Fine Spirits

Immerse yourself in the world of Compass Box with this concise introduction to the delicious range of Scotch whiskies by Whisky maker John Glaser. This delicious overview features a 5cl serving of each of their signature expressions (Hedonism, Asyla, Oak Cross, The Spice Tree & The Peat Monster). A great gift idea for both Whisky connoisseurs and novices alike.

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The name Oak Cross comes from the use of both American and French oak in the maturation of this whisky... A rich, medium-bodied blended malt Scotch whisky, Oak Cross combines vanilla characters from American oak and spicy, clove-like characters from French oak. Compass Box begin by sourcing whiskies from three single malt distilleries; one for its ethereal fruity character, one for its enchanting perfume and one that lends a complex and substantial structure to the blend.

All are aged in American oak casks before a portion is placed into innovative hybrid casks featuring heavily toasted new French oak heads. These give the whisky an added richness and spice-like complexity. By carefully blending back the French oak-aged whisky with its American oak-aged forebear, they are able to create a refined, rich, but well-mannered malt whisky, with fruity aspects that will remind you of baked apple or pears, complemented by a rich, toasty oak character.

There is a purity, a seductiveness and a certain enticing femininity to Scottish grain whiskies which can make them special among spirits. At their best, aged in good quality American oak casks, brimming with vanilla and echoing rich pastry cream on the finish, they are amongst the most delicious whiskies in the world. At their best, grain whiskies are the perfect whiskies to name... Hedonism.

The inspiration behind Hedonism is just that – pleasure, enjoyment, a celebration of that ideal marriage between distilled spirit and high quality oak maturation. The aromas and flavours hint of vanilla, caramel, a delicate fruitiness, accented by flashes of coconut in the finish. This is a whisky that will appeal to both the ardent whisky enthusiast and newcomers to whisky alike.

A long time ago, Compass Box created a rich, bold Scotch whisky called The Spice Tree. Unfortunately, due to its avant garde method of oak-aging, they were compelled by the powers that be to discontinue production. Undeterred, they worked with their cooper friends in both France and Scotland to develop a new, hybrid oak cask that would allow them to achieve similar results, but in a way that would be acceptable to even the most conservative of observers. Et voila, The Spice Tree was resurrected – matured using a custom-made cask with French oak for the heads and American oak for the bodies. The Spice Tree is a rich, intense malt whisky redolent of baking spices and layered with toasty oak accents that complement the underlying distillery character.