COMPASS BOX RELEASES THE CIRCLE, NO. 2

Compass Box Scotch whiskymakers announce an exciting new Limited Edition. The Circle, No. 2 is the latest to emerge from their global bartender competition, The Circle, and is inspired by a rare sensation known as synaesthesia.

The whisky will be available in the UK from 1st June, with only 3,113 bottles available worldwide.

The Circle programme serves to connect the creative processes of the blending room with those of the bar trade, exploring imaginative and unusual ideas and bringing like-minded individuals together to learn, share and create. Mannie Monaghan won the competition in 2019, the last time The Circle was able to run. Mannie, owner of the bar, Below Stairs, in Leeds, UK, tapped into the phenomenon of synaesthesia, asking the Compass Box whiskymakers “Is it possible to make a whisky that evokes the colour coral?”

There are only 3,113 bottles available

Synaesthesia refers to a blending of the senses. It can involve hearing shapes, tasting days of the week, or smelling colours and is as varied in its forms and intensities as the people who experience it. As a synaesthete himself, Mannie, was able to bring the full force of his taste buds and personal colour palette to the Compass Box blending rooms, fostering a unique creative process for the whiskymaking team.

What does the colour coral taste like? It’s unmistakably warm, familiar, and powerful.

Translating that sensation into whisky has led us to create wonderful warm whisky that expresses the positivity and vibrancy of Living Coral, Pantone’s colour of the year in 2019.
– Mannie Monaghan: Global bartender competition winner 2019

Over two lengthy sessions, Mannie joined whiskymaker James Saxon in the Blending Rooms. Not synaesthetic himself, James relied on Mannie to first identify parcels of whisky with coral-like qualities. This was an exciting challenge and great fun, scouring the shelves for samples of whiskies with the intensity and beauty that matched the colour in Mannie’s mind.

Gradually a lovely, soft, and sweet whisky took shape. More than half of the recipe is tropical, pineapple-accented whisky from the Glen Elgin Distillery, while whiskies aged in Sherry casks lend warmth, energy, and a clinging texture. Dashes of a peated whisky, and a little malt whisky further matured in STR wine casks, bring contrast and depth. The Circle, No. 2 was created as an outdoor whisky to be enjoyed with friends, lounging on a lazy afternoon as the sun sets.

Key flavours expressed by the whisky are pineapple and stewed peach alongside vanilla, honey and sultanas soaked in Cognac. Compass Box wanted the label design to reflect the collaborative whiskymaking process and the fusing of the senses, as well as bring to life the luminous beauty of coral.

Creating The Circle, No. 2 with Mannie has shown us that the senses can be blended together, and that they can inform one another. This is the beauty of collaboration – we have only had the opportunity to run two editions of The Circle programme, but hopefully we can have many more surprising meetings of minds in the years to come.

Not being synaesthetic, working with Mannie in the Blending Rooms was a bit like trying to learn a new language. Gradually, I was able to suggest parcels of whisky that met Mannie’s vision more precisely. By the end, I did feel as though I was seeing colours too! We are so pleased to finally be able to release this whisky, and that we can start to look forward to bringing bartenders together again.
– James Saxon: Lead whiskymaker

Compass Box Limited Edition The Circle, No. 2 (RRP £130, ABV 46%) @CompassBoxWhiskyCo (Instagaram)

Compass Box is available to buy from these Merchants:-

• The Whisky Exchange
• Hard To Find Whisky
• Master of Malt
• Tyndrum Whisky

Compass Box Experimental Grain Whisky

Compass Box is synonymous with creating compelling, yet surprising whiskies and the central theme for their new Experimental Grain Whisky is contrast.

Experimental Grain Whisky’s label artwork draws on technical distillation textbooks, and the subversive doodlings of Picasso!

This is a unique release that will transport whisky lovers to new territories. Compass Box Experimental Grain Whisky will be available in the UK online (RRP £100) from 21st February online with only 6,142 bottles released worldwide.

This parcel sourced from Loch Lomond Distillery, which makes up one third of the recipe, might be 100% malt, but because it is produced in a column still rather than a pot still, Scotch whisky conventions require it to be classified as grain whisky.

In addition, Experimental Grain Whisky contains conventionally made grain whiskies aged in re-charred barrels and hogsheads, contributing rich crème brûlée notes that bring depth to the Loch Lomond whisky’s unique herbal and spicy smoke aromas.

The intense toffee, apple and vanilla notes one might expect from a Compass Box grain whisky are woven together with mossy, creamy peatiness, making for an unexpected and delicious blend of contrasts.

In keeping with Compass Box’s dedication to presenting design that is as interesting as its whiskies, Experimental Grain Whisky’s label artwork draws on technical distillation textbooks, and the subversive doodlings of Picasso.

Experimental Grain Whisky (RRP £100, ABV 46%)

With heavy copy on the front rather than the back, it is designed to capture the imaginations of whisky enthusiasts by reinventing the unique labels the producer is known for. The back label sticky notes convey the work-in-progress nature of bringing whiskies to life.

Experimental Grain Whisky (RRP £100, ABV 46%) @CompassBoxWhiskyCo (Instagaram)

Compass Box is available to buy from these Merchants:-

• Master of Malt
• Tyndrum Whisky
• The Whisky Exchange

In 2020, Compass Box celebrates its 20th anniversary. With a forward-looking approach and unrelenting focus on creativity and integrity, John and his team continue to take forward his mission to make the world of Scotch whisky a more interesting place.

Artist Blend and Glasgow Blend

Compass Box Scotch Whiskymakers have evolved their permanent collection and redesigned the labels for two of their popular, award-winning blended Scotch whiskies and simplified their names to: Artist Blend and Glasgow Blend.

Artist blend

Loyal fans of the previously named Great King Street collection need not worry as both expressions contain the same award-winning liquid.

When I first created these blended Scotch whiskies I was inspired by the writing of Aeneas MacDonald in his classic 1930 book, ‘Whisky’.

MacDonald wrote about the distinct differences in whisky taste between the citizens of Edinburgh and Glasgow. He also detailed what blended Scotch whisky recipes were like at the time. This was all hugely inspirational to me when I first created Artist Blend and Glasgow Blend and it made these whiskies, in effect, an homage to Scotland’s two biggest cities.
– John Glaser: Compass Box founder and creator

Internationally renowned and award-winning designers Stranger & Stranger have added their own creative twist to both labels, conveying the tale of the two cities and two whiskies through new labels that celebrate the diversity of thinking and originality of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The designs are a homage to blending’s golden age in the late 19th century when individuals used artistry, creativity, and craft to pioneer the world-famous spirit: blended Scotch whisky (which is defined as a blend of single malt and single grain whiskies from different distilleries).

Artist Blend (formally Great King Street Artist’s Blend)

A tribute to Edinburgh, the new label depicts an artist in front of the world-famous Scottish National Gallery and embodies the creative spirit of Compass Box.

Compass Box Founder, John Glaser, first created this whisky in 2011 and was inspired by 100-year-old recipes. This blended Scotch whisky has a higher proportion of single malt whiskies than is normally found in blends today, and is reminiscent of apple, salted caramel and baking spices. Artist Blend has a notably creamy mouthfeel and long finish.

A vibrantly fruity and creamy flavour profile complements the artistic endeavour and creative flair that the city is famous for. Artist Blend can be drunk neat, with a splash of water or on the rocks, and is versatile enough for cocktail creation or even a classic Highball.

RRP: £37 for a 70cl bottle. ABV: 43%, natural colour and non-chill filtered.
– Available from: compassboxwhisky.com

Glasgow Blend (formally Great King Street Glasgow Blend)

Glasgow Blend

Conceived as a contrast to Artist Blend, it represents the bold, fearless and humorous personality of the Glaswegians. One of Glasgow’s most iconic landmarks, the statue of the Duke of Wellington, which has had various traffic cones placed on its head for the past 30 years, is on the new label for Glasgow Blend as it is a symbol of the city’s sense of humour.

This is an old-school peaty blended Scotch whisky, originally created by John Glaser in 2014, that draws on an historical reference that Glaswegians have long preferred bigger, smokier whiskies.

With a high malt content, Glasgow Blend is full, bold and smoky on the palate and unites the rich spice and fruitcake-like notes of Sherry cask ageing with the maritime punch of Islay malt whisky.

Glasgow Blend can be poured into a tumbler or wine glass and enjoyed pre- or post-dinner, perhaps with a splash of water. The added weight of this bold blend brings extra depth to whisky-based cocktails.

RRP: £37 for a 70cl bottle. ABV: 43%, natural colour and non-chill filtered.
– Available from: compassboxwhisky.com

These two versatile Compass Box whiskies, loved by bartenders around the world, can now take pride of place in home bars and are set to become the essential ingredient for home cocktail creation.

Compass Box is available to buy from these Merchants:-

• Edencroft Fine Wine & Spirit Specialists
• The Whisky Exchange
• Master of Malt
• The Little Whisky Shop
• Tyndrum Whisky

American ex-pat John Glaser is the founder and head whiskymaker of Compass Box, the boutique Scotch whisky blending house widely recognised in the industry for their innovative approach to the creation and enjoyment of whisky. John began his career on a path to become a winemaker, before re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as a Marketing Director for Johnnie Walker in London. With a desire to do things differently, John started Compass Box from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000 in order to bring the joys of Scotch whisky to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most compelling whisky companies, re-imagining the standards for quality and style in the industry. In 2020, John was inducted into the Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame. Two decades later, Compass Box now has two blending rooms in London, a team of 20 working internationally and stocks of maturing whiskies in Scotland. In 2020, Compass Box celebrates its 20th anniversary. With a forward-looking approach and unrelenting focus on creativity and integrity, John and his team continue to take forward his mission to make the world of Scotch whisky a more interesting place.

A Blended Malt that explores Scotch whisky’s wilder side!

Compass Box Scotch Whiskymaker has launched their latest limited edition Menagerie – a Blended Malt that explores Scotch whisky’s wilder side!

With the Compass Box Whiskymakers continually striving to push boundaries, they were inspired to search out malts with a touch of the wild about them.

A limited edition of 7,741 bottles distributed globally

Underneath fruitiness or maltiness lurk subtly animalic notes, qualities either built in thanks to distillation, or gained from subsequent maturation. By bringing all these elements together Compass Box has created their latest limited edition, Menagerie.

The whisky is a blend of single malts from four distilleries: Mortlach Distillery, Deanston Distillery, Laphroaig Distillery and Glen Elgin Distillery, combined with Compass Box’s Highland Malt Blend. The lead Whiskymaker is James Saxon.

Scotch whisky has a huge variety of flavour profiles – when whiskymaking, we pay attention to those parcels that deviate slightly from fruity, floral and spicy – ones that taste that little bit wilder than others.

And it is these strange and beautiful creatures that we have brought together to create our Menagerie.
– James Saxon: Lead Whiskymaker

Menagerie boasts a complex aroma of baking spices, leather, tar and musky fruits.
The palate is engagingly lush with even more fruit, while oily smoke and forest floor notes linger in the finish.

– Bottled at 46% ABV. Natural colour, not chill-filtered blended malt Scotch whisky.
– RRP: £90 for a 70cl bottle. ABV: 46%.
– A limited edition of 7,741 bottles distributed globally.
– Available from: compassboxwhisky.com

Compass Box is available to buy from these Merchants:-

• Edencroft Fine Wine & Spirit Specialists
• The Whisky Exchange
• Master of Malt
• The Little Whisky Shop
• Tyndrum Whisky

American ex-pat John Glaser is the founder and head whiskymaker of Compass Box, the boutique Scotch whisky blending house widely recognised in the industry for their innovative approach to the creation and enjoyment of whisky. John began his career on a path to become a winemaker, before re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as a Marketing Director for Johnnie Walker in London. With a desire to do things differently, John started Compass Box from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000 in order to bring the joys of Scotch whisky to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most compelling whisky companies, re-imagining the standards for quality and style in the industry. In 2020, John was inducted into the Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame. Two decades later, Compass Box now has two blending rooms in London, a team of 20 working internationally and stocks of maturing whiskies in Scotland. In 2020, Compass Box celebrates its 20th anniversary. With a forward-looking approach and unrelenting focus on creativity and integrity, John and his team continue to take forward his mission to make the world of Scotch whisky a more interesting place.

A Limited Edition Inspired by A Single Extraordinary Sherry-Seasoned Cask!

Compass Box has launched their latest Limited Edition Magic Cask Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. Made from a blend of Speyside malt whiskies, Magic Cask takes its defining character from the inclusion of whisky from one Sherry-seasoned cask. On the palate, Magic Cask reveals ripe golden dessert apples with an oaky richness, while flavours of toffee and cocoa powder are also conjured up.

The Compass Box whiskymakers recommend pouring the whisky after dinner and savouring its medley of autumn fruits and dark chocolate.

Compass Box Magic Cask

In 2016, Compass Box re-racked one-year-old malt spirit of robust character into first fill Oloroso-seasoned butts. By 2019, one particular cask – #2 – proved so compelling that they began to experiment.

Sometimes just one cask in a blend of many can provide the touch of magic that allows the whole arrangement to sing. We first took advantage of this phenomenon in 2006 when an experimental whisky, finished in an ex-Madeira barrique, led to the Limited Edition bottling we called Magic Cask.

We’re delighted to be able to share with you again the magical influence of one exceptional cask – a Sherry-seasoned cask in this case – can have on a recipe.
– John Glaser: Compass Box Founder and Whiskymaker

We have had samples of whisky from the lost Imperial Distillery in our Blending Room for some time. Aged in first fill Bourbon barrels, the spirit is brimming with fruit and vanilla notes and exhibits a lovely tongue-clinging texture. However, finding the right project and accompaniments to this parcel of single malt proved a challenge.

Then, last year, we discovered cask #2 amongst samples drawn from our 2016 Sherry cask maturation experiment. Full to the brim with cherry fruit and cedar spice character, it was a remarkably precocious whisky. When combined with the parcel from the lost distillery, it created an exceptionally rich and layered blended malt Scotch whisky.
– James Saxon: Whiskymaker

Available now in the UK, Magic Cask joins Limited Edition whiskies Hedonism Felicitas, Rogues’ Banquet and Peat Monster Arcana, which were released in 2020, Compass Box’s 20th anniversary year.

– 46% ABV Natural colour. Not chill-filtered.
– 70cl £145.00
– 5,538 bottles produced
– Available from compassboxwhisky.com

Magic Cask Tasting Notes:

Aromas of marmalade and chai tea spices, with hints of plum. Ripe golden dessert apples dominate the luscious palate, supported by an oaky richness. Flavours of toffee and cocoa powder are also conjured up.

5,538 bottles produced globally …

ABOUT COMPASS BOX

We are Scotch whiskymakers. This word ‘whiskymaker’ is our word – it does not appear in a dictionary. And for 20 years we have been relentlessly focused on reinventing Scotch whisky, with every new blend designed to help make the world of whisky a more interesting place. Of course, we have not done it on our own. We have collaborated with some of the world’s most visionary bartenders and designers to really push the boundaries of what is possible. We have won more awards for innovation than any other producer in Scotland because we are always experimenting. Always looking for sparks of creativity that will deliver something totally compelling, yet completely surprising. Whiskies that just must be experienced. This vision motivates us as whiskymakers. Our blends are consistently rated equal to or better than the great single malts of Scotland by the most respected voices in the industry. Six-time Whisky Magazine Innovator of the Year. 2020 Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame Inductee, John Glaser, Founder of Compass Box.

JOHN GLASER, WHISKYMAKER

American ex-pat John Glaser is the founder and head whiskymaker of Compass Box, the boutique Scotch whisky blending house widely recognised in the industry for their innovative approach to the creation and enjoyment of whisky. John began his career on a path to become a winemaker, before re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as a Marketing Director for Johnnie Walker in London. With a desire to do things differently, John started Compass Box from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000 in order to bring the joys of Scotch whisky to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most compelling whisky companies, re-imagining the standards for quality and style in the industry. In 2020, John was inducted into the Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame. Two decades later, Compass Box now has two blending rooms in London, a team of 20 working internationally and stocks of maturing whiskies in Scotland. In 2020, Compass Box celebrates its 20th anniversary. With a forward-looking approach and unrelenting focus on creativity and integrity, John and his team continue to take forward his mission to make the world of Scotch whisky a more interesting place.

Compass Box is available to buy from these Merchants:-

• The Whisky Exchange
• Master of Malt
• Edencroft Fine Wine & Spirit Specialists
• The Little Whisky Shop
• Tyndrum Whisky