LeeEvolved
Compass Box The Peat Monster Cask Strength
Blended Malt — Scotland
Reviewed
January 2, 2018 (edited September 16, 2021)
I’ve been eyeing this crazy, magnum (1.75L) bottle ever since I bought it back in 2016. I told myself I was going to open this one around the holidays and do a side by side with the standard CBW Peat Monster. Well, tonight is the night. And what the hell, why not open CBW’s newest peaty beast, No Name, and make it a three-way...
Peat Monster Cask Strength is just what the name implies: everybody’s favorite Peat Monster just as it comes from the proverbial teet. It’s a beastly 57.3% ABV, has no color added and is NCF’d like every CBW before it. It’s a pale yellow, oily slick that doesn’t make any legs in the glass. Peat Monster is made from a blend of 40% Laphroaig, 20% LeDaig and 13% Caol Ila from the Scottish Isles and Islay. There’s 26% Highland malt from Ardmore also mixed with a little of CBW’s base blend (Clynelish, Teaninich, Dailuaine). This special bottling was limited to 2,000 total bottles and was released in 2015. Good luck finding one now, though. I paid $165 for this half gallon monstrosity.
The nose is smoky and salty with light toffee and caramel notes hiding some subtle vine fruits. The extra ABV adds some sting, but still doesn’t really get in the way like I thought it might.
The palate is fruity with some bees wax and earthy peat and smoke that turns salty and drying around mid sip. The finish is long- mostly due to the extra horsepower from the cask strength. There’s a final briny malty aspect that rounds out the finale.
Overall, it’s a fantastic dram that will make you see the genius behind John Glaser’s madness that is Peat Monster. The way he brings this down to the standard PM release is pure brilliance. Drinking it side by side with the regular PM made me go back and realize how wonderful that bottle is. Peat Monster is a bottle that belongs at every man’s bar. No questions asked. The cask strength version is a 4 star dram and the original PM is a lofty 4.5 stars. Try them both if you get the chance. Cheers.
What about the 2017 release No Name, you ask? More on that in awhile...
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review
Damn pity postage costs to NZ are so much!
Just 12oz, @Generously_Paul? I had you penciled in for a pint
Can’t wait to get my 12 oz sample along with everyone else 😆
You sir are a man for others!
@LeeEvolved dude, 1.75L? Were you feeding the city of Richmond over the holidays?
I wasn’t off for any of the holidays, @Rick_M - in fact I averaged 56 hours a week since mid-December. I spent all of Christmas Eve & Day at work- partly to help out co-workers with children/partly to fund my latest purchases lol. I’ve also decided that anyone that regularly chats with us here on Distiller that would like a taste of this cask strength Peat Monster, please reach out to me at [email protected] with a name and address and I’ll send you out a taste or two. Mr Glaser said to enjoy and share this one so I’m going to oblige. Plus, I need help with a bottle this big. Cheers.
Great review @LeeEvolved! This is an aggressive undertaking. You must have the week off. :)