70CL Great King Street Glasgow Blend

Compass Box was launched in 2000 by the American John Glaser, who was previously International Marketing Director at Johnnie Walker. To promote his whisky, John travelled through London visiting pubs and bars with samples and, in idiosyncratic style, handing out business cards billing himself as John Glaser Whisky Zealot.

Compass Boxs modus operandi and strong work ethic is what sets them apart as an independent bottler and blender like no other. Compass Box buy individual casks and focus on creating a craftsman-like boutique product. None of their bottlings are chill-filtered, nor is any colouring added and are all married exclusively in American oak. This brings the characteristic sweetness to the whisky.

One of their unique expressions and a superb example of their methodology is Compass Box Hedonism. This is a marriage of between eight and fifteen different grain whiskies, most of which are over twenty years old and all are aged in first-fill American oak. Hedonism went on to be heralded as the Worlds Best Grain Whisky at the 2008 World Whisky Awards. John Glaser was himself featured four times in Whisky Magazine as Innovator of the Year.

Introduced to the Great King Street range by Compass Box in 2014, the Glasgow Blend is a superbly full-bodied blended Scotch whisky. It’s made with 33% Lowland grain whisky and 67% malt whisky from the Highlands, Speyside and Islay, aged in a combination of first-fill and refill ex-bourbon barrels and first-fill Sherry casks, with a small portion being finished in new French oak. Plentiful amounts of Sherried fruit touches surrounding a core of peaty notes – yummers.

Fun note: The label features a picture of The Wellington Statue outside of Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art, complete with traffic cone hat, said to be a symbol of the city’s sense of humour.

Tasting Notes

Full, rich and smoky on the palate, with notes of sticky toffee pudding, Sherry wine character and impressions of a coal fire, Glasgow Blend shines in combination with rich cheeses and cured meats.