Compass Box Orangerie

Compass Box Orangerie
Blended, infused Scotch whisky
40% alc/vol
$45

I heart Compass Box. They make such neat drinks. Orangerie is exactly what it says on the tin. In fact, the tin goes into further detail: "Orangerie is a whisky infusion made of smooth, sweet Scotch whisky infused with the hand-peeled zest of Navalino oranges and subtle accents of Indonesian cassia bark and Sri Lankan cloves."

It comes as no surprise, then, what this eccentric little experiment of a dram tastes like. The orange hits me like a punch in the mouth, at first...but then I realize that it's actually pretty subtle, and that this John Glaser fellow hasn't ruined the perfectly lovely whiskey at all. It's still scotch, sweet and a bit spicy. Cinnamon? Check. Clove? Check. Like I said, it's right there on the tin.

Orangerie is warming, and leaves with a nice finish - a pleasant after-image of malty, orangey goodness. I suspect the orange makes it more accessible to those who aren't so enamored with whiskey, but I'm not sure how much so. I wouldn't even quite call it a "liqueur," though a cursory Google search reveals that others disagree. It really is just an "infusion"; it's not a cocktail, drowning that bad nasty not-at-all-neutral spirit with sugar and bubbles and fruit juice. And we're all the better for it.

Compass Box Spice Tree

The Spice Tree
Compass Box
Vatted malt Scotch whisky
46% alc/vol
$55

Spoiler: this beverage is exactly what it says on the tin. And that tin - er, box - is rather striking, isn't it?

Cloves and lemon. Cinnamon and a little ginger? Orange peel. Smooth as all get-out. Very nice and, well, spicy.

Compass Box's Hedonism made me a fan of these folks, and the Spice Tree only cements it. I will drink pretty much anything they put in a bottle. Don't test me, Compass Box.

Compass Box Hedonism

Compass Box Hedonism
Vatted grain Scotch whisky
43% alc/vol
$83


Now this is an interesting one. Not a single malt, and not even blended Scotch, in the traditional sense: this one is a blended ("vatted") grain whisky. Apparently, there are a couple of versions of this; this is one the first of the two, released in 2000.

Notes:

The Hedonism is a deep gold color; I think this is the lightest whisky I've ever seen. The nose is beautiful: flowers and fruit, white chocolate, and coconut. Vanilla and a hint of butter and mint. The palate is creamy and full, and it has a short, sweet finish that leaves the taste of white chocolate on the tongue.

This would be an excellent dessert drink. It's expensive, but incredibly tasty, and worth keeping a bottle around. Unfortunately, it's a limited release run, and getting more and more limited by the second. I'm very happy to have tried it!