Hallowed be thy grain – part 4: Compass Box Hedonism Felicitas

Blended grain, 2020 release, 53% ABV, natural colour, unchill filtered, refill sherry butt, 1st fill bourbon and recharred casks, 2226 bottles, app. €300

When we discus all things whisky, chances are most of the time we’re talking about single malt, quite possibly Scotch single malt at that. So when a new company decides to step into the game of whisky as an indie bottler and blender, surely they’d be playing things safe and release exactly that: single malt scotch whisky? After all, who in their right mind would wager a possible fiasco by going with something else. An always interesting Linkwood or Benrinnes ore one of the many other workshorse distilleries owned by Diageo? Or possibly the ever so popular (yet perhaps also safe) bet on a young Caol Ila? Ardmore: surely always a good choice… Choices a plenty really.

Not if you’re name is John Glaser, it isn’t. An American living in London who, at the turn of the millennium, was determined to shake things up in the rather complacent and -truth be told – dusty old word of Scotch whisky. Going against the grain (pun very much intended) pretty much from day one, the inaugural release for his new company ‘Compass Box’ would go under the name Hedonism – brilliant name by the way – and it would be a grain whisky. And while you’re busy raising an eyebrow or two, why don’t make that a blended grain– a category of whisky that was pretty much non-existent at the time.

This renegade approach, alongside the combination of quality releases and absolute eye candy when it comes to their labels, was only the start of things. Striving for both innovation (the infamous and ‘outlawed’ inner staves CB used for the initial Spice Tree expressions) and transparency (full details about the contents of Compass Box releases are provided on their website) rather than meaningless marketing flannel while openly questioning, if not provoking some of the established rules (like the ‘3 year old deluxe’), and you can see why many involved in the industry would rather see John Glaser leave than enter, as his near constant attitude of questioning age old traditions, rules and regulations would give many a board member of institutions like the SWA a headache.

It’s little wonder then that legendary whisky writer Michael Jackson dubbed him the ‘enfant terrible of the Scotch whisky world’. But it worked. Boy, did it work. His critical approach towards the whisky powers that be was, and still is, embraced by an ever growing group of whisky enthusiasts. Of course helped by the fact that Compass Box released some extremely well received whiskies over the years, with one constant certainty: the focus firmly lies on blends. Blended malts, blended grains, blended whisky… which tend to be offered at very fair prices and good quality while catering across the board with budget friendly and high end stuff alike. So while we now have (once more) become accustomed to seeing blended malts and quality blends on the shelves of liquor stores , or take it for granted to be able to find detailed information about whiskies on websites or through blockchain technology, it doesn’t hurt to pause for a moment and recognise the pioneering part Compass Box has played over the years in helping establishing a more open minded, more factual driven whisky industry and community. If we are now at a stage where innovation is embraced rather than considered the downfall of whisky, it’s impossible to leave Compass Box out of that equation. I’m not at all sure if I would still consider anyone a ‘hero’ at my age, so let’s leave it at me having a huge amount of respect for what mr. Glaser and Compass Box have established over the past two or se decades.

Therefore, it seemed only fitting that I ended this series with a Compass Box whisky. And not just any whisky, but a homage to their original ‘Hedonism’ whisky from 2000 that kickstarted the whole thing. In 2020, they released this ‘Hedonism Felicitas’, a limited, cask strength release of blended grain whisky. And Compass Box wouldn’t be Compass Box if they didn’t provide a whole bunch of information on their website. It literally takes one google search to retrieve the following information about the Felicitas:

44.1% comes from Port Dundas, from a refill sherry butt, distilled in 2001

33.1% comes from Strathclyde from a 1st fill bourbon barrel, distilled in the 1980’s

22.8% comes from North British from recharred American oak casks, distilled in the 1990’s

So that means that the youngest whisky used is at least 18 year old, while a good deal, well over half of what went in this whisky, mounts up to twice that age.

While I’m singing praise, and before I dig in to the nosing and tasting, a huge amount of thanks is due to Nic Stilton Massey, aka Whisky 101, for providing me with a generous sample.

Nose

Vanilla, some lactic / coconut notes like whipped cream, almonds, and sweet dessert cheese. Soft spice notes of clove and ginger intertwined with fresh garden herbal elements like sage and parsley. Biscuity and buttery – petit beurre and shortbread – green apples and something a bit nutty like peeled almonds. Plenty happening, but all accessible.

Palate

A bit of an alcohol nip at first, but that settles quickly enough. Subtle sweetness with again the vanilla and lactic notes while a gentle herbaceous character puts a strain on things becoming overly sweet. Meanwhile the spice notes from nutmeg, clove and soft pepper add depth and character. The balance is exactly how it should be.

Finish

Long, with clear echoes of pepper and herbaceous notes leaving on a dry mouthfeel.

Final thoughts

A layered, lovely whisky where everything is in check. There’s plenty going on, both on the nose as on the palate, but everything is presented and delivered in an almost laid-back sort of way. It’s got enough sweetness to betray the well- aged grain whiskies, while the casks are lifting things up in all the right ways: filing off any possible rough edges, adding a bit of depth and character where needed, and otherwise keep themselves to themselves. If you’re looking for a textbook example of what grain whisky can bring: this might well be it. Yes, you can argue that the price tag is considerable and you’d be absolutely correct. Having said that, I can only conclude with ‘damn fine whisky, indeed!’