ScotchingHard
Compass Box Flaming Heart 15th Anniversary Limited Edition
Blended Malt — Scotland
Reviewed
March 13, 2019 (edited May 7, 2020)
Opened 6/4/2018. Killed 3/13/19.
Compass Box
Flaming Heart
Blended Malt
NAS
48.9% ABV
Bottled 07/2015
Limited to 12,060 bottles
Price: 107 USD. I have another bottle I purchased for a few bucks more. I will buy more if given the opportunity.
The 2015 Edition of Flaming Heart is peerless in terms of value for money. Compass Box has more recently been harsh with pricing their limited edition releases, but this is the one that should have been five hundred dollars.
Many special bottlings of Compass Box are John Glaser’s attempts to recreate Brora, and this blend reminds me of the greatest Brora – nay, the greatest whisky – I’ve ever tasted: 1972 Rare Malts Brora. Such an elegant, composed peat. Quietly assertive and sophisticated; this is one to nose for an hour. On the palate, this is mindblowing in slow motion. The arrival is subtle, and the flavors gradually appear and build on top of one another. As one fades, three new ones appear, and intensifies the flavor orchestra like brooms from Fantasia. Maltiness, maritime, funky, medicinal, citrus, pineapple, chocolate, umami. Everything is there, and each sip is different, as the dram breathes. The finish is breathtaking, and the linger is long.
Ultimately, this is not nearly as deep or massive as the Brora, lacking its legendary mouthcoating oiliness, but this also adds some French oak spiciness, which Broras do not have. The beauty of Compass Box is that as it secretly tries recreate old legendary single malts by the art of blending, it is unafraid to have its own flair. And of all the Compass Box creations that I have had the pleasure of trying, this one is at the top.
Rating (price not factored): 95 / 100
Purchase satisfaction (price factored): 5 / 5
107.0
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Bottle
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@LeeEvolved nice —thanks !
@LeeEvolved yeah...I’m a bit skeptical on our illiquid liquid investments
@LeeEvolved I can say the Yellow is good, but not $90+ good and comparatively I think the Green Spot is money better spent, of the two. Would I pay $120 for Red Spot? I probably would have broken down and done so. At $99, it seems like a good deal. Additionally, Stephanie gave it a stellar review, so I would expect it to be quite good.
@PBMichiganWolverine - the real scary part is that I added up all the current inopened bottles in my collection to see what my current whisky “investment” has cost me. Needless to say, I was... 😱
Last year’s golf trip to Scotland was great because 1£ = $1.30. All of our trips before that 1£ = $1.80. If parliament doesn’t vote to extend negotiations on Brexit then Pranay’s prediction will come true in 2 weeks. Of course, I don’t gamble on anything other than whiskey. :)
@Rick_M - lol, I do like it when I find a deal like that.
@Generously_Paul I know right? I might donate those to a homeless shelter at Thanksgiving .
@LeeEvolved did you just say £ is high vs $ ?! You’ve been around me too long. Young padawan, I now need to teach you how to short the £ vs the $ with Brexit screw ups
@Scott_E - I can’t decide if I want to buy the “spot” bottles or not. The pound is high vs the dollar right now, plus I’m just not sold on paying $80 for the yellow and $119 for the red.
@PBMichiganWolverine - don’t open that 2018 Flaming Heart yet anyway because I’m pretty sure I saved you a pour of my bottle from a couple of months ago. It’s still very good, so it won’t hurt to drop it off at the storage locker when you take your next $1k bottle there for safe keeping haha.
@PBMichiganWolverine oh no, that’s a terrible consolation prize. I’m looking to get rid of my second bottle but don’t want to subject my friends to the horrors contained within
@LeeEvolved @PBMichiganWolverine yes I picked up a bottle of Red Spot locally for $99.
@PBMichiganWolverine - too funny!
@Rick_M and the kicker is that my niece ( who with her friends drank my entire GoT collection ) felt badly afterwards, so she sent me 3 Johnnie Walker White Walker GoT bottles. WTF ? That one was so bad that one cant give that piss off for free
@PBMichiganWolverine If it’s any consolation, I was planning to pour some of the 15th anniversary version at our forthcoming “festival”
@LeeEvolved - BTW, I like the new mugshot with the raised eyebrow. Looks like you just spotted something at half price. :)
@PBMichiganWolverine - yes, but it’s been worth it for entertainment purposes. :)
@Rick_M this hasn’t been a good whiskey year for me. 1) my entire GoT collection was drunk by a bunch of British college kids 2) I slipped on ice and broke a rare Chuchibu single sherry cask. And now 3) wrong Compass Box
@PBMichiganWolverine - If it’s any consolation I paid $130 for the 2018 release. :)
@Rick_M damn labels all look the same. Damnit. I guess I know what I’m opening up next.
@LeeEvolved - yes, thanks! I know the difference and that’s why it’s so expensive. Only found one place that has it. Norfolk Wine in MA. @PBMichiganWolverine - 😂
@LeeEvolved if you’re going to bundle, then TWE is the better option and shipping per bottle will be justified as well
@PBMichiganWolverine - I looked on wine searcher and found them for $120 out of FL, or I can order them from whiskyexchange and throw in the green and yellow bottles, too.
@LeeEvolved @Scott_E said he saw one for $99. That’s a good price
"@PBMichiganWolverine - $120 for any 15yo whiskey is a tough call- especially for an Irish.
@LeeEvolved probably better than the $120 I paid yesterday for an erroneous Flaming Heart.
@PBMichiganWolverine - I’m just trying to decide if the Red Spot whiskey is worth $120. What do you think?
@LeeEvolved @Rick_M DAMN IT!!!! All these labels look the freakin same
@Rick_M @PBMichiganWolverine - uh, I’m just wondering if you guys are sure you’re referring to the correct whisky. The bottle for sale at mister right fine wines is the 6th edition of FH and NOT the anniversary bottle referred to in this review. The 6th Ed came out in 2018, while the 5th anniversary one came out in 2015. I’ve had both and I think I also gave the 5th Anny one a higher score.
@Rick_M yes—-http://www.misterwrightfinewines.com. They still have them
@PBMichiganWolverine - online? If so, where?
@PBMichiganWolverine nice!
@Generously_Paul @Rick_M @ScotchingHard I found one for $124. Pulled the trigger.
Yes, I planned to buy another bottle today but the only one I could find was $199. At that price I had to pass.
I scored it a 4.5, really a fantastic blend and I’m wishing I had bought one when I had the chance to get it at retail
@PBMichiganWolverine - yes, Lagavulin works well anytime of day. :)
@Rick_M wait...is 9am whiskey normally frowned upon? Damnit rick. I normally have a bowl of Cheerios with Lagavulin instead of milk
Yes, I remember the comment about med school, but with your drinking habits I was afraid to ask. :)
Damnit. I have one and now tempted to buy another. Amazing review.
@Rick_M I am an ER doc. Shifts are all over the place. I’m on nights currently. This is my 9am nightcap ;)
@ScotchingHard - you’re doing it to me again......you bastard. I already have one of these in stock, and now I have to run out again and buy another one to drink. What the hell am I going to do with all these open bottles? Shouldn’t you be working or something? Curse you! :)