![]() My interest, it’s fair to say, skyrocketed when I discovered The Orchard House would focus much more on bourbon-cask bliss… and went straight into orbit when I saw some of the single malts used in this summery, easy to quaff concoction: Clynelish, Linkwood, Benrinnes. I even have a few precious drops left of Compass Box’s sublime Three Year Old Deluxe from a few years ago – John Glaser’s attempt to capture the spirit of Brora.įast forward to late 2021, and my peepers were drawn to reports of a new bottle to be added to the Compass Box core range. What a wonderful whisky that was and a brilliant celebration of Glen Elgin – a distillery that’s somehow, inexplicably, still flying under the radar, although I expect not for much longer. To prove it, I’ll point immediately to Compass Box’s Myths & Legends series as being top-drawer drams – especially Myths & Legends II. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the whiskies above, just a wish that more could be done with the core offerings and something that would be a little easier on Clyde’s dusty old wallet. Let’s not talk about the auction prices some of these bottles go for now. I was left disappointed and eager for a new experience – something quality but well-priced, but we seemed instead to be deluged by a never-ending stream of bottles like Menagerie, Rogue’s Banquet, Canvas, The Circle (no, not Sammy Hagar’s band) and the highly coveted Tobias And The Angel, which hit retail at some pretty high prices it has to be said. It lacked much-needed oomph in the ABV department and sherry/wine cask maturation will never be my go-to style of whisky. I guess this first struck a chord with me after I tried The Story Of The Spaniard a few years ago. Sure, stalwarts like Peat Monster, Spice Tree and Hedonism are great products for the price, but for me, Compass Box seemed to be focusing more on their limited releases rather than introduce something new and vibrant to the range that helped elevate them into the top tier of blenders in the first place. ![]() For more information, visit the Compass Box website.The Orchard House Is The Fruit-forward Offering I’ve Been Waiting ForĪfter drinking and thoroughly enjoying Compass Box’s output over the course of the last decade or so, I was beginning to lose a little faith in them when it came to a bit more fresh variety in their core range. 9,126 bottles will be made available worldwide, at an SRP of $125. As we celebrate the origin story of The Peat Monster with this Cask Strength Limited Edition, it’s also worth noting and celebrating how the American palate has evolved over this period and come to embrace the traditional peaty and smoky flavours of Scotch whiskies like The Peat Monster.” Bottled at 56.7% ABV, the producers have described the expression as having notes of tarry, smoked almond, vanilla and seaweed on the palate. Speaking on the release, Glaser commented: “It's always been our mission at Compass Box to create compelling whiskies, even if it means breaking moulds – or creating new ones! Thanks to the early collaboration with Jonathan, we created a quintessential peated whisky that has gone on to become one of our core expressions, still beloved by whisky drinkers two decades later. The exclusive US-only label includes addiotional New York City elements, including a yellow cab and an copy of one of the city’s best known newspapers. It features depictions of the monster against skyscrapers, subway steam grates and a nod to Central Park. ![]() Another homage to the origin story of The Peat Monster appears on the label, designed by American artist Mark Burckhardt. The latest blend is comprised of Williamson Islay Malt, aged in refill American oak hogsheads (35%) malt whisky from Caol Ila distillery, aged in refill American oak hogsheads (34.2%) American oak bourbon barrels (17.9%) and refill puncheons (11.8%) and Highland Malt Blend aged in custom French oak barrels with a heavy toast (1.1%). The Peat Monster widely released to the US market in 2004 and became one of Compass Box’s most beloved expressions, a favourite for anyone with a passion for smoky flavours. The Peat Monster was first created by the combined forces of Jonathan Goldstein of Park Avenue Liquors and John Glaser, founder of Compass Box, for an exclusive release back in 2003. Compass Box has announced the release of The Peat Monster Cask Strength: Origin Story, a limited edition blended malt that celebrates the origin story of The Peat Monster.
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