Compass Box Scotch Whiskymaker unveils Menagerie

Scotch whisky maker Compass Box has announced the launch of its latest limited-edition release, Menagerie.

To create this blend Scotch malt, the team's whisky makers were inspired to search out whskies with a touch of the wild side about them. The team says that some "subtly animalic notes" lurk beneath the surface - qualities either built in during distillation or gained from maturation.

The Menagerie release is a blend of single malts from four distilleries - Mortlach Distillery, Deanston Distillery, Laphroaig Distillery and Glen Elgin Distillery - combined with Compass Box’s Highland Malt Blend.

James Saxon, lead whiskymaker, said: "Scotch whisky has a huge variety of flavour profiles. When whiskymaking, we pay attention to those parcels that deviate slightly from fruity, floral and spicy - ones that taste that little bit wilder than others. And it is these strange and beautiful creatures that we have brought together to create our Menagerie."

Tasting notes from Compass Box say that Menagerie boasts aromas of baking spices, leather, tar and musky fruits, with lush fruits on the palate and lingering oily smoke and forest floor notes on the finish. It suggests pairing the whisky with air-dried beef, such as biltong, to emphasise the whisky's spicy sweetness.

Menagerie is bottled at 46% ABV and is non-chill filtered. A limited run of 7,741 bottles is being distributed globally, including in the UK (RRP £90).

27 February 2021 - Bethany Whymark