Compass Box Vellichor is a blend of 12.1% Macallan in first fill bourbon, 38.9% Highland Park in recharred hogshead, 15.6% blended Scotch parcel in refill sherry, 29.3% blended malt parcel in refill sherry, and 4.1% Caol Ila in refill hogshead. It is no age statement, bottled at 44.6%, and sells for around $400-500. This is the second-best bottle of Compass Box that I’ve purchased, opened, and enjoyed, only behind the legendary Flaming Heart 2015 edition. The hefty price tag is justified because you just can’t find this style of Scotch hanging around on liquor store shelves anymore. The word “vellichor” is a noun that describes the nostalgia that book nerds feel when sniffing the air of an old, used bookstore. I have no fetish for old books, but I guess I am a nerd for old Scotch whiskies and this leather, dust, and wood profile is one of my favorite profiles. Normally, I would have to stop at a ridiculously stocked whisky bar like Jack Rose in DC or The Whiskey House in San Diego and order an $80 pour from an old and obscure independent bottle to get an experience like this, but I can now grab a pour from my own shelf. This whisky lives up to its name: A dusty, leather-bound book is what you get on the nose, but also apples, dark chocolate, and crème brulee. The palate features the delicate and expensive taste of old Macallan and Highland Park without the sherry - heather, honey, earth, dark chocolate, white pepper, vanilla, overripe orchard fruits, and an occasional hint of fig and basalmic vinegar. For as much hate as Macallan gets these days, the base spirit is distinct and legendary; and a Macallan aged exclusively in bourbon casks is rare, underrated, and allows the spirit to shine much brighter than the usual sherry matured expressions. I am not saying that if you gave this to me blind, I would be able to say that it contained Macallan, but the fact that Macallan is in this blend does not surprise me, and the Macallan makes this a distinct Compass Box release. The leather re-emerges and the peat from Caol Ila announces itself towards the end of the palate and during a long and nuanced finish. Each sip of this is something you will need to hold in your mouth for a long time to get the full experience; this is not a whisky that grabs your attention, but it is one that deserves your attention. I once tasted this whisky blind side by side with a Hazelburn 21 and a Springbank 21; two other whiskies that are dusty, yet bright and fruity. I liked this one the most, and it was not even close. Springbank 21, these days, is a $1000 bottle on the shelf. So, even if you are paying $500 for Vellichor, if you like the idea of being transported back into a time when a bookstore was the Internet, and people died of dysentery on the Oregon Trail, this is a worthwhile and magical experience. In fact, it is a little blasphemous for me to type a review on something that you are probably accessing through an app on your smart phone - I should be truly writing this review out, ink on parchment.