Our Top Thanksgiving Whiskey Picks 🇺🇸🥃

Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving or not, there’s no better excuse to bag yourself a new bottle of delicious American Whiskey!

Featuring our top picks from W.L. Weller, Woodford Reserve and EH Taylor, our range of the finest drams from across the pond have you covered for next week’s celebrations. At Loch Fyne, we’re feeling pretty thankful for an incredible £149 off George T. Stagg 2019!

What’s more, we’re offering free shipping over all orders over £75, so why not thank yourself with an early Christmas gift?

Shop our American Whiskey range ›

2 December, 7pm (GMT)
TWE X DIAGEO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL PART 1: SPECIAL RELEASES 2020

In this tasting we will explore Diageo’s 2020 Special releases with Dawn Davies and brand ambassadors Colin Dunn and TJ LittleJohn. Get ready for a journey through rare cask finishes, a ghost distillery and unique expressions of adored whiskies. This Perfect Measure tasting set features a line-up of eight drams including Dalwhinnie 30 Year Old and Mortlach 21 Year Old.

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9 December, 7pm (GMT)
TWE X DIAGEO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL PART 2: A TASTE OF SKYE

The beautiful Isle of Skye, known for its rugged landscapes, picturesque fishing villages, medieval castles and of course Talisker whisky. In this virtual tasting we will take a trip to the Scottish isle with Dawn Davies and Diageo brand ambassadors Colin Dunn and Jason Clark, talking all things Talisker! A fantastic way to introduce yourself to one of Scotland’s favourite distilleries.

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ralfy review 852 Extras – Perspective on ‘Special Edition’ whiskies.

Glen Scotia unveils new festive Sherry Double Cask Finish

One of Campbeltown’s three surviving distilleries, Glen Scotia, has released a new limited-edition Glen Scotia Sherry Double Cask Finish, with only 15,000 bottles available worldwide.

Presented in a striking black and gold gift carton, the 11 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky showcases warming flavours of cinnamon and nutmeg and subtly spicy notes, perfect for enjoying over Christmas and the festive period.

When the Glen Scotia distillery was opened in 1832, Campbeltown was known to Victorians as the ‘Whisky capital of the World’ and was home to more than 30 distilleries. Many of the Christmas traditions we now enjoy today first originated in the Victorian era, from Christmas trees to gifts, making the Glen Scotia Sherry Double Cask Finish a very fitting Christmas gift for whisky fans across the world.

Using a series of unpeated distillations from 2008, this wonderfully enticing single malt was matured in first fill bourbon barrels before being finished in a combination of hand-selected Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso hogshead sherry casks for a further 10 months, imparting a distinct, sweet flavour. The whisky was then married back together in bourbon casks before bottling at cask strength.

On the nose the Glen Scotia Sherry Double Cask Finish delivers aromas of spiced rum, toffee and juicy plums, along with a rich, velvety mouth feel.  On the palate, the liquid offers sweet vanilla, raisin and warming cloves, before mellowing into a long, nutty and dry finish.

Glen Scotia is a whisky made by history, reflecting the centuries of craftsmanship and experience associated with the fifth and smallest malt producing region. The Glen Scotia Sherry Double Cask Finish plays homage to Glen Scotia’s heritage, dating back to 1832 and steeped in Victorian values.

Master distiller, Iain McAlister, said: “I’m very proud of The Glen Scotia Sherry Double Cask. This is the first single malt that we’ve produced that uses a combination of two sherry casks, and the results are stunning. This limited edition single malt really showcases our signature Glen Scotia style, and paired with casks that were readily available in the town during the Victorian era truly makes it a whisky made by history.

“The combination of the sherry and bourbon casks create a delicious, warming flavour that evokes all the traditional scents and tastes of Christmas, making it the perfect dram to enjoy with friends during the festive season, or a lovely gift for someone special.”

Priced at £65 and available to purchase from specialist and online whisky retailers, including The Whisky Shop from October, the Glen Scotia Sherry Double Cask Finish has an ABV of 54.1%.

The Glen Scotia Sherry Double Cask Finish will be available to purchase at www.thewhiskyshop.com.

Tasting notes: 

Nose:   Spiced rum, juicy plum, toffee and citrus peel

Palate: Rich velvety mouthfeel

Sweet vanilla and salted butter

Raisins and sultanas with warming spice of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg

Finish:  Long, nutty, dry finish 

About Glen Scotia:

• Independent distiller Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832.
• Glen Scotia is one of three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown.
• To raise awareness of the importance of the Campbeltown region to Scotland’s whisky history, Glen Scotia campaigned for Campbeltown to be recognised as the “whiskiest place in the world”. A parliamentary motion on the issue lodged at Westminster received cross party support.
• Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch whisky was awarded a Double Gold medal at the prestigious 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for the second year running. Almost 30,000 spirits were judged by the competition, the largest number of entries in its 19-year history. A Double Gold Medal is awarded when every judge on the panel gives a Gold medal to the expression.
• Glen Scotia Double Cask was awarded a Gold Medal at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2019.
• Glen Scotia 18 Year Old won Best Campbeltown Malt at the World Whisky Awards 2018.
• Images and interviews with key staff from Glen Scotia are available upon request.
• glenscotia.com /Twitter: @GlenScotiaMalts

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES

1995 VINTAGE O.F.C. BOURBON WHISKEY 

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Nov. 17, 2020) — Buffalo Trace is releasing a new O.F.C. Vintage bourbon this fall. In 1995, while Amazon sold its first book and and eBay made its debut as “AuctionWeb,” Buffalo Trace quietly distilled and tucked away its bourbon for 25 years, and now has something wonderful in store for the bourbon connoisseurs of 2020.

This vintage collectible bourbon has been bottled and is set to begin reaching stores in December.  This is the fifth O.F.C Vintage release and, like its predecessors, will be very limited and extremely rare, with this year’s offer only 1,500 bottles.  Similar to previous releases, the 1995 Vintage will arrive in a wooden display box containing a provenance card. Nestled inside the wooden box lies a crystal bottle with real copper lettering in-laid in the bottle and a paper label applied by hand.  The label on the back of the bottle as well as the provenance card note the milestones for the year 1995.

The O.F.C. vintage-dated bourbons have a name derived from this National Historic Landmark’s original moniker — the O.F.C. Distillery — renowned for producing top class whiskey during its tenure.

Tasting notes for this bourbon describe cherry cordial on the nose followed by caramel and slightly smoked-oak. Dark chocolate, tobacco leaves and dates are found on the palate, followed by a lingering finish of leather, black pepper and cinnamon.

Although this is the fifth O.F.C. Vintage release, this is the fourth offered for sale. In the fall of 2016, Buffalo Trace Distillery released three vintage-dated bourbons exclusively to non-profit organizations at no charge to raise money for their causes. Those bottles, from 1980, 1982 and 1983, were auctioned at charity and raised close to $1.2 million for causes including cancer services, cystic fibrosis, leukemia and lymphoma, children’s rights, autism, military veterans, animal protection, arts foundations and many more.

Suggested retail pricing for this collectible and very limited 1995 O.F.C. Vintage Bourbon is $2,500; state taxes will vary per market.

More information about the O.F.C. line can be found at https://ofcvintages.com.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2018 and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world for 2020.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

LET’S HAVE A DRINK
TOGETHER THIS WEEKEND

This Sunday we’ll be hosting our third virtual tasting and our Founder John Glaser will be broadcasting live from his kitchen table at home in London. John started the company in 2000 at his kitchen table so it seems a fitting place to continue our 20th anniversary celebrations. John will be joined virtually by James Saxon, the lead whiskymaker for Peat Monster Arcana, along with our special guest, author and freelance writer Amanda Schuster. Together they will explore the story behind our latest limited edition – an experiment into oak and smoke.

It’s happening this Sunday – November 22^nd at 8pm (GMT)

THE WHISKIES WE’LL BE EXPLORING

We will be tasting our latest limited edition Peat Monster Arcana, and comparing it to our year-round member of the Malt Whisky Collection, The Peat Monster. Don’t worry if you don’t have either whisky at home though – join with whatever you have to hand, or just come along to listen to the conversation.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Alongside oak and smoke, we love experimenting with food pairings. So this time we’ll be tasting hot smoked salmon and fennel salami plus one or two other surprises as we sip. Join us to discover more about some delicious smoke-inspired food pairings that you can try at home.

To take part in the tasting, please visit pleasedrinkcreatively.com to reserve your seat. Once registered, you will receive your downloadable tasting mat and set-up guide along with the Zoom link for the event.

WHERE TO BUY

If you are in the U.S. and would like to taste along with us at home, you can purchase bottles of Peat Monster Arcana through ReserveBar or your local Scotch whisky specialist retailer. Those in the U.K. and the rest of the world will find it online at The Whisky Exchange or you can also try a specialist spirit retailer in your region.

We hope to see you there!

The Compass Box Team

Hurry in for our LIMITED EDITION

Arkansas Rice Bourbon Whiskey

With Arkansas being the LARGEST RICE PRODUCING STATE IN THE NATION, we worked in conjunction with the Arkansas Rice Federation and our rice-farming neighbors to produce this one of a kind Arkansas Rice Bourbon Whiskey.

We double-distilled this Bourbon Whiskey from a mash of 54% Arkansas Corn, 36% Arkansas Rice, and 10% Malted Barley and aged it for two years in new charred oak barrels.

There was only ONE BATCH of this smooth, slightly sweet, and buttery Rice Bourbon made, so you will want to get your hands on one pretty quick! It would also make a great Christmas Present for that Bourbon lover on your list, as you won’t ever find another like it!

If you aren’t already aware, Rock Town is a true grain-to-glass distillery. All our spirits are carefully distilled from corn, wheat, and rye that are grown within 125 miles of the distillery.  In keeping with this theory, Head Distiller, Phil Brandon wanted to try something different and utilize Arkansas’s most highly produced grain, RICE, to produce a unique Bourbon. Supporting our local farmers is one of Phil and Rock Town’s most important missions. Check out some of these fun facts about Arkansas Rice. For more on our partners in this whiskey, The Arkansas Rice Federation, head over to their website ⇢ https://www.arkansasrice.org

Time to get into the Christmas spirit because it’s here – the BIGGEST Outturn of the year, bursting with 39 colourful casks to get you in a festive mood. We’re embracing traditions of Christmas past, enjoying a warm feeling of nostalgia as we explore 39 timeless bottlings in this bumper release.

To help discover the bottles that are right for you, we’ve highlighted them under four different categories, so whether you’re looking for a bottle that sparks conversation or provides a bit of light entertainment, looking for a superstar buy as a gift or something more indulgent for yourself, we’ve got you covered.

OUTURN HUB

VIEW ALL WHISKIES

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Spread an Extra Bit of Festive Cheer with The Really Good Whisky Company’s Christmas Cards

The Really Good Whisky Company has just launched Christmas cards which come with a top-quality dram inside. Opening the card will reveal a 3cl miniature of whisky alongside a festive message.

The company understands as well as anyone the bleak possibility of not being able to see loved ones during the festive season due to lockdown. The Really Good Whisky Company’s Christmas cards are a way of sending small tokens of appreciation to far away friends and family. They are also a great alternative to a Christmas presents for colleagues or as a small thank you for acquaintances and key workers who have gone above and beyond during Covid-19.

Managing Director, Shelley Kelaty says, ‘I think there is nothing nicer than receiving a little treat in the post when you’re not expecting it, especially now with the constant threat of enduring lockdown through the festive season.’

The Really Good Whisky Company is a specialist online retailer for rare, collectable and drinkable whiskies. Along with its vast selection of bottles, it also carries its own line of miniature tasting packs and products, under its brand ‘Malt Teasers.’ The Really Good Whisky Company is based in London and ships products worldwide.

Click HERE to visit their on-line shop