Compass Box, The Double Single Blended Scotch Whiskey Review

let’s begin

Compass Box have come a long way from the days when they were based in John Glaser’s kitchen. The Double Single, one of their most recent releases, is evidence of just how far they’ve come.

Background

Compass Box were founded by John Glaser in 2000, when he took a look at the Whisky industry and too many people were doing the same thing. So he set up Compass Box to challenge and change the way things were done in the Scotch market, and he has been innovating ever since. Compass Box creations are high quality and very well regarded by customers, and they aren’t based in a kitchen anymore.

These days they are championing more transparency in the Scotch industry by campaigning for laws to be relaxed to allow brands to tell customers more about what they put in their blends. The company are great at doing this themselves and have a run down of most of their blends, even to the percentages of what they are made up of.

The Double Single

Bottle cost: £127.68

With The Double Single for instance, they tell us that 72% is Glen Elgin malt from re-charred ex-Bourbon hogsheads, and 28% is Girvan grain malt also from re-charred ex-Bourbon hogsheads.

That’s a lot of info from the get go.

With The Double Single, Compass Box have posed the question, “How many components are required to create true complexity in a blended Scotch Whisky?”, and seemingly created the answer, which is two. This malt is an experiment in blending and captures the nature of Compass Box perfectly; find an interesting idea and then make it work.

The nose on The Double Single opens with lots of sweet and salty notes, making the perfect combination. There is milk chocolate, pastry, caramel and cream, all thrown together with a hint of sea salt.

This adds a lovely tang that carries into the palate, which is filled with citrus fruits and spice. There are a lot of vanilla and oak notes on the palate, which add something sweet to bounce off the citrus and salt flavours.

These grow into the finish, which is full of lemons, cinnamon and oaky vanilla.

Compass Box have quite successfully answered their own questions, and apparently it only takes two malts to make a truly remarkable blend.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below and let’s have a chat!

Tags: Compass BoxGirvan grain maltGlen ElginThe Double Single

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.