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

Glengoyne Live Virtual Tasting Kit

These delightful tasting sets present a great opportunity to participate in a virtual Glengoyne whisky tasting hosted live on Facebook and YouTube by International Whisky Ambassador, Gordon Dundas. Gordon will discuss and taste each of the drams included in the set, he’ll also be joined on the night by Malt Master, John Glass and special guests.

Even if you can’t make the live tasting event, this would make for a wonderful Christmas present for anyone.

Limited sets available, ready for immediate dispatch.

BUY NOW

Doc Swinson’s “Rare Release Batch #7” 15 Year Old K&L Exclusive Exploratory Cask Series Nonchillfiltered Small Batch Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($159.99)

The return of the wonderful and mysterious Doc Swinson’s 15 Year is upon us. This newest batch is from the same unnamed source and continues to represent some of the best value available for old cask strength bourbon anywhere in the world. The Doc Swinson’s brand was started by a small (and very lucky) bottler in Washington state who’d made a name for themselves finishing Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee whiskies in various wine casks. When they had an opportunity to secure some high-quality mature Kentucky straight bourbon, they jumped at the chance and so did we. The source of this excellent bourbon is so concerned about its identity being revealed that the barrels are dumped in Kentucky before being transported to the bottler in anonymous totes. Usually we insist on having some idea of where the products we sell are produced, but one taste of this stuff and those standards get thrown out the window, as it’s just too good to care to argue with. We will likely never know exactly where it was made, but as long as it keeps tasting this good, we won’t complain. The most special bourbons from Doc are under their “Rare Release” line. This is the 7th batch of this truly small batch line, but only the second of the unbelievably popular 15 year. This batch contains just 27 barrels and only 100 cases will be available in California exclusively at K&L. Bottled at a cask strength of 109.8 proof, it has all the complexity and depth you’d expect from a great old Kentucky bourbon.

ralfy review 852 – Fettercairn 16yo @46.4%vol: (1st Edition 2020)

Dream Whiskies celebrates 4 years with its best whisky competition prize yet.

With Dream Whiskies on the verge of their 4^th anniversary, they are offering a £700 bottle of the limited edition Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix in their 2020 Christmas competition for just 50p an entry!

But who are Dream Whiskies (the whisky world’s best kept secret)?

Dream Whiskies was launched by world-champion mixologist Paul Martin back in 2016, to give whisky fans the chance of winning some fabulous whiskies for the smallest of entry fees.

Based on the concept that the majority of whisky fans are priced out of the more exclusive releases, Paul wanted to offer the chance to all whisky fans, through regular whisky giveaway competitions, of winning some amazing whiskies for just a few pennies!

Since launch, Dream Whiskies has given away more than £25,000 worth of whisky prizes and has evolved from the original concept a fair bit. As a result, they now offer two ways for people to engage.

Firstly they have a subscription membership where for £4.99/month, members can enter into a weekly whisky giveaway competition where the winners select their prize from the ‘Prize Library’ of over 50 fabulous whiskies. In addition, members can also enter a weekly spot-prize giveaway, get discount vouchers for glassware & barware plus get free lifetime access to Paul’s online whisky-cocktail masterclass which retails at £60.

However, for those that don’t want to become a member, there is the ‘open-to-all’ premium competitions where a whisky of greater value is offered and players (members or not) can enter for a very low price, in the pennies.

This month it’s the Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix which is up for grabs.

Dream Whiskies players are based the UK, USA, Europe and beyond. With prize value having risen over time as the number of Dream Whiskies players has expanded………… So what’s the goal?

Paul says, ‘ultimately, I want to keep the entry fee down at the 50p but increase the prize value until I can offer the very highest value whiskies possible’. ‘My original motivation was whether I could eventually offer a £50,000 whisky as a prize’! 

‘Whilst we are quite a way from that stage, prize value is starting to grow as more players come in. We have gone from giving away £50-£100 whiskies to now offering this Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix at £700. Who knows where we may be able to take it in year 5’. 

Is it the whisky world’s best kept secret? Well, certainly from the point of view of those who already know about it. If you fancy knowing more about Dream Whiskies or having a go at winning their Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix, check out their site here: dreamwhiskies.com

Snow Phoenix Competition – https://www.dreamwhiskies.com/premium 

DISCOVER

We’re hurtling towards the festive season so we’re here to get you into the Christmas spirit with the year’s BIGGEST Outturn, jam-packed with 39 new bottlings, intriguing bundle and case offers and fascinating gift ideas. The Outturn is available to read on the website now, ahead of its full release TODAY – Thursday, 19 November at 11am.

READ THE OUTTURN

VIEW ALL WHISKIES

The perfect gift for the whisky fanatic in your life – or perhaps it’s a well-earned treat for yourself? Countdown to Christmas with this sensational selection of single cask treats, from whiskies to spirits and even a couple of extra surprises thrown in along the way. With a different 25ml bottle to try every single day, your December is guaranteed to be bursting with flavour. Order soon to ensure your calendar arrives in time for the big day, and join us from 1 December at smws.com/25casks to find out about each day’s dram.

BUY ADVENT CALENDER

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