Our two great whisky stills are kept busy making the foundation of our first single malt.

We’ve yet to set a release date for this historic island dram but behind the scenes work is well underway to bring this special whisky to the world.

A key part of our plans is the appointment of two new blenders from within the team here in Tarbert, chosen for their top-of-the-class tastebuds, awesome olfactory skills, and a dedication to capturing the best of our island in a bottle.

Head over to this week’s Journal to read the second part of Shona and Harry’s story and learn more about their work as we get closer to the day we can share ‘The Hearach’ with the world.

Have a great week from all the distillery team here in Tarbert!

Le dùrachdan,

Mike Donald
Isle of Harris Distillery Storyteller

LITTLEMILL DISTILLERY

30 Year Old 1988 Legends Collection

Littlemill 30 Year Old 1988 vintage Lowland single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask sherry butt bottled March 2019 Hart Brothers for the Legends Collection series. 100 numbered bottles. Sweet and slightly spicy on the palate. Smooth with a long lasting warming finish. Dark chocolate and treacle. Heather honey, vanilla, custard, banana and summer fruits. Tangerines with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Littlemill 30 Years

1988 Legend’s Collection. Single Sherry butt at cask strength 51.5% from the lost legend.

£1,800.00

Shop Littlemill 30 Years »

Littlemill Distillery was established in 1772 to the west of Bowling by the north shore of the River Clyde and on the main road into Glasgow. Subsequent modifications during the 1930s resulted in a number of novel features including double ventilation towers which sat over a single drying kiln and pot stills with rectifiers rather than the traditional swan necks. The combination of pot and column stills in Littlemill Distillery was designed to produce malt whisky which was expected to mature quickly. When production ceased in 1992 Littlemill Distillery was the oldest working malt whisky distillery in Scotland. Closed in 194 and demolished in 2006 and now Littlemill is a lost Scottish distillery although the shell of the manager’s house remains.

Olympic gold medal drams from Japan!

If you’ve been catching up on all the Olympic action from Tokyo then you might be wondering what the perfect accompanying dram might be… well it has to be Japanese of course! We wanted to showcase the fantastic selection we stock from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Shop Japanese whisky →

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BBQ
THE COMPASS BOX WAY 

July has been a real treat as we’ve dug deep into the delights of BBQ with Pitt Cue Co. It’s been such a feast of flavour that we’d love you to take our ideas and celebrate with your own flame-grilled family get-together.

So we’ve curated a menu of our favourite Pitt Cue dishes and combined them with whisky cocktails to sip by the grill. Get ready to eat well and drink creatively!

PITT CUE’S HOT WINGS

When you commit to the pursuit of flavour, you make discoveries like this. Just the right level of heat, tempered nicely with cow’s curd and pickled celery. Smoked for 90 minutes. Flame-grilled for two more. Perfect. Discover the full recipe and more on our website.

PITT’S NO. 1 PEAT MONSTER
SUMMER CUP

This creation by Pitt Cue Co. founder Jamie Berger marries the peatiness of The Peat Monster with triple sec, red vermouth, bitters and ginger beer for a delicious summer serve. Prepare in batches, then enjoy in good company. Learn how to make it here.

Feeling inspired? Head to our website to shop
our whiskies.

Share & Enjoy!
The Compass Box Team

PS: We’ve expanded our palette of flavours to bring you something new. Click here to find out more about our latest limited edition coming very soon…

Glenglassaugh 40 Year Old 1975

Single PX sherry hogshead from the second release of the single cask series under the stewardship of Billy Walker back in 2015. 205 numbered bottles. Glenglassaugh 40 Year Old 1975 vintage batch 2 Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask Pedro Ximenez Sherry Hogshead #3171 bottled September 2015. 205 bottles. Nose: Cocoa dusted figs and dates combine with cinnamon and gentle white pepper to give a delicate warmth. Palate: Gentle waves of dark toffee flow over rich fruit cake and orange peel. An intriguing cigar box spice note on the delicately sherried palate.

Glenglassaugh Distillery is a Highland malt whisky distillery situated at Sandend Bay near Portsoy on the Banffshire coast with views north over the Moray Firth and the North Sea and is one of just a very few truly coastal Highland malt whisky distilleries. Glenglassaugh Distillery was established by James Moir and opened in 1875. This distillery was substantially re-built in 1959 and re-opened in 1960 only to close in 1986. However, Glenglassaugh was back in production in December 2008 and is now owned by Brown Forman of America.

Shop – Glenglassaugh 40 Year Old 1975

Phew…it’s not very often we’re hit with a Hebridean heatwave but Harris temperatures have hit new heights today.

Apart from the traditional crofter’s tan, most islanders tend to boast a milk-bottle complexion and dealing with hot weather like this is a rare (if reddening) treat.

The unusual, even for summer, weather reminds us that global warming is a serious business, particularly for those of us in business.

The whisky industry is no different and today the Scotch Whisky Association is marking 100 Days until the UN Climate Change Conference takes place here in Scotland.

The launch of their sustainability strategy has inspired this week’s Journal story as we look at our own green credentials and the work we have to do in the years ahead.

Head over to our website to read more as we look to build a better and brighter future for our distillery and island community.

Have a great weekend from all the distillery team here in Tarbert!

Le dùrachdan,

Mike Donald
Isle of Harris Distillery Storyteller

Benromach 46 Year Old 1972

A single refill hogshead yielding just 75 bottles. A full bodied and spicy single malt from the Speyside distillery presented in a stunning wooden case. Benromach 46 Year Old 1972 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask Refill American Hogshead #4471 released 2019. 75 bottles. Presented in a bespoke wooden box, made in oak, and designed to reflect the colour of the wooden washbacks at Benromach Distillery. MAXIMUM 1 BOTTLE PER CUSTOMER.

Take a short inhalation, appreciating the wonderful aromas without water… enjoy the tantalising notes of vanilla custard, honey and baked pineapple, mingling with intriguing hints of beeswax polish, mature oak and an edge of fresh menthol. Now take a sip. Savour the smooth sweetness beautifully balanced by a gentle dash of warm pepper. A medley of ripe tropical fruits, mango and passion fruit develops. Candied citrus peel and dried tobacco lead to subtle undertones of aniseed. Add a few drops of water and take time to enjoy the nose as it develops… gorgeous aromas of exotic fruits come to the fore with top notes of toasted coconut and zingy lime. Now lift it to your lips and enjoy a slow sip… notes of tropical fruits soften and mingle with hints of pear drops, leading to lingering oak notes and hints of mellow cigar box on the finish. Magnificent!

Benromach Distillery was designed by Charles C. Diog and constructed at Forres in the Speyside whisky region for D. McCallum and F.W. Burickman in 1898. Following numerus periods of closure, it was purchased in 1993 by Gordon & MacPhail who charged up its single pair of stills in 1998 and have nurtured Benromach ever since. Striking new labelling combined with an increasing range of single malts is forging a very popular brand of single malt whiskies which includes Benromach Organic, Benromach Peatsmoke and Benromach 10 Year Old.

Shop – Benromach 46 Years 1972

TWB Exclusives!

Exclusive single casks from Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Ledaig, Aberlour, Dalmunach, Girvan, Balblair, LIttlemill and more, only at TWB. Burns Malt® & Burns Grain® single cask Scotch whiskies are exclusive to The Whisky Barrel online store alongside carefully selected casks from our independent bottling partners including Hunter Laing & Co. of Glasgow and Berry Bros & Rudd of London. You won’t find these great whiskies anywhere else!

SHOP – TWB Exclusives

Ardbeg Auriverdes

2014 bottling from the Islay distillery celebrating the annual Feis Ile. Limited release matured in American oak casks. Ardbeg Auriverdes Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Limited edition 2014 bottling released for Feis Ile Ardbeg Day on 31st May. Auriverdes is also the nickname of Brazil’s national football team, hosts of the 2014 World Cup Soccer. Ardbeg Distillery was established in Ardbeg on the Kildalton Peninsular on the Isle of Islay in 1815 by John McDougal.

Ardbeg Distillery draws soft peaty water from Loch Uigeadail and Loch Airigh nam Beist up amongst the hills behind the distillery to produce it world renowned range including Ardbeg Uigeadail and Ardbeg 10 Year Old. Ardbeg Distillery is a participant in the world famous Feis Ile, the annual Islay Festival of Malt and Music. Visitors are welcome at the distillery visitor center which offers Ardbeg Distillery tours and serves delicious Scottish fare in the Ardbeg Old Kiln Café.

Shop – Ardbeg Auriverdes

Benromach 10 Year Old

The Speyside single malt most recently won Double Gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition further adding to their list of lovely accolades… Matured exclusively in first-fill casks, finishing up in ex-sherry barrels – it doesn’t really get much better value for money than this!

HAMISH SAYS

£41.95
£33.95
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