Day 3 already? Time flies when you’re having #WhiskyAdvent fun! (Although it’s definitely not too late to catch up if you don’t yet have a Drinks by the Dram advent calendar…)
In The Whisky Advent Calendar today is a treat from one of our favourite independent bottlers and blenders, whisky zealot John Glaser’s truly excellent Compass Box.
The Great King Street Artist’s Blend takes its name from the address of Compass Box’s Edinburgh offices and, like all their whiskies, is bottled with neither chill-filtration nor artificial colouring. Priding themselves on transparency, we can tell you that this small batch blend always contains around 50% malt whisky (a very high percentage for a blend) In fact, we can tell you that it’s made up of 46% first fill American oak matured Lowland grain whisky, 28% ‘fruity and malty’ Northern Highland single malt, 17% ‘grassy’ Northern Highland single malt, and 9% ‘meaty’ Speyside single malt! (66% of the blend is matured in first fill American oak overall and 8% in first fill Sherry butts with 28% finished in new French oak casks).
Number three please Sue.
Tasting Note for Compass Box Great King Street – Artist’s Blend:
Nose: Sweet and creamy, with lots of cereal notes, some vanilla, dried fruits, citrus and apple crumble.
Palate: A gentle, creamy whisky, which develops a great deal of richness. Notes of Christmas spices, lemon, buttery apple crumble, Bakewell tart, rose petals and raisins.
Finish: Rich and sweet, with a long finish which tails off with notes of quince jelly, shortbread and spices.
Overall: Incredibly quaffable, an excellent whisky, and a definite crowd pleaser.
Compass Box Great King Street – Artist’s Blend – 70cl, 43%
(also available as a 50cl bottling)
The Chaps at Master of Malt
Eric Miller