The whiskey wash logo
The World's Most-Visited
Whiskey Website
The World's Most-Visited
Whiskey Website

Compass Box Tells The Secrets Of Smoke

Secrets of Smoke is a complex dram that “unveils the secret sweetness behind peated malts.” 9,792 bottles of Secrets of Smoke have been produced.
  • Beth Squires is the Deputy Editor of The Whiskey Wash and a graduate of the OurWhisky Foundation’s Atonia Programme. With over half a decade of industry experience, she is passionate about writing stories that highlight innovation, diversity, and sustainability across the global whisky landscape.
Search

Trending Stories

Like Conversation
reading time
Compass Box showcase the sweet side of smoke with its new limited edition – Secrets of Smoke. Credit: Compass Box
Compass Box, the enigmatic scotch whisky maker, has announced its latest limited edition release. Secrets of Smoke is a complex dram that “unveils the secret sweetness behind peated malts.” Crafted from a blend of sherry, bourbon, and wine cask-matured whiskies, the sweetness of the wine shines through, whilst retaining the characteristic smokiness of peated malts. 

9,792 bottles of Secrets of Smoke have been produced for an RRP of $165 (£130), available worldwide. Purchase your bottle here. 

The Making of Secrets of Smoke 

True to Compass Box’s transparent approach, the brand has revealed the makeup of Secrets of Smoke (52% ABV). As expected from a smoky whisky, many of the whiskies hail from Islay. The components are as follows: 

  • 22% First-fill Sherry Hogshead Single Malt from The Ardmore Distillery 
  • 33.9% Second-fill Spanish Red Wine Cask Blended Malt – The Peat Monster from Compass Box 
  • 33.1% First-fill Palo Cortado Sherry-Seasoned Butt Single Malt from The Caol Ila Distillery 
  • 5.7% First-fill Marsala Barrique Single Malt from The Laphroaig Distillery 
  • 2.5% Refill Bourbon Barrel Single Malt from The Bowmore Distillery 
  • 2.7% Primarily Recharred American Oak Hogshead Blended Malt 


The resulting whisky, Secrets of Smoke is honeyed and rich, boasting aromas of toasted marshmallow, honey, pears, caramel, and coast smoke. On the palate expect an oily texture with pear and spice, peach, and melon. The finish is long with citrus, chocolate, and peat smoke. 

“Our limited editions allow us to spread our creative wings and concoct one-off expressions with unique recipes,” says Compass Box Director of Whiskymaking, James Saxon. “With Secrets of Smoke, we wanted to build on the results of some of our cask experiments and enhance the unexpected sweetness of peated malts.”

The Striking Packaging 

Credit: Compass Box

In true Compass Box style, the Secrets of Smoke label features a dark, mysterious background enhanced by holographic foils that echo the blend’s sweet flavors. Each look at the bottle reveals new visual layers, making every encounter an intriguing experience.

Beth Squires

Beth Squires is the Deputy Editor of The Whiskey Wash with over half a decade of industry experience. She possesses comprehensive knowledge of the global whisky landscape, spanning everything from heritage and production to complex market analysis. A graduate of the OurWhisky Foundation’s Atonia Programme, which champions women in whisky, Beth is a dedicated advocate for diversity and sustainability, focused on highlighting the innovation and storytelling that define the modern whisky industry.

All Posts
The whiskey wash logoLatest On The Whiskey Wash
The whiskey wash logo