The Spice Tree Compass Box Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%

Distillery: Blend of different whiskys
Bottler: Compass Box - John Glaser
Name: The Spice Tree
Age: NA
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Alc. strength: 46 %
Un-chillfiltered
Natural Colour
70 cl.

Compass Box
The Spice Tree
70cl / 46%
Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Compass Box
A vatting of northern Highland distilleries (principally Clynelish), the whisky is aged in barrels with heavily toasted heads, adding a rich spiciness. Flavour Descriptors: Big, sweet aromas of clove, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. The palate is full, round and sweet, with the spice and vanilla complementing the core distillery characters and leaving a long finish. Recommendations: Its rich, bold flavours make it most suitable for after-dinner sipping, as an accompaniment to certain cheeses, and ideal in cocktails. Distillery Sourcing: Sourced entirely from northern Highland single malt distilleries, primarily malt whisky distilled at the Clynelish distillery. All 10 to 12 years-old. Wood: Primary maturation: First-fill and refill American oak. Secondary maturation: Custom barrels with heavily toasted new French oak heads sourced from 195 year-old Vosges forests. Bottling Derails: Bottled at 46 % alcohol by volume. Natural color. Not chill filtered.Compass Box is a small, progressive independent whisky bottler driven by the love and desire to bring out and showcase the best in Scotch whisky. Compass Box has an intuitive approach to whisky making, or rather whisky refining traditional whisky casks and evolving old conventions of how whisky should be bottled. Always with the aim of adding an extra layer of delicious and delicate aromas and flavors. Compass Box working exclusively with the finest aged malt and grain spirits from Scotland's best and most recognized distilleries. Different types of oak casks of the highest quality are the building blocks of the company's many unique bottlings - always with the aim of producing whiskies with great richness, balance and purity of aroma and flavor. The approach is meticulous and has the character of craftsmanship with attention to detail rather than industry. This is recognized in the wealth of accolades and positive publicity Compass Box whiskies have achieved over its 10-year history as a small, innovative independent whisky bottler.Compass Box Great King Street NYC Blend (46% ABV) John Glaser's first regional variation of Great King Street has a higher malt content and more smokiness, and is meant as a throwback to the whiskies of 80 or 90 years ago. The nose is intense with a nice smokiness, hints of dried apples, peaches, and honey, with a touch of maltiness. The taste is smooth, but with a powerful peaty smokiness balanced well with honey, apple, peach, and cinnamon notes. The finish is smoky with a good long cinnamon touch and hints of honey underneath. Outstanding! 93 Points - The Whisky Bible 2013 Here's what Jim Murray thought of this wonderful blended Scotch whisky. Great King Street Artist's Blend - 93 Points Nose 24: Now there's a way to start the day. Stunningly enticing with every nuance of the delicate young barley laid bare. A light coating of bourbon oakiness is enhanced by the scrumptious cinnamon apple pie Taste 23: Even as a hardened pro, I find it is difficult to spit this one. The delivery is firm, juicy and compelling; few blends these days are half so salivating! The grains try not to hide and weigh in with some lovely cocoa and bourbon stratum, allowing the barley to spread the grassy freshness gospel; good weight throughout. Finish 22.5: Just a slight fault here: a little milkiness from a tired bourbon cask, a distant echo on delivery now makes itself heard, but has the good grace to remain in the background as the spices and late Demarara and liquorice notes hold court. Overall balance and complexity 23.5: The nose of this uncoloured and non-chill filtered whisky is not dissimilar to some better known blends before they have coloring added to do its worst. A beautiful young thing this blend: nubile, naked and dangerously come hither. Compass Box's founder John Glaser has done some memorable work in recent years, though one has always had the feeling that he has still been learning his trade, sometimes forcing the issue a bit too enthusiastically. Here, there is absolutely no doubt that he has come of age as a blender.

Tasting notes from www.whiskyflasken.dk:

Nose: The first impression I get is spicy honey and beeswax. Then cardamom, caramel and nutmeg. It's called The Spice Tree for a reason. It's also quite malty and there are notes of chocolate along with some berries in the form of strawberries and raspberries. Glaze, tangerines and cinnamon. Really a nice and inviting nose.

The taste: I think it's the sweet red berries that arrive first. Then something reminiscent of vanilla cream and a lot of light chocolate. Some pepper, which turns into cinnamon and tingles a bit. Caramel and honey. Nice bold mouthfeel and although it gets spicier over time, the sweetness never quite disappears.

Aftertaste: Long and spicy aftertaste. Cinnamon, malt, chocolate and a little bit of tobacco.

Score: 87/100