A whiff of mealy, floury apples, pear, candied lemon peel, and fruit teas, this is certainly light and fruity, genteel even, yet a little timid overall. Soothing and creamy to drink, there’s poached pears in condensed milk, white grape, a slow-paced crescendo of spice, and a dash of tangy citrus peel, followed by canned pears and a whir of spices on the finish. Carefree whisky for happy-go-lucky drinkers.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2021)

Dry peats tossed on a driftwood fire with coastal aromas of sun-scorched seaweed beside high tide rock pools comprise this refined dram. A momentary glimpse of lighter lemon, lime, and pineapple is quickly snuffed out by the full strength assault. It’s like pulling the pin on a grenade. There’s a dense barrage of peat moss, worn leather, and cocoa at the death. Ride through it to glory. Possibly the highest ABV that Compass Box has ever given us. £120

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

A ripe proposition, the fruit and the smoke locked tightly together like interwoven fingers. Peaches, melon, baked apple, fresh mango, and sugar strands with a supporting role of red berries. With a malt content exceeding two-thirds, the full-bodied palate is sweet as brown sugar, with mandarin tartness, apple, and red licorice meandering to a vinous finish of red berry fruit. With its cheeky Glasgow landmark on the label, this permanent addition to the GKS range is pure gallus.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2014)

Nobody was expecting this Spanish proposition, as the inquisitive John Glaser adds the first new permanent addition to the range in many years. Its chief weapons are Spanish red wine, spiced orange, cranberry, redcurrant, and ristras of dried red chili pods hanging in doorways. The ruthlessly efficient palate has red wine notes, spicy chili heat, and an almost fanatical devotion to the pepper. Pour a glass and fetch the cushions.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2018)

Loch Lomond’s Coffey still methods fell outside the SWA’s 2009 regulation change on single malt production, but its peated malt single grain becomes a key ingredient here. Vanilla, honey, sanded oak with a green herbal edge, aniseed, peppermint, fondant cream, and dry-smoked barbecued meat aromas. The palate is light, with bright citrus, herbal notes, spices, vanilla, and rum and raisin before surrendering to the burnt smokiness. (6,142 bottles)  

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2022)

The aromas comprise golden syrup, toasted oats, and hard toffee under muscular flavors of nduja and mint sauce on lamb cold cuts. Heavyset on the palate, with abundant dried fruits, honey, butterscotch, chile heat, ginger, and clove, it opens up dense baked orange flavors ahead of a robust finish, with citrus peel and ground ginger. If you relish meaty Speyside single malts like Benrinnes and Mortlach, this one’s for you. (7,741 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2021)

Bright gold color. Fresh aromas of smoked olives, brine, exotic pepper, and fried bacon. Rich in body, and slightly oily in texture. In flavor, this is a big, dynamic whisky-smoked olives, sea salt, seaweed, mustard seed, all on a backdrop of vanilla sweetness. Long, smoky finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2001)

Gold color. Floral aromas balanced with a gentle vanilla sweetness, and soft fruit. Soft, rounded body. The palate delivers what the aroma promises in a very clean and balanced way. Pleasing finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2002)

Oat flapjacks, golden syrup, beautiful dry-roasted spice notes, vanilla essence, cornbread, creamed coconut, and flashes of mango and apple. A luxuriant feast of sweet vanilla, soft warm bread, whipped cream, caramel, a little tug of spice, with a late ripple of grain flavors. Caramel, spice, and grain notes mark the finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2018)

Gold color. Delicate aromas of tropical fruits (coconut, pineapple, mango), marshmallow and vanilla. Light in body, with delicate exotic flavors that deliver what the aroma promises. Soft, gentle, delicately creamy finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2001)

Great King Street was our Blend of the Year two years ago and Compass Box wondered where to take it next. So they have released two versions, asking customers to decide between them by voting online. The other one is peated and will probably win easily, which is a shame, because this is a more subtle and better whisky. Sherry, syrup, honey, apple, and sultanas are all here, but nuanced. Delightful. £30

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Winter 2013)

This torchbearer for the Compass Box Scotch Whisky Transparency campaign is looking for your support. A fruit medley of lemon, lime, gooseberry cream, and soft pineapple chunks. Ripe apple and pear from the orchard are given a fresh, spicy lift and integrate with the vanilla and sweet toffee notes. It makes a clean exit with lengthy spices and juiciness, never becoming bitter. One thing is clear, it’s a finely structured dram worthy of your vote. (5,922 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2016)

This is a special bottling for London department store Selfridge's, but it represents a clever strategy by artisan Compass Box to set its own agenda by regionalizing its whiskies. This is a long way from the New York blend—indeed, creamier and sweeter than other recent releases. It has a honey heart, traces of cinnamon, and menthol in the mix, plus wispy smoke. There's some spice and peat late on, but in relatively subdued form. Very pleasant. £85

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Winter 2012)

Bottled as London's Big Ben began to strike midnight on the day that the word 'vatted' was outlawed in Scotch whisky terminology, this is a mix of grains from different distilleries and does the campaign for more Scotch grain whisky no harm at all. Gossamer soft and smooth with a honeycomb heart and milk chocolate, vanilla, and the odd prod of spice, it's a cushion of a whisky. Luxurious, indulgent, and well made. £125

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Spring 2012)

Egon Spengler warned ‘Don’t cross the streams,’ and it feels as though the calvados dominates the flavors of Scotch whisky in this rich, sweet mash-up. After a nose of vanilla essence and oxidized apple notes, the palate brings baked apple, brown sugar, caramel syrup, and clove, with lighter vanilla notes rebounding off the sticky apple flavors. Long warming finish, with more calvados sweetness and pounding spices. (6,028 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2019)

Rosey Mitchell, of Three Sheets cocktail bar in London and winner of the Compass Box bartender competition, collaborated on this whisky with Compass Box whisky maker Jill Boyd. Apple strudel, well-toasted malted bread, red apple, and hints of peat smoke: this pushes in lots of different directions. Light fudge, a well of active spices, orange, and peppercorn with smoked citrus peel on the dry finish. Convoluted and discombobulating. (6,151 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2019)

One of two blended whiskies vying to be the official next Great King Street release, this is the peated version and it's gustier than the original, with less citrus and more peat. Indeed, it's impressively full-flavored, with peat in the driving seat and ginger cake, lime, and dark chocolate, biscuits and pepper in the mix. Best of all, unlike far too many Scotch whiskies this year, it doesn't use peat to hide immature spirit. £30

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Winter 2013)

The second generation of The Spice Tree. (This new expression sports a much larger tree image on the front label.) While the first bottling used inner French oak staves to impart additional oak influence, this one uses French oak barrel heads. This new bottling is also bolder, displaying more oak -- there are more dried spice notes and it’s more viscous and clinging on the palate. (It’s also less elegant than the original bottling.) Notes of sticky toffee, vanilla fudge, bramble, and red currant give way to oak resin, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and subtle lemongrass. A tactile, somewhat resinous, polished leather finish wraps it up. A nice whisky, but I really enjoy the subtler, more elegant nature of the original bottling better.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2010)