Compass Box Peat Monster Cask Strength

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 56.7% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

The Peat Monster Cask Strength Origin Story celebrates the 20th anniversary of The Peat Monster and its American roots. Part of the blend received a finish in previously filled casks made from new American white oak, custom-built for Compass Box in Missouri. This cask treatment enhances the vanilla and cinnamon notes compared with the regular bottling. In December 2022, the whisky was bottled at 56.7%, yielding 9,126 bottles; it remains non-chill-filtered and free of added colouring.

Caol Ila accounts for a total of 63.9% of the composition: 17.9% comes from Refill Bourbon Barrels, 34.2% from Refill American Oak Hogsheads and 11.8% from Refill Puncheons. These are joined by 35% Williamson Islay Malt from Refill American Oak Hogsheads and 1.1% Highland Malt Blend from custom-built, heavily toasted French oak casks. The Caol Ila components contribute different facets of smoke, ranging from delicate smoke to ashy and herbal impressions, accompanied by salted caramel, honey, toffee and ground cloves. Williamson adds smoke and maritime character, while the small Highland component contributes cloves and further spice.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, soot and barbecue smoke mingle with green apple and expressive citrus oils. Warming cinnamon accompanies these impressions, alongside subtle vanilla notes and the woody character of bourbon casks.
• Palate: Tar and smoked almonds stand out on the palate. The additional maturation in American white oak brings greater body and vanilla, while seaweed, cayenne pepper and salt shape the maritime, spicy character.
• Finish: The long finish leaves lingering tarry smoke and lemon. It feels both syrupy and dry, with toffee, peat and pepper.

Distillery/Bottler:

Founded in 2000, Compass Box develops its compositions in the Blending Room in Richmond, near London. The company does not distil its own spirit, but works with its own stocks of maturing Scotch whiskies. For Origin Story, it was responsible for blending, additional cask maturation and bottling. The story of The Peat Monster began with a collaboration with Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New York: the recipe was jointly tailored to the desired smoky character. Origin Story revisits this connection between Scotch whisky and American cooperage.

Caol Ila produced the largest share of this composition. Established in 1846, the distillery stands near Port Askaig on Islay, overlooking the Sound of Islay towards Jura. It produces both peated and unpeated single malts; its smoky whiskies from several types of refill cask were selected for Origin Story.

Facts: