Compass Box The Double Single

If you follow my reviews, you know how i feel about most Compass Box whiskies: they have the best marketing, the most lovely bottles, but they don't live to my expectations. There are exceptions to that rule, like the "No Name" and some other that i don't recall right now. This is a 180$ bottle, and as all CB expressions, this is not a bad dram, but, is it worth THAT much? Bottled at 46%abv; golden color. This one is a blend called "the double single" because it is made of one Single Malt, Glen Elgin; and one Single Grain Whisky, Girvan. Not the brightest name ever, but lets talk about the aromas and flavors it offers. On the nose, it is maybe the fruitiest whisky ever. Since this dram is 78% Glen Elgin, it screams Speyside. Starts with a Fresh but dim orange aroma. Fancy vanilla. Fancy but dim citrusness. Very fruity, Green apples. Letting it breath reveales an amazing fruitiness, very clean very juicy. Fresh fruits, Very floral; Not a single trace of alcohol. It smells like a Fruit market. It is actually not diverse or complex, just fruity in a very appealing way. Orange juice, Apples, super fresh. Lovely aroma, when i started nosing i was going to give it a 19. It is a 24 over 25. Palate is ok. Keeps most of the fruitiness and gives you a lot of that grain whisky vanilla flavors. Sider and a pleasant oak spice. Second sip revealed vanilla cream; There is a pleasant spiciness overall. That mixes well with the apple flavor. Vanilla gets fancier with every sip. Aftertaste is also decent, nothing to die for. Macerated fruit liquors, Apples. It is fresh but simple. Maybe a tobacco note on my third sip. Some dim peat. Overall, i have mixed feelings about it. I want to be clear this is NOT worthy of $180 dollars, a $75 price would be suitable for it. It is NOT a bad whisky, but it is also not a memorable one. I believe that when CB said that a sum of its parts should make a better whisky they weren't lying since i believe this is a better whisky that a single malt from Glen Elgin and definitively from Girvan which is not one of my favorites. For $160 i can get a Glendronach 18yo which might just be the best whisky you can ever buy, so that is conflicting in my mind. Nevertheless, regardless of the price, i believe this is a 82 over 100 whisky, and that is because the aroma is so good, because the rest of it, is just regular.

Light fruity notes, definitely getting the lemon zest and waxy components that many others have mentioned. The finish is very smooth, albeit somewhat short. Overall a fine sipping scotch for a warm San Francisco October evening. Not sure it’s worth the $150 price point, but having bought the bottle I certainly will enjoy it! Cheers!