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Compass Box may be best known for its smokey whiskies like The Peat Monster, but over the years has managed to develop a variety of bottlings that run the gamut from herbal to sweet to seaside campfire. Now, the brand has unveiled a new limited edition that celebrates the secret sweetness behind peated malts: Secrets of Smoke.
While sweetness isn’t often associated with peaty malts, Compass Box Secrets of Smoke looks to decode the layers of flavor that go into these types of unique expressions. To do so, the brand blended Caol Ila whisky finished in Palo Cortado sherry-seasoned butts, Peat Monster finished in second-fill red wine casks, and Laphroaig finished in Marsala barriques. Together, these unique whiskies reveal the fruitier, floral, and sweeter side of peaty whisky.
On the nose, the whisky offers aromas of honey, buttery pears, and caramel. The palate finds familiar coastal smoky undertones arriving alongside pear, peach, and melon, which grow into citrusy notes. The finish features flavors of chocolate and peat.
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“Our limited editions allow us to spread our creative wings and concoct one-off expressions with unique recipes,” says James Saxon, Compass Box’s director of whisky making. “With Secrets of Smoke, we wanted to build on the results of some of our cask experiments and enhance the unexpected sweetness of peated malts.”
The brand recommends pairing the whisky with a variety of foods, including cherries, which awaken sweet jammy notes in the Scotch; blue cheese for those looking for more classic accompaniment; and Saucisson, a cured pork sausage, which creates an an intriguing interplay between smokey and savory.
Bottled at 52 percent ABV, just 9,792 bottles of Compass Box Secrets of Smoke are available worldwide. It's priced at $165 per 700ml bottle. For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
Related: These Two New Blended Scotch Whiskies Aim to Silence Single Malt Snobs
