Delos is the whiskymakers’ first limited-edition of 2023

February 2023: Award-winning Scotch whiskymakers Compass Box introduce a new, limited-edition expression with Delos; a delicate and soothing Scotch inspired by flavours of the past (RRP £265, ABV: 49%).

Available from February, Delos is a reimagined study of Compass Box’s much admired extinct blend, Asyla. Delos focuses on capturing Asyla’s vibrancy and soothing sweetness, turning to older stocks to achieve this. First created in 2001, Asyla was the ethereally beautiful cornerstone of the core range until its retirement in 2018.

Delos is the second release from the whiskymaker’s Extinct Blends Quartet series and will only have 5,520 bottles available worldwide. The Extinct Blend Quartet celebrates discontinued characters and flavours, reappraising four very different expressions of blended Scotch. The remaining two from the series will be introduced in late 2023 and early 2024.

Named after a Greek island said to be the birthplace of the god Apollo that is blessed with mosaics and ruined ancient temples, Delos signifies Asyla’s beauty and serenity as a whisky. Blended to entice the senses, the sumptuous and meditative flavours of Delos provide a moment of sanctuary, embodying a rare escape to a sun-kissed paradise of great antiquity.

With an interplay of grain and malt, Delos balances some of Compass Box’s rarest and most idiosyncratic stocks of whisky to create an elegant and refined flavour. Malt whiskies from the much sought-after Glen Elgin, Imperial and Miltonduff distilleries – all aged in American oak barrels – bring a sweet yet mellow medley of ripe pear, pineapple, orange, and vanilla notes, while the maturity of the grain whisky gradually builds to reveal guava, heather honey, and chai spices.

The captivating label art features a female lute player from the original Asyla label, reimagined in mosaic form. However, she now plays a lyre, the instrument classically associated with Apollo, with the outline of the tiles broken away to reflect the coastlines of Delos and Greece.

James Saxon, Compass Box lead whiskymaker says, “While inspired by the style and recipe structure of Asyla, Delos has richer and rounder flavours from using older stocks of whiskies which amplify the character, bringing more grandeur to it and making it more resonant. The delicate mouthfeel and transportive aromas within Delos are nevertheless familiarly delicious. For me, sipping Delos feels like a holiday.”

Curious whisky lovers can find out more about Delos and other Compass Box whiskies at compassboxwhisky.com or follow @compassboxwhiskyco on Instagram.

Compass Box whiskies are available to purchase at compassboxwhisky.com, masterofmalt.com and thewhiskyexchange.com.

 ABOUT COMPASS BOX

Compass Box are Scotch whiskymakers. The word ‘whiskymaker’ is their word – it does not appear in a dictionary. For over 20 years they have been relentlessly focused on reinventing Scotch whisky, with every new blend designed to help make the world of whisky a more interesting place. They have not done it on their own and have collaborated with some of the world’s most visionary bartenders and designers to really push the boundaries of what is possible. They are always experimenting, always looking for sparks of creativity that will deliver something totally compelling, yet completely surprising. This vision motivates them as whiskymakers. 

ABOUT COMPASS BOX LIMITED EDITIONS

Compass Box’s Limited Editions allow them complete creative freedom, often using smaller parcels at greater ages. Each Limited Edition is one-off in nature. Every year, Compass Box creates a number of Limited Editions from very rare releases of a few hundred bottles to more accessible runs of several thousand bottles. Each one boasts a different identity, each expresses deliciousness in Scotch whisky in a different way.