Blended Scotch Whisky

Compass Box The Circus Whisky Review


I’ve pretty much liked everything I’ve tasted from Compass Box.  Oddly enough, they have all been limited release whiskies.  I’ve never tried anything from their core lineup.  Hey!  I said it was odd.  Don’t worry, I’ll get to their core lineup soon enough.  In the meantime…

Compass Box’s The Circus.

One of my favorite whiskies of all time, not just one from Compass Box, is The General.  That one was made up of two parcels of very old blended whisky.  There was just a little to go around, and unfortunately I didn’t get to pick up a bottle.  Thankfully, one of my whisky buddies sent over a sample for me to try, and it was a dreamy whisky.  Again, one of my favorites.

Now, John Glaser has released his latest blend – The Circus.  Like The General, it’s also a blended whisky made from a couple of parcels of old blended scotch whisky, alongside a blended grain whisky and malt.  The Circus is bottled at 49% abv for a price of about $275.  There isn’t a lot of the stuff.  Only 2,490 bottles have been released.

While Compass Box isn’t allowed to give the ages of the whiskies, they did provide a breakdown of what’s in the bottle:

  • 57.2% blended whisky parcel 1 matured in a refill sherry butt.
  • 26% blended grain whisky matured in a refill sherry butt.
  • 15.4% malt whisky from Benrinnes matured in a first fill sherry butt.
  • 1.4% blended whisky parcel 2 matured in a refill sherry butt.

We aren’t sure what those parcels of blended whisky are comprised of, or where they come from.  Something else of note is the exclusive use of sherry butts.  I believe most Compass Box releases feature mostly ex-bourbon casks.  I could be totally wrong here.  So a  Compass Box sherry monster?  Let’s see how it fares.

The nose offers a burst of rich sherried fruit and plums, followed by honeyed malt and dark toffee with a touch of aged vanilla and toasted oak.  There’s an initial sweetness on entry.  Sweet brown sugar, dark fruits, citrus peel and dark chocolate fill the palate.  The long finish leaves behind a honeyed, spiced fruit.

This one was sweet, fruity and showed some age, but not in a bad way.  The grain whiskies kept it on the lighter side up front, and the richness developed towards the end.  I won’t compare it to The General, as it’s a totally different whisky in nature.  Apples and oranges, so to speak.  The Circus is one of the more unique blended whiskies I’ve tasted in a while.  Now, to find a bottle…

9/10

Compassboxwhisky.com
Thanks to Compass Box for the sample.  As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky Review
Photo courtesy of Black Bottle.

Photo courtesy of Black Bottle.

Black Bottle’s story begins back in 1879, when Aberdeen tea blender Gordon Graham put together a blended scotch whisky.  Their blend used some whiskies from Islay, making the final product a bit peaty.  Fast forward to now, and apparently the blend has changed.  According to whiskey vlogger Ralfy, the blend lost its Islay charms in the past few years.  I haven’t tasted the blend from years back, so I’m starting with a clean slate here.  Press materials state that Black Bottle is made from four single malts, including Bunnahabain from Islay, Deanston from the Highlands, and Tobermory and Ledaig from the Isle of Mull.  Due to it labeled as a blended whisky and not a blended malt whisky, there is grain whisky present as well.

This whisky is presented in its distinctive black glass bottle.  Nice looking, might I add.  As of January 2016, Black Bottle is available primarily in New York, New Jersey, California, Illinois, Connecticut, and Florida.  It’s also available in parts of Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky and Georgia.  Suggested retail price is $20-$25.

I can best describe the nose of Black Bottle as rich, sweet and slightly smoky.  Upfront is creamy toffee alongside a touch of vanilla pudding and oak.  The small smoky note lingers in the background, and simply adds a layer of complexity.  Stewed fruit shows up with a little airtime in the glass.  The entry is a little soft, probably due to the low alcohol percentage (40%).  Thankfully, however, it retains a thicker body than expected.  The rich, creamy vanilla and fruit notes from the nose carry over onto the palate.  Honey is also present, providing some sweetness.  Just like on the nose, smoke is a supporting player here.  Unfortunately, the finish doesn’t last too long, and you’re left with a hint of clove honey and ash.

This is a $20 blend??  Smack me on the head.  Had I not had the pricing information in front of me, I’d easily guess this was a $40 whisky.  It tastes more expensive than it actually is.  Given the price and the quality of this blend, I can easily recommend it.  Black Bottle would make a great addition to a spread of whiskies you’d give to someone interested in “smoky” Scotch.  I’d actually serve this before Johnnie Walker Black Label.  Black Bottle not as smoke-forward as that blend.  Rather, it’s richer and more balanced.  Solid pour.  Nicely done!

8.0/10
(Note: A review sample was provided by Black Bottle.)

Cutty Sark & Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition Blended Scotch Whisky Review

Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky

Cutty Sark

Cutty Sark was launched in 1923, as Prohibition gripped the United States.  It’s a blended Scotch whiskey comprised of single malt whiskies from The Macallan, Highland Park and The Glenrothes along with grain whiskies aged in American oak casks.  It was created for the booming cocktail culture at the time.  Known as a light style of whisky, Cutty Sark worked beautifully in cocktails by not overpowering other ingredients.

The brand is now owned by the Edrington Group, who also own The Macallan, Highland Park and The Glenrothes distilleries. Cutty Sark is bottled at 40% abv and sells for under $20.

Cutty Sark starts things off with honey, lemon zest, malt and a touch of vanilla.  Those aromas carry over onto the palate.  Light-bodied, a sweet malted grain is prominent, seasoned with fresh lemon and a light syrup.  There’s a bit of spice on the back of the palate going into the finish.  That spice doesn’t last long and provides a fairly quick and clean finish.

Let’s pass on this as a sipper.  This isn’t a bad whisky, but it’s priced and designed to be a mixer, which is how I’m going to recommend it.  If you’re picking up a Cutty Sark to sip on, scroll down the page.

6.0/10 as a sipper; recommended as a mixer
(Note: A review sample was provided by Cutty Sark.)

 Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition Blended Scotch Whisky

Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition

The Prohibition Edition of Cutty Sark is a salute to Captain William S. McCoy, a smuggler of Cutty Sark whisky during Prohibition.  Presented in a black glass bottle with an old style label, Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition is bottled at 50% abv for about $30ish.  The brand is calling this blend a “small batch”, though there is no telling how much smaller it is compared to the traditional Cutty Sark blend.  Bonus points for the blend being non-chill filtered.

A noticeably darker color than the standard blend, Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition has similar aromas to it’s sibling – sweet malt, lemon zest.  However, it is deeper and richer, and has more vanilla and introduces caramel and spice.  The higher proof helps deliver a better flavor experience without the roughness a 50% abv whisky can sometimes have.  The finish here is long, with a pepper/sweet malt combination hitting your tongue.

Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition is a robust blend, without being overly complex.  It’s definitely several steps ahead of the standard Cutty Sark blend.  This one will work both as a sipper and a great mixer.

7.5/10
(Note: A review sample was provided by Cutty Sark.)