The Last Vatted Malt Compas Box (53,7%)
Very glad to have been able to bring a sample of this home from Spirits in the Sky festival. It has been on my radar for a while and is certainly no recent release, but again one of Compass Box ingenious ideas: bottling two malts under the term ‘batted malt’ for the last time, as SWA banded the use of it as from november 2011. Having had a few expressions in the Douglas Laing Double Barrel series, I am always interested to see how two barrels marry. Especially when we are talking about 78% Caol Ila 1984 (bourbon hogsheads) and 22% Glenallachie 1974 (first fill sherry). The nose holds a beautiful combination of deep smoke and fruitiness. Peaches and cranberries provide a hint of freshness underneath which a rather thick sweetness develops where smoke and fruitiness interact perfectly, like apple stew with vanilla sugar prepared on a wood fire. Through all this, some coastal notes. I would say even towards some marinated fish - oily - but then again with fruity sweetness. Maybe the cranberries again, but then stewed, as they are served with wildfowl. Also a bit oily, marinated. On the palate, well-rounded and full bodied, with a most enjoyable evolution from sweetness over smokiness developing into a gently spiced-up and long finish slowly fading on briny, mineral notes. Tasting again, another layer hits me, which reminds me, again, of marinated tinned fish, but is so unique I have a bit of difficulty pinning it down. Let me cheat for a second… Tea! That could be it. Well, this is one of the most interesting and beautiful drams (especially the nose!) I had in a long time. A pity you have to lay more than 200€ for this, but disappointed you won’t be.