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.

JMR’s The Smooth Sweeter One

Jon, Mark and Robbo's
The Smooth Sweeter One
Vatted malt Scotch whisky
40% alc/vol
$26

The final JMR offering I've had the chance to try. There's still a fourth one out there, somewhere -- The Fresh Fruity One -- but it's either unavailable in the US, or unavailable period.

The Smooth Sweeter One is as advertised, that's for sure. Sweet maltiness and thick honey on the nose, first. Soft marshmallow. It's thin in the mouth, but pleasant. The finish is light, easy -- all part of the smoothness, inviting you to take another sip. Don't be afraid; it won't bite.

When I first tried it, I couldn't believe it was a vatted malt. I get flavors I usually only get from grain whisky, like coconut. I'm quite impressed at how these guys decide what they want, paint a bulls-eye on the target, and then just plain nail it. If you like your scotch sweet, JMR employs truth in advertising; this is your drink.

Too bad you can't hardly find it anywhere...

JMR’s The Smokey Peaty One

Jon, Mark and Robbo's
The Smokey Peaty One
Vatted malt Scotch whisky
40% alc/vol
$26

Another dram from JMR, and this one’s just as lovely as The Rich Spicy One was.  Peat, obviously, and although I’m generally not fond of wood smoke in Scotch, the hint of it in this drink is not at all unpleasant.  Very rich and malty, with a bit of pet store.

…pet store??  Some spice and sweetness, nuttiness.  And, no, there it is again: pet store.  Not in a bad way, mind you, but it is certainly interesting!

JMR's The Rich Spicy One

Jon, Mark and Robbo's
The Rich Spicy One
Vatted malt Scotch whisky
40% alc/vol
$28

No real story here, I'm afraid. I'd heard good things about the Jon, Mark and Robbo's brand. It's a vatted malt -- malts from various distilleries mixed together. I think it's being discontinued, so if this sounds good to you, go buy a bottle!

I have a hard time describing this malt. I'm just going to write whatever springs in my mind, even if it doesn't make sense!

Earthy, deep, and mellow. It smells purple. What does that even mean? Alright, digging down: I taste cinnamon, and cloves. It's very full in the mouth. A little bit of lime, too.

Anyway, seriously, this is one of the most unique Scotches I've ever tried -- it is so different from anything else I've ever tasted. Go try some!

Also, if you've got the whisky strain of the summertime blues, Dr. Whisky has the cure!