Whisky Review: The Peat Monster by Compass Box Whisky Company

Blend

Non-chill Filtered

Style/Region: Blend of Islay and Speyside

Age: Unspecified

Cask Type: American Oak

Alcohol: 46%

Water added: Yes

Nose: Heavy peat smoke with hints of brine. After water was added a briney oak with a hint of sweetness overtakes the peat smoke.

Mouth Feel: Delightfully thick and oily.

Flavor: Complex with a peppery oak, and hint of sweetness that is slowly overtaken by a light smooth peat smoke.

Finish: Smooth smoke and peat that lingers.

Overall Impressions: I don’t normally drink blends – I prefer the variety of a good single-malt. However, I have learned over the years that being snobby about blends is a huge mistake – If I were to attempt to make a list of the best Scotch Whisky I’ve ever had, a blend would either be at the top or near it. The Peat Monster is a product of the Compass Box Whisky Company and is part of their Signature Range series of whiskies that highlight the character of Scotch Whisky. The title says it all – this one is about peat. And it’s a good one. In fact, read my impressions of this and then read my impressions of Ardbeg Uigeadail. They are nearly identical. Now, I’m not saying that this is as good as Ardbeg, but it’s close – way closer than I would have imagined. It’s complex – the smoky peat flavor is the star, but subtle sweetness rounds this out. The blend features Islay single malts from the village of Port Askaig, an Islay south shore malt, a smoky malt from the Isle of Mull and a medium-peated Speyside malt.

So, learn the lesson – single malts are great, but don’t disdain the blends. I will happily be sampling the other Signature Ranges offered by Compass Box.

Whisky Review: The Balvenie 15 Year Single Barrel

Single Malt

Style/Region: Speyside

Age: 15 Year

Barrel: Single, Traditional Oak Cask

Bottle Date: October, 14 2009

Alcohol: 47.8%

Water added: yes

Nose: Honey, fruit, apricot, light vanilla

Mouth Feel: Smooth, slightly oily

Flavor: Sweet and sour, spicy, peppery

Finish: tart, spicy, peppery, oak

Overall Impressions of The Balvenie 15 Year Single Barrel: This is a smooth, spicy and complex scotch whiskey. Probably friendly as an introductory scotch for the novice, though not as friendly as some of the other Balvenie whiskies. Balvenie is a scotch I continually come back to. I like the variety of its offerings and the sweet smoothness that characterizes so many of them. However I must admit that part of it is probably that it has several good offerings at a price point I’m willing to pay (<$100) and is relatively easy for me to find. My wife has indicated that she thinks she’d like scotch if she gave it a try (this came about from me adding some to her chamomile tea once). She’s not a big drinker, but Balvenie is probably what I’d use to introduce her to scotch – though imagine it would be one of their other varieties since the Single Barrel is so peppery and complex.