Compass Box Crimson Casks Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%

John Glaser came from the wine world before he made whisky. Crimson Casks is probably the clearest evidence — sherry and red wine casks, put together the way a wine blender would have done it.

Expert description

Compass Box Crimson Casks is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The bottle arrived in 2024 as part of the house core collection and is built around the influence of sherry and red wine casks. Compass Box was founded in 2000 by the American John Glaser, formerly marketing director at Johnnie Walker, and the house has since made its name by treating blending as a craft on a level with distilling. Bottling without chill filtration and without colouring is standard at Compass Box — they want the cask to speak unedited.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark berries and raisin first, then orange peel, cinnamon and a warm note of toasted oak. A lightly tart fruit note from the red wine casks sits behind.

Palate

Rich and layered. Cherry, fig, dark chocolate and spice, with a malt sweetness holding it all together. The 46% gives structure without tightening things up.

Finish

Long and warm, with dried fruit, cocoa and a dry, lightly tannic close.

Specifications

Name: Compass Box Crimson Casks Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Bottler: Compass Box
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks and red wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Crimson Casks
EAN no.: 5060632881731

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark Berry · Spiced · Full-bodied · Chocolate

Did you know?

Compass Box has clashed with industry rules more than once. When the house published the exact age composition of its blends in 2015, it was technically against EU regulations — and it set off a debate about transparency that is still running in Scotch whisky.

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Frequently asked questions about Compass Box Crimson Casks

What is a blended malt?

A mixture made purely of malt whisky from several distilleries, with no grain whisky. It gives the blender freedom to combine characters no single distillery could deliver alone. See more in our Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.

What do the red wine casks do?

They add dark berries, a light tartness and a dry tannic edge that sherry alone does not give. Together the two cask types create a fruit-driven depth without the whisky turning cloying.

Is it peated?

No. Crimson Casks is built on fruit, spice and cask character. For smoke from the same house, look to their other releases — or to our range of Islay Whisky.

Why is it not chill filtered?

Because chill filtration removes some of the oils that give body in the mouth. Compass Box skips it to keep the texture, which is also why the whisky can turn slightly hazy at low temperatures.

Does it pair with food?

Try it with a dark chocolate dessert or a plate of dried fruit and nuts. The sherried sweetness and the lightly tart fruit from the red wine casks work well with both.

Who is John Glaser?

The founder of Compass Box. He came from the wine trade and then a role at Johnnie Walker, and started the house in 2000 on the idea that blending deserves the same respect as distilling.