Whisky Review: Compass Box Hedonism

Sweet shortbread cookies, peppercorn, oak, and the lime zest returns. The softness continues mingling with prickliness on the back end, which reads far more suggestively than I had intended. The burn shows up late on the palate and leads into the finish. A nice amount of spice in the finish, specifically cinnamon and cayenne pepper, with a flash of mint with a subtle but lingering burn. Very clean from the nose through the finish. Conclusion: The folks at Compass Box have dubbed themselves to be Whiskymakers, and in the process have defined more than just a new word. Their very identity in the whisky world is invested in the idea that experimentation and reinvention are good things. Hedonism finds itself embodying this ethic. Eschewing malts to offer up a blend of grain whiskies may seem like a hard sell on the surface, but Hedonism is a whisky which may call into question much that is taken for granted with Scotch whisky. More than simply another boutique bottling, Hedonism is a Siren song leading the drinker into previously unknown waters. It is a journey well worth taking. FINAL SCORE: 90/100