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A Compass Box Guided Tour by John Glaser Our Philosophy & Approach, Our House Style, Our Whiskies. Limburg. 23 April 2005. The Story.
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A Compass Box Guided Tour by John Glaser Our Philosophy & Approach, Our House Style, Our Whiskies Limburg 23 April 2005
The Story Five years ago, John Glaser left his job as a Johnnie Walker Marketing Director to follow his passion for Scotch whisky. From his kitchen, he started Compass Box, a boutique whisky blending company.Today, Compass Box is sold in 15 countries and is considered one of the industry’s leading innovators.
Compass Box is a Small, Independent Scotch Whisky Bottler...
…as well as some true innovations… Compass Box “Orangerie” Scotch Whisky Infusion.
…from casks we hand-select from some of Scotland’s best distilleries. Collecting casks at a distillery.
Martyn and John evaluating cask samples for use in future Compass Box whiskies.
The Compass Box Approach is Different: • Distinctive House Style • Modern Blending Philosophy • Hand-selected Casks • Better Wood & Only Ex-Bourbon • Not Chill Filtered, Natural Colour
1. Distinctive House Style Richness, Sweetness, Softness on the palate (Taste Asyla)
Asyla 40% Style: Soft, sweet, delicate • Blended Malt & Grain Scotch Whisky • Light, sweet, apertif style whisky • Appropriate for “house whisky” for the best bars • All whiskies 10-12 years old • Numerous awards including Gold Medal for Best Blend from International Wine & Spirit Competition Composition Cameron Bridge & Cambus 10-12 years old (grain whisky) (Soft, sweet, vanilla) Linkwood (Malt whisky distilled in village of Ballindalloch) (perfumed, malty, delicate) (malty) Auchroisk (Malt whisky distilled in village of Longmorn) (perfumed) (fruity)
2. Modern Blending Philosophy “A Lead Character” instead of “a little of everything” (Taste Eleuthera)
Eleuthera 46% Style: Smoky and rich • Vatted Malt • Smoky and rich • All whiskies 11-17 years old • Winner of numerous awards including Double Gold Medal for Best Malt Whisky at San Francisco World Spirits Competition Composition (Malt whisky distilled in village of Port Askaig) (smoky and peaty) (Malt whisky distilled in village of Brora) re-charred casks Glenlossie recharred casks (malty, rich, sweet) (sweet, malty, perfumed) Other malt as required (Malt whisky distilled in village of Brora)refill casks (malty, fruity-herbal)
3. Hand Selected Casks Martyn and I nose & taste over 1,000 cask samples per year. (Taste Hedonism)
Hedonism 43% Style: Rich, sweet, soft • 100% Scotch Grain Whisky • A rare style of Scotch whisky • Full, rich, sweet whisky with vanilla and toffee flavours • All whiskies 12-23 years old (half the whiskies are 23 years-old) • Winner of numerous awards including Best New Release of the Year from Whisky Magazine Composition Cameron Bridge & Cambus 12 –15 years old (grain whisky) (Soft, sweet, vanilla, red fruits) Cameron Bridge & Cambus 23 year-old (grain whisky) (complexity: toffee, cocoa, coconut; oily texture)
4. Better Wood & Only Ex-Bourbon Predominantly First-Fill Casks Only Ex-Bourbon (no ex-sherry) (Taste Juveniles )
Juveniles 44% Style: malty, fruity, rich • Vatted Malt • All whiskies aged in first-fill bourbon barrels • Rich, malty, fruity; aromas and flavours unfold in glass • All whiskies 11-13 years old • Rated 95 points by Jim Murray in WHISKY BIBLE Composition (Malt whisky distilled in village of Longmorn) first-fill bourbon (fruity, herbal, sweet) (Malt whisky distilled in village of Brora) first fill bourbon (malty, fruity, sweet) (Malt whisky distilled in village of Muir of Ord) first fill bourbon (malty, faint hint of smoke)
Better Wood & Only Ex-Bourbon Richness, Sweetness, Softness on the palate (Taste Asyla)
First Fill American Hogsheads • Within about 3 years, charred surface removes compounds responsible for immature odours • With this spirit, cask superimposes sweet, coconut, perfumed fragrance to existing distillery characteristics
Refill Spanish Oak Butts • Spanish oak casks give 3 times the quantity of aromatic wood-derived compounds to the spirit as American oak • In addition, there is likely to be some residual sherry wine effect • The wood compounds also cause other reactions which create sweet, fruity compounds • Spirit matured in Spanish casks tends to become heavier, fruitier and more full-bodied • Spanish casks are not charred when made; thus removal of immaturities takes longer
Rejuvenated American Hogsheads • Refill casks can be rejuvenated to make them active at removing immaturity while adding sweetness & fruitiness • Can remove sulphuriness in 3 years that normally takes 7 • Rejuvenation breaks down wood to give vanilla sweetness • Other compounds are generated causing reactions giving extra fruitiness • However, the bourbon/coconut/mature sweetness in first fills cannot be regenerated
5. Natural Colour & Not Chill Filtered Because whisky is a natural product… Because whisky is about flavour… (Taste Peat Monster)
The Peat Monster 46% Peaty, smoky, rich • Vatted Malt • Very smoky & peaty, balanced by richness • All whiskies 11-17 years old • “Superb” Rating, Paul Pacult Spirit Journal • Winner of Gold Medal at 2004 International Wine & Spirits Competition Composition (Malt whisky distilled in village of Port Askaig) (Peaty, smoky) Ardmore (rich,malty, smoky Other malts as required
The Compass Box Approach • Distinctive House Style • Modern Blending Philosophy • Hand-selected Casks • Better Wood & Only Ex-Bourbon • Not Chill Filtered, Natural Colour
Pot Still for Malt Whisky Continuous Still for Grain Whisky