Hedonism The Muse Compass Box Blended Grain Scotch Whisky 53,3%

Grain whisky is almost always tucked away inside blends where nobody notices it. Hedonism is the bottle where John Glaser put it up front and asked people to taste it properly.

Expert description

Compass Box Hedonism The Muse is a Blended Grain Scotch Whisky bottled at 53.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

Hedonism was the first commercial blended grain whisky when Compass Box launched it in 2000, and The Muse is the house bottling at cask strength. Grain whisky is distilled in a column still rather than a pot still and is usually used as a soft backbone in blends. Given long maturation in good American oak it instead develops a creamy, coconut-like sweetness no malt whisky can produce. At 53.3% it stands far more powerfully than the standard Hedonism.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla pod, coconut and crème brûlée. Behind them sit sugared popcorn, pale caramel and a trace of wood shavings.

Palate

Velvety and sweet. Vanilla, coconut milk, white chocolate and pale syrup, with a warm spiced note that comes from the strength rather than the oak. The texture is thick without turning cloying.

Finish

Long and creamy, with vanilla, coconut and a dry oak note slowly drying out the sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Compass Box Hedonism The Muse Blended Grain Scotch Whisky 53,3%
Bottler: Compass Box
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 53.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Hedonism The Muse

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Coconut · Sweet · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. The Hedonism range appears in changing editions, and cask strength bottlings are both scarcer and more sought after than the standard version.

Did you know?

When Hedonism arrived in 2000, blended grain barely existed as something you sold on its own. Compass Box essentially built the category from scratch, and today several large houses have followed with grain bottlings of their own.

See our full range of Compass Box Blended Whisky

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Frequently asked questions about Compass Box Hedonism The Muse

What is grain whisky?

Whisky distilled in a column still, usually from wheat or maize together with a little malted barley. It is lighter and sweeter than malt whisky and normally used in blends. Read more about the difference in our Single Grain Scotch Whisky.

Does it taste different from malt whisky?

Yes, markedly. Where malt gives cereal, fruit and spice, mature grain gives vanilla, coconut and a creamy sweetness. It is an entirely different texture, and many people are surprised the first time.

What does blended grain mean?

That several grain whiskies from different distilleries are married together, with no malt whisky involved. Same idea as a blended malt, just built on the other grain.

Should I add water?

At 53.3% it takes a couple of drops well, loosening the coconut and vanilla. But try it neat first, because the sweetness carries the alcohol better than the number suggests.

Does it work with dessert?

Very well. Try it with crème brûlée, vanilla ice cream or a coconut cake. The whisky's own vanilla meets the dessert without fighting it.

Why is it not chill filtered?

Because filtration removes oils that give body in the mouth. Compass Box skips it across all their bottlings, which is why the whisky can go slightly hazy when cold.