Compass Box Ultramarine The Extinct Blends Quartet

 

 

 

51°

Distillery : Caol Ila, Girvan, Glendullan, Cameronbridge, Speyburn, Glen Ord, Miltonduff, Clynelish, Teaninich, Dailuaine - Islay, Highlands and Speyside

1st Fill and Refill Bourbon Barrels, 1st Fill and Refill Sherry Butts, Recharred Hogsheads, Custom French Oak Casks

Independent Bottling 

By Compass Box 

Limited Edition 

Blended Whisky

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 6 ppm

 

 

 

This Ultramarine which came to us last year has caused a lot of ink to flow. The first of a range that pays tribute to the old Blends of the end of the twentieth century, it is the result of a complex maturation supervised by James Saxon, which mixes Sherry and Bourbon, grain and malted barley, with very old products it seems. No less than 10 distilleries were involved, and the list is probably not complete, because there are parcels whose origin has not been revealed by the company, yet a champion of transparency. 5430 bottles were made. If you want to guess which old-fashioned Blend is targeted, just look at the label, set with a beautiful blue veil, and remember that John Glaser, before creating his own company, worked for Johnnie Walker.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Nice salinity. Some seaweed, foam, kelp, but discreet. Nice sea breeze, it's fishy. A grilled trout with almonds. Salt crusts, as on some beaches. Thick, moist peat, very present but not invasive. Then I smell the grain, grilled corn, puffed rice. Nice soft breadth. On the palate, it's mellow at first, between vanilla and oyster juice, some tingling spices, long and coastal finish, still some salt but it's more fruity, more milky. It is sandy and a little grainy, always balanced.

 

In Short, 

They worked hard on the influence of the Caol Ila distillery, to build a kind of salt castle, both subtle and very balanced. Well done,, however, have you seen the price? Nothing to do with the quality of the product if you ask me.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Belle and Sebastian - Lazy Line Painter Jane

Compass Box Flaming Heart 7th Edition

 

 

 

48,9°

Distillery : Laphroaig, Caol Ila, Talisker, Highland Park, Glen Elgin, Balmenach, Clynelish, Deanston, Teaninich, Benrinnes, Allt-à-Bhainne, Glen Ord, Dailuaine, Miltonduff, Ardbeg- Islay, Highlands, Speyside

Recharred Hogsheads, 1st Fill and Refill Bourbon Barrels, Custom French Oak Casks

Independent Bottling

By Compass Box 

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Peated around 20 ppm

 

 

 

The 7th edition of the Flaming Heart was crafted by James Saxon. The goal was to highlight the fruit in a unit where peat is important. Since the 1st edition in 2006, this is what is sought, but here it is particularly insistent. Mainly 4 distilleries are involved, Laphroaig, Caol Ila, Talisker and Highland Park, but also the cask bottoms of 4 other Compass Box expressions, the Flaming Heart 6th Edition, the Peat Monster Arcana, the Nectar 15th Anniversary, and the old recipe from The Spice Tree. That makes a total of 15 distilleries! I don't know if each is recognizable in this mix. 9606 bottles are on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Straight avay, the Sherry and a forest character, undergrowth, heather, oak, with beautiful pieces of bark, moss, black and greasy earth. The peat is full and smooth. The influence of Sherry gives damson, cherry clafoutis, a few blackberries. It's quite pulpy, but not excessive. The Bourbon is felt rather on the palate, it's soft, a bit of vanilla, many nuts, cranberry tart, then a long and beautiful finish, not explosive, quiet but which does its job. Burning chestnuts, hot coals, refreshing earth. Bay leaf, thyme, clove.

 

In Short, 

I really liked this forestry and fruity nectar. It's a success, it's pleasant, better in my opinion than the previous edition. But the price is well above what it's worth in terms of quality. It's a pity.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Meat Puppets - Flaming Heart

Compass Box The Peat Monster Cask Strength Origin Story

 

 

 

56,7°

Distillery : Caol Ila, Laphroaig, Clynelish, Teaninich, Dailuaine - Islay, Highlands, Speyside 

Refill American Oak Hogsheads, Bourbon Barrels, Puncheons, Custom French Casks

Independent Bottling 

By Compass Box 

Limited Edition

Blended Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 36 ppm

Twenty years already! Twenty years since The Peat Monster flooded the Whiskey market and helped popularize peat among connoiseurs. The first version was actually called Monster and was prepared at the request of the Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New York City. And, after 4 limited editions and numerous special releases, here is the most recent, a Cask Strength bottling to celebrate the anniversary of this famous expression. 9126 bottles are on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

So Laphroaigish, with beautiful drippings of vanilla and pastry cream, mille-feuilles, a well-smoked, metallic and stony peat that is very recognizable, but wouldn't there be also a touch of Caol Ila ? With iodized, marinated, algal character, foam and salt ? Perfect balance, superb marriage. On the palate, it's very sweet, surprisingly, after such a radical nose. Silky, velvety, it flows all by itself. A very fatty vanilla and very ripe white plums, banana and honey. In the finish, a certain violence, it is peppery, cloved, very intense and strong. And then long, to make you dizzy. With lots of seafood, and a salty touch.

 

In Short, 

Well done! I think this one is just perfect. Priority is given to Laphroaig, but Caol Ila also plays his part. It is typical of Peat Monster, heavily peaty, and at the same time very easy to drink. Exactly the kind of contrast I like. The price is a little high, but I am seriously considering a purchase.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Devilskin - Never See The Light

Compass Box The Peat Monster

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Caol Ila, Laphroaig, Clynelish, Teaninich, Dailuaine - Islay, Highlands, Speyside

Refill Hogsheads and Custom French Oak Casks

Independent Bottling 

By Compass Box 

Core Range 

Blended Malt 

Launched in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 36 ppm

 

 

 

The Peat Monster is Compass Box's monster, their figurehead, their best-selling whisky, and a name that spans many bottlings. From the very first Peat Monster, which was actually called Monster, launched in 2003, to the Cask Strength 2d edition launched twenty years later, there are countless expressions bearing this name. Initially, there were 4 limited editions launched at regular intervals, along with many rare things or in Cask Strength. But in 2019, The Peat Monster is integrated into the Signature Range, the classic Compass Box range, with a new recipe essentially based on two distilleries, Caol Ila and Laphroaig. It is this one that I am reporting on today. Even if new Batches are launched every 3-4 months, the recipe remains the same, as well as the label designed by Marc Burckhardt.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Beautiful dry, herbaceous peat. Earth with a full ashtray next to it. It's metallic too, with nails, car wrecks. We're at a junkyard, engine oil puddles here and there. Thick smoke over it, but the fruit is there too, white plums, creamy vanilla. The whole is quite round, well balanced. Ripe wheat. On the palate, pleasant soft peat, the spices rise, pepper, nutmeg, clove, it remains very engaging, slightly woody, then it's the finish, long, explosive, coffee and cola, charcoal.

 

In Short, 

Despite the name, I wouldn't call this a Monster. Its quality is on the contrary that, although very peaty, it remains drinkable and pleasant. This is probably the most peaty expression I know, which is not aggressive. In the mouth, it is quite sweet. This is its strength. John Glaser, when he talks about it, insists on its "drinkability", and that is absolutely true. They made a nice monster, even cute. It's a tour de force, and therefore a classic, that you absolutely must have if you're a fan of the genre.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Aerosmith - Walk This Way

Compass Box The Spice Tree

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Glen Moray, Balmenach, Tomatin - Speyside and Highlands

1st Fill Bourbon and Custom French Oak Casks

Independent Bottling 

By Compass Box 

Core Range 

Blended Malt 

Launched in 2005

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

The story of The Spice Tree begins in 2005 when John Glaser launched this product as a limited edition of 4150 bottles. The principle is to use intensely toasted French oak casks in order to obtain a strongly spiced Whisky. The distilleries involved were Dailuaine, Teaninich, Clynelish and Longmorn, and the age was around 10 years. A second similar batch followed in 2006, but the Scotch Whisky Association called for production to cease, as the manufacturing process was said to be unsuitable for a Scotch Whisky. John Glaser then changed the recipe for the first time, and launched a second The Spice Tree in 2009, this time as part of The Signature Range, which is the classic Compass Box portfolio. At this time, the required distilleries were the same, except that Longmorn was no longer part of the mix, and the age was no longer mentioned. Success is there and The Spice Tree becomes a pillar of the brand. Finally, in 2021, the recipe is changed again, the juice comes now from Glen Moray, Balmenach and Tomatin, which makes it fruitier.

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, honey nestles against candied vanilla and lemon pulp, it's light, airy, an ounce of iodine, it's sweet, marshmallow, biscuit, but above all it's very balanced, nothing stands out, it's smooth. On the palate, still a lot of honey, white plums, grapes, very ripe apples, it's nice, but where are the spices? Oh yes, it's true, there are a few, paprika and nutmeg, but it's still quite soft. Fairly good finish, where the lemon becomes prominent, paraffin, milk chocolate.

 

In Short, 

t's a good Blended Malt, at a fair price if you buy it from the right stores. Personally, I don't find it that spicy, probably because I was expecting an explosion of spices, and it was very subtle on the contrary. A purchase would be a good idea, it is a quality entry dram.

Score : 86

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Esther Rose - Safe To Run

The Akkeshi 2018 Single Cask Selected by La Maison du Whisky

 

 

 

58°

Distillery : The Akkeshi - Japan

Ex-Bourbon Cask

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

 

 

 

The Akkeshi distillery was founded in 2016 by Keiichi Toita, manager of a spirits trading company named Kenten Jitsugyo. It is located on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan, a place that has several things in common with a certain Islay in Scotland. This allows Akkeshi to produce very limited edition in Single Casks entirely made on the island, with local barley and peat. But it is not certain that these were the craftng conditions of this particular edition, I don't know either how many bottles were put on sale, nor how many ppm the peat rate rises, or even if it is reduced. It is no less a selection from La Maison du Whisky, sold exclusively in France.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is more and more coastal, oysters, limestone, sandstone, slate. Salty but light freshness. The peat is present, hazy, almost ethereal. A pinch of icing sugar, but also some sea foam. On the palate, it's oily, seaweed, kelp, but also slightly fruity, vanilla and lychee. The spices are important, but not too strong, they soak up the mouth. nutmeg and cloves. Then comes the finish, long and beautiful, a bit of charcoal, mainly shortbread. Hazelnut and a saline touch, like semi-salted butter. Very enjoyable.

 

In Short, 

This Single Cask reveals the very interesting potential of this distillery. A deeply coastal and saline character, but at the same time very subtle. However, it is still too young, 4 years at best, and the aging in a Bourbon cask does not enhance complexity. It remains a beautiful thing, sold at a totally excessive price. I think La Maison du Whisky is hoping for an explosion in the market like for Chichibu a few years ago. Why not, but I don't see the first signs yet.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Ilajan - Mad

The Akkeshi Peated Seimei

 

 

 

55°

Distillery : Akkeshi - Japan

Ex-Bourbon, Sherry, Red Wine and Local Mizunara Oak Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered

Lightly Peated

 

 

 

The Akkeshi distillery, founded in 2016 in the North of Hokkaido in Japan, has been launching a wide range of 24 bottlings since the end of 2020, entitled "24 Solar Systems", in tribute to the 24 solar seasons that punctuate the year according to the Japanese tradition. Here is the 7th edition, Seimi, subtitled "Radiance of Pure Life", it illustrates the beginning of Spring during the first half of April. It is a three-year-old Single Malt, aged 70% in Bourbon casks, 20% in Sherry, the rest in red wine casks and in Quercus Crispula oak casks, also named Mizunaraa, very rare and typically Japanese. The barley was grown locally, the water used is also drawn near the distillery, from the Homakai River, and filtered through layers of peat. In addition, 7 types of barrels were used, some of which were peated, and the others not. The result gives a subtle and light peat around 10 ppm. The number of bottles produced is not known.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is a bit austere, coastal, mineral, limestone, sandstone, slate. A certain depth. The peat is discreet, tapered, grainy. Pencil lead, seafood, oysters, but also mussels and whelks. Sweet salinity. On the palate, it remains maritime, iodized, with some harbour hints, small fishing port, quicksilver fish, eels, razor clams. Little disturbing spices, it's a bit milky, then the finish comes, quite strong, rock bathed in seawater, seaweed and kelp. Very long. 

 

In Short, 

Subtle and full of nuances, of great maturity in relation to the age. I enjoyed the coastal profile. However the nose seemed to me very austere and difficult to penetrate. Fortunately, the monstrous finale made up for it. It remains a very good Single Malt, at an absolutely excessive price, to be reserved for collectors eager for curiosities.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Emily Zoé - Save The World

The Akkeshi Whisky Taisho

 

 

 

48°

Distillery : Akkeshi - Japan

Ex-Bourbon, Sherry, Red Wine Mizunara Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Blended Whisky 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered

Lightly Peated

The Akkeshi distillery is located on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan. It started distilling in October 2016 through the impetus of its creator Keiichi Toita, manager of a trading company named Kenten Jitsugyo. This new Blended Whisky, released in August 2022, is the 8th part of a wide range of 24 bottles, "24 Solar Termes Series", which is inspired by the 24 solar seasons in Japanese tradition. The season referred by this bottling is the hottest time of the year, between late July and early August, "The Peak of Summer" being the subtitle of the bottle. 10,000 copies were produced, and flooded the world. The maturation has been partly done in Mizunara oak casks, or Quercus Crispula, very rare and expensive. The peat comes from the site of the distillery itself, its influence is slight, around 10 ppm or so, in my humble opinion. The age of the beast must be around 4 years old.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Lemony pulp, but light, a peaty shade, nice balance, I bite a grapefruit, then comes the grain influence, crushed corn, nice sweet roundness, like a drop of molasses, liquid caramel, honey and nuts. Minerality in the background, sandstone or slate. On the palate, beautiful syrupy consistency, citrus fruits return, well managed spices, fondant with lemon, blood orange and icing sugar, chalky hints. Successful, long and pastry finish, gingerbread, white grapes, puffed rice. A drop of lemon.

 

In Short, 

Despite its young age, it's impressively mature. It's pleasant and subtle, but the lemon dominates, with a sweet saline minerality. Overall, I found it successful, even exceptional for a simple Blend, but the price, on the other hand, is crazy. Crafting costs in Japan are much higher than in Scotland, and do not allow this product to be competitive, unfortunately.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Nickel Creek - Strangers