Whisky Review: Compass Box Orchard House Blended Malt

The mouthfeel is silky and luxurious. The flavors are given a platform to develop and linger, allowing the sipper to explore the aftertaste as well as the actual drink. It has a very light and delicate fruitiness, with ok, peat, and a hint of white pepper. The spice lingers, but is balanced. Fruits hit the middle of the tongue with ripe pear, baked apples, and just a hint of raisin.

Peat hits the back of the tongue and coats the flavors in a soft blanket of doused campfire. The peat is more present than I expected it to be from the push of fruit they are working to express through this blend. Yet it is not a medicinal smokiness that comes through. The campfire was built with apple wood, cherry wood, and maple bark, giving it a soft smokiness that makes for a gentle introduction to peat flavor to those that are not up for the boldness of Islay-style malts.

Over ice, a suggested serve from the brand, the whisky’s fruit notes come forward, especially the orange and other citrus notes. The smoke is pushed to the back of the flavor profile, but still is at the party. The spice notes are also still there, but their punch is suppressed just a bit so you get the waft of cinnamon and clove in the nose as you drink it, but less of the bite of those flavors.