COMPASS BOX ANNOUNCES A LIMITED EDITION LIKE NO OTHER –
EXPERIMENTAL GRAIN WHISKY
A Curiously Delicious Grain Whisky With a Surprisingly Smoky Accent Blurs Scotch Whisky Boundaries
February 2022 – Compass Box Scotch whiskymakers announce a new limited edition, Experimental Grain Whisky (RRP £100, ABV 46%), containing a parcel of whisky made from 100% peated malted barley that blurs Scotch whisky boundaries.
Compass Box is synonymous with creating compelling, yet surprising whiskies and the central theme for Experimental Grain Whisky is contrast. This is a unique release that will transport whisky lovers to new territories. Experimental Grain Whisky will be available in the UK online from 14th February online with only 6,142 bottles released worldwide.
This parcel sourced from Loch Lomond Distillery, which makes up one third of the recipe, might be 100% malt, but because it is produced in a column still rather than a pot still, Scotch whisky conventions require it to be classified as grain whisky. In addition, Experimental Grain Whisky contains conventionally made grain whiskies aged in re-charred barrels and hogsheads, contributing rich crème brûlée notes that bring depth to the Loch Lomond whisky’s unique herbal and spicy smoke aromas. The intense toffee, apple and vanilla notes one might expect from a Compass Box grain whisky are woven together with mossy, creamy peatiness, making for an unexpected and delicious blend of contrasts.
In keeping with Compass Box’s dedication to presenting design that is as interesting as its whiskies, Experimental Grain Whisky’s label artwork draws on technical distillation textbooks, and the subversive doodlings of Picasso. With heavy copy on the front rather than the back, it is designed to capture the imaginations of whisky enthusiasts by reinventing the unique labels the producer is known for. The back label sticky notes convey the work-in-progress nature of bringing whiskies to life.
James Saxon, lead whiskymaker says, “Experimental Grain Whisky tastes like no limited edition we have made before, and we even flipped the front and back labels – creating a unique mid-century modern design for the bottle as well. We set out to create the alter ego to Hedonism, our signature whisky and the world’s first ‘Vatted Grain.’ The whisky we sourced from the Loch Lomond Distillery has been made from a mashbill of 100% peated malted barley; this component, in what is officially a grain whisky, feels like a spy travelling under a false passport. We love this tension that so often exists between the rules and a modern willingness to do things differently, in pursuit of flavor”.
For more information about Compass Box, visit www.compassboxwhisky.com or check them out on Instagram or Facebook.
ABOUT COMPASS BOX
Compass Box are Scotch whiskymakers. The word ‘whiskymaker’ is their word – it does not appear in a dictionary. For 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. Compass Box have won more awards for innovation than any other producer in Scotland because they are always experimenting. Always looking for sparks of creativity that will deliver something totally compelling, yet completely surprising. Whiskies that just must be experienced. This vision motivates them as whiskymakers. Their blends are consistently rated equal to or better than the great single malts of Scotland by the most respected voices in the industry.
American ex-pat John Glaser is the founder and head whiskymaker of Compass Box and six-time Whisky Magazine Innovator of the Year and 2020 Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame Inductee. He began his career on a path to become a winemaker, before re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as a Marketing Director for Johnnie Walker in London. With a desire to do things differently, John started Compass Box from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000 in order to bring the joys of Scotch whisky to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most compelling whisky companies, re-imagining the standards for quality and style in the industry. In 2020, John was inducted into the Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame. Two decades later, Compass Box now has two blending rooms in London, a team of 20 working internationally and stocks of maturing whiskies in Scotland. In 2020, Compass Box celebrated its 20th anniversary. With a forward-looking approach and unrelenting focus on creativity and integrity, John and his team continue to take forward his mission to make the world of Scotch whisky a more interesting place.
