🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

Well done Compass Box!

In my opinion one of the simpler Compass Box versions.

A fair blend with some grain whisky (Cameronbridge, Girvan) in it. Light, sweet, sugary. Tasted as a part of this Compass Box lineup (Thanks, Pete & Maija and Philippe Hakulin!): The Story of the Spaniard 2022 (82 pts.) and 2018 first batch (81), Orchard Fruit (83), Crimson Casks (80), Spice Tree (82), Spice Tree Extravaganza (81), Magic Cask (bot. 2020) (86), Myths & Legends 1 (84), and Nectarosity (81).

Aroma: Very light, with hints of lemon, apricot, gummy bears, shortbread, and a touch of honey. Underlying notes are cereals, dusty wood, and a very distant hint of cinnamon and toffee. Pleasant, but very simple, youthful, and generic. Taste: More expressive than on the nose (which isn't saying much). Orange, apricot, and mango, with a touch of honey, creamy vanilla ice cream, a hint of sponge cake, and the most subtle toffee imaginable. Slightly herbal and floral. Quite bitter towards the finish. Weak. Creamy texture, surprisingly good alcohol integration. Finish: Definitely bitter, somewhat citrusy, and slightly sweet. Bitter wood, grapefruit, apple, lemon, apricot. Some toasted oak and vanilla. Mostly harmless and generic, very weak and timid (practically sugary alcohol, creamy and slightly fruity), simple and superficial, but quite pleasant, and acceptable for novices, although there are much better options, especially at this price. In my opinion, this is a blend worth €20-€30 at most. At that price, it would be a decent table whisky. It's crazy to charge more than €35 for it, in my opinion. It's not all bad: the grain alcohol is perfectly integrated, and it tastes like a blended malt. Although it's young and alcoholic, it's neither hot nor sharp; in fact, the mouthfeel is quite creamy and allows for generous sips. It doesn't exhibit any dissonant notes. But it lacks any interest; it's not a whisky worth analyzing in depth, but it's perfectly drinkable, unlike the absolute mediocrity of an Oak Cross, for example.

Simple at times, but also has some interesting layers and complexity

Too strong adhesive notes, fizzy, tastes like cheap petrol. Unfortunately not my taste at all. For 50 euros you can get great whiskeys, this is not one of them!