Once in a while I get asked, “If you were stuck on a deserted island and you could have just one of whatever, what would it be?” Sometimes it refers to music or people but recently someone asked me that about whisky. After some semi-sober thought, I’ve concluded that if I could only drink Compass Box whisky the rest of my life, well, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. I like people who upset the status quo. It’s the only way that progress happens, and what John Glaser and CBW have done, particularly with Spice Tree proves just that. The nose is complex, with layers of oak from the different woods in the custom casks. This is not a sipper. This is a thinking whisky. As you let the whisky sit on your palate a while, you get hints of allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and a whisp of honey. This would be the ubiquitous “spice” in spice tree, as the alcohol burn is relatively minimal. Very little sweetness to this dram, but lots of flavor. You get more oak that comes in waves on the very long finish, and it sticks with you long enough to make you ponder what’s truly important in life. A remarkable whisky, and I salute the lads at CBW for taking a chance, (briefly) braking the law, and create something truly unique and trailblazing. Highest marks!