46%, Compass Box 2016, 12,240 bottles released
I feel like Im holding up a spoonful of fruit compote. There are stewed peaches, rhubarb, pear, as well as some fresh berries. Im getting marionberry and raspberry, to be precise. Wow, the sherry presence is palpable here, but not overpowering. Dare I admit there is a candied presence here, as well? Reminds me of Jolly Rancher watermelon hard candy, along with some bees wax. A kind of creaminess holds everything together, as though blanketed under a cozy layer of whipping cream. Last but not least, there comes a hint of balsa wood. Very decadent.
The wood presence is a tad more bitter, right off the bat, than I had expected, but this is actually a good thing, as it balances out the sweet meats (which arent actually animal flesh, by the way, but rather confectionery goodies). The beeswax presence is here, as in the nose, and its making me wonder if perhaps some of those mystery ingredients come from Clynelish. Yes, I think that is safe to assume. Delightful. Marshmallow nougat takes the place of the whipping cream scent, and there is also a sherry presence from the first fill casks that evokes dried jammy fruits like figs (yes, there is such a thing as fig jam), plum, quince
and even squash, if this is possible. Let me taste it again, just to be sure. Oh yes, there it is, a very faint squashy note. Almost savory, along with a hint of Honduran cigar wrapper. Finish: Now that my glass has been sitting for a while, the lower ABV is not as noticeable. Wunderbar. The finale of this blend does not disappoint. Its also fair to say that it doesnt really tend to concentrate in any one part of the mouth or tongue, which is pleasantly ubiquitous. The oaken and the sweet notes duke it out, with the wood winning in the end, but certainly not with a KO. Both influencessweet and bitterare well balanced, and smoothly integrated into the whiskys last impression. Final Thoughts and Score: For some reason, The Nutcracker also comes to mind, as I enjoy Spice Tree Extravaganza whilst pondering the finer things in life. Yes, this is a holiday dram, to be sure. Chalk up another victory for John Glaser. Who needs fancy wood staves, anyhow? Then again, if he had used them, Im fairly certain that the price of this whisky blend would be lower. Why is that? Because new French oak casks are expensive, thats why. Actually, this wood presence reminds a little of Glenmorangies Ealanta , which Jim Murray praised enough to wipe the shelves clean across the world in a few months after his pronouncement. I do miss Ealanta. Holy cow, it was good. Editors Note: A sample of this whiskey was provided to us by those behind it. The Whiskey Wash, while appreciative of this, keeps full independent editorial control over this article.
Now that my glass has been sitting for a while, the lower ABV is not as noticeable. Wunderbar. The finale of this blend does not disappoint. Its also fair to say that it doesnt really tend to concentrate in any one part of the mouth or tongue, which is pleasantly ubiquitous. The oaken and the sweet notes duke it out, with the wood winning in the end, but certainly not with a KO. Both influencessweet and bitterare well balanced, and smoothly integrated into the whiskys last impression.
