Review 10 Compass Box Peat Monster

In the second review of the compass Box miniseries I take a look at their Peat Monster Bottling.

Like the Spice Tree this is a blended malt whisky but this time compromised of both Islay, Highland and Island whiskies. Peat Monster is non-chill filtered whilst being bottled at a healthy 46%. The core malt components are:

• 40% Laphroaig (Islay
• 20% Ledaig
• 13% Caol Ila
• 26% Ardmore
• 1% 'Highland Malt' made from the same 3 distilleries as used in Spice Tree - Clynelish, Dailuane and Teaninich

Malt Music

Peat Monster you say? Something dark, gritty and smoky deserves a similar flavour for your ears and what better to offer this than The Black Keys with Howlin' For You.

Review 9 Compass Box Spice Tree

Here we have the first review of 3 in a Compass Box miniseries to show support for their Whisky Transparency campaign (more info Here).

Spice tree is a Blended Malt whisky, different to a 'normal' blended whisky in that it is compromised only of malt whisky with no grain whisky added. In this case the 3 malts are Clynelish, Dailuane and Teaninich.

Spice tree has a rocky past, the original incarnation was pulled from sale after the SWA (Scotch Whisky Association) deemed that the way that the blend was matured was against regulations. The 3 malts had been vatted together and toasted French Oak staves had been placed into the case with the whisky to impart flavour in a different manner than just the maturation cask itself. However, a few years later and thanks to a change in maturation techniques (CB started to used heavily toasted cask heads instead) Spice Tree was reborn.

Malt Music

I think with this dram, particularly given its rich, spicy profile the dram couples well with the rich and spicy tones of the late and great Otis Redding with try a Little Tenderness

Review 8 - Aberlour 12 Non Chill Filtered

Speyide distillery Aberlour is located in the village of the same name.

Owned by Chuivas Bros (Pernod Ricard), Aberlour is a Speyside Stalwart producing many sherry rich drams including the now famous A'bunadh.

This 12 year old replaces the previous incarnation and takes things up a notch from it's legacy release. This time the bottling strength has been ramped up from 43% to 48% and in turn is no longer Chill filtered. Many argue that Chill filtration removes both texture and flavour in the filter used in the chill filtration process. This whisky has certainly done well out of not being subjected to this.

Malt Music

Given this is both a richly flavoured and textured whisky, whilst retaining it's smooth and suave character. I'm taking things back a bit and putting on Old Time Religion by Parker Millsap.