spirit is natural color and non-chill filtered. Couple this with the 46% ABV, and we're in business. Further, if you were to go to their website you can get a really good sense of what the spirit blend is that makes it into the bottle. In the Glass: Light gold. All of the color on this comes from the wood in which the spirit was matured. On the Nose: Notes of cinnamon, clove and apple right-off-the-bat. Barley sugar and oak are laced into the back-drop with what one would generally describe as "wood spice". This stuff is incredibly inviting. I've often seen peated whiskies described as being "autumnal" in nature, and I get that...but The Spice Tree shows that there is another way. There is as great a sense of fireplaces, grey skies and fallen leaves with this dram as anything you will find from Islay. Taste: Right from the arrival, you get a full-bodied and flavor-packed experience. Baking spices and barley sweetness from the onset that develop into complex flavors reminiscent of a toffee pudding. The finish has the flavor of dried apple slices with a pronounced dryness. At 46% I do recommend adding a few drops of water and giving it a few minutes to open up in the glass, your patience will be greatly rewarded. End-to-End, this is a fantastic whisky. If you are on-the-fence about trying a blended malt, please don't hesitate to try this. Compass Box consistently shows the kind of complexity and balance that one can get when you take the time to artistically blend individual malts and mature them in high-quality barrels.