Compass Box Crimson Casks

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Crimson Casks is a blended malt exploring the interplay of sherry, red wine and toasted oak. The composition brings together malts from Glen Moray, Benrinnes and Teaninich with whisky from an unnamed distillery near Aberlour and a Highland malt blend. First-fill American oak butts previously filled with Oloroso sherry play a defining role in the blend. Another component matured in refill hogsheads before spending a further year finishing in former red wine barriques. A Highland malt blend from a specially made, heavily toasted French oak barrel and Benrinnes from first-fill bourbon barrels complete the composition. These different maturation paths bring dark fruit, chocolate and spices together with oak notes.

First released in 2024, this whisky is bottled at 46% without colouring or chill filtration. Plum preserve, redcurrant and cherry provide its fruity side, while chocolate cake, toffee, raisins and honey add richness. The Highland malt blend used in the composition has notes of dark chocolate. Clove and cardamom bring spicy accents, with brown sugar and oak rounding out the flavour.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Rich chocolate cake leads on the nose, with cloves and cardamom emerging behind it.
• Palate: The whisky feels soft and mouth-filling on the palate. Plum jam and currant jelly combine with dark cherries, toffee and a slightly spicy oak note.
• Finish: The long, sweet finish reveals pronounced notes of raisins, honey and brown sugar.

Distillery/Bottler:

Compass Box works as a whiskymaker, creating its own blends from whiskies produced by different Scottish distilleries. Founded in 2000, the company develops its blends in its Blending Room in Richmond, London, while its whisky stocks mature in Scotland. Cask selection and marrying whiskies are central to its approach, and published recipes provide insight into each blend’s composition. Crimson Casks was developed under the direction of James Saxon. Compass Box is responsible for the finished blend and markets it under its own brand.

Facts: