Compass Box is a very interesting company from London that produces an impressive array of impressive whiskies. Some blends and some blended malts. Some of their whiskies are okay but still worth the money you spend on them. Most of the whiskies, however, are ridiculously good. Especially if you take the price in account, like the Great King Street blended whisky.

Some months ago I received a couple of samples from them (reviewed here, here and here) and they have since released two new whiskies. One is this The Lost Blend, another is an addition to the Great King Street range. I’ll review that second one shortly and I’m really excited about it. The first and still available Great King Street was awesome (and Clynelish heavy, as far as I know).

The Lost Blend is a whisky to celebrate their first blended malt named Eulethera. That whisky saw the light of day in 2001 and was retired in 2004 because they couldn’t get a key component anymore. Ten years later they felt the need to celebrate. They have tried their best to recreate the same style. Unfortunately I can’t comment on that as I wasn’t drinking whisky in those days.

Sniff:
Light at the start with quite some oak influence. I would say refill American oak. Some charcoal, ginger but also apple and a hint of smoke. After a while it becomes slightly more crisp with pear, galia melon and chalk.

Sip:
The palate is lightly spicy with some bite. Even some bitterness. Apple, pear, pineapple so quite some fruit. Even some white pepper for spiciness. Oak and charcoal, but also some added sweetness that reminds me of the cream icing on carrot cake.

Swallow:
The finish is rich and spicy with a hint of vanilla and ginger. Some barley, oak. Not overly long.

This is a highly consistent whisky that is very, very tasty. Dangerously drinkable, I would say. The flavors are all there and the fruitiness with a backdrop of oak and spices is gorgeous.

I think this one also has quite some age to it and it’s a prime example of what some good bourbon casks can do to quality spirit. This also demonstrates why I generally love American oak, even though I’ve recently bought quite some sherried whiskies.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this went quickly (as most of Compass Box’ limited releases do) and since I generally wait quite a while before I review a whisky, it could also have sold out by now. The General, for example, went lightning fast. Bad marketing tactics in waiting too long, I know.

The Lost Blend, 46%, Compass Box, available at Master of Malt for € 97