Compass Box Flaming Heart 15th Anniversary Limited Edition

4-5 years ago I was a bourbon guy, now if you see my reviews here, maybe you think I'm still one. Trust me, it's mostly because I'm just a scotch GEEK and most of my bottles are single barrels I can't post here (easily) that I buy now. But what changed me, what sent me down a path of exploration into the depth of scotch? Well, it was this blend of all things. It drove me to sail my boat right into the heart of the storm to explore these challenging flavors and experiences. I rarely save empty bottles, I have a handful, and mostly because I thought they'd make good infinity decanters. But this is one that I saved the bottle and tube from all those years ago. It's not the marketing but it's the memories of this once life changing whisky. Never before had I experienced peat and sweet in such a way. The mingling of two worlds I both very much enjoyed, but it was so different and unique. At that point I'd never experienced beyond I suppose rumors of what's in blue label, what I'll call ultra aged whisky (30 or more years old) but this also gave me an actual healthy 27% shot of that as well. So after years of dreams and one bar pour that wasn't in optimal conditions (I'd been DRINKING that day), will this one still live up to my memory? Nose - First off, this is an extremely rich and aromatic scotch. In terms of just total smells this is a 9 out of 10. There's smoke and earth at first but as it sits in the glass I'm getting domination by that waxy floral and apple orchard type clynelish malt. Charred barrel and whispers of some youthful spirits are mingled in nicely. An aggressive swirl and a glass topper bring out burnt rubber and hints of tar. Each whiff the whisky gives off a slightly new element. Now roasted vanilla and light faint whiffs of chocolate. Now every so slightly bitter oak. Balanced combinations of fruits, sweetness, earth, bourbon cask maturation, and every so slightly peat doesn't show up but it seems to balance into everything else here. Taste - The pallet takes on a different direction. Where the nose was a perfect blending of all these elements the taste profile brings up more notes of older islay, more oak, more earth, and perhaps more bitterness. Wax elements from the clynelish do arrive. Fruity yet almost vanilla bourbon infused ones arrive as well. While the nose is a 9 in intensity the whisky drinks more like a 6. Not muted but much more average in boldness, and at 48.9% that comes a bit surprising. The finish however almost amps things back up to perhaps an 8. Alcohol lingers and holds on to the gums leaving behind wood spice and well aged and peat faded caol ila. The flames have subsided a bit but they've imparted a wonderfully complex whisky. While on the nose I think the addition of younger highland blend perhaps added a nice element, here I could do without. There's a candy corn like note I think is coming from the youthful spirits, perhaps 10% was a touch high. It still shocks me each time I drink this that the alcohol doesn't even become apparent until the finish, it's to the point it's startling. So 4 plus years of drinking and this now bring among the less expensive scotches I own (at least retail), how does flaming heart 2015 hold up? Well....pretty bloody well. This remains one of the most pleasing and complete whisky experiences I can think of. A finish that lasts and lingers for days. A nose that is worth of song and dance. And while the upfront flavors are not wowing me, they remain pleasing, enjoyable, and really a perfect opening act for a finish worthy of replacing cigars with. There are flaws and imperfections along the way. A bit of roughness and spark from some cheaper whisky. Still for my dollars, this remains a steal under 200, maybe even under 250. I think a fair average price is going to be in the low 300's for this one. At that point, I might still want a backup for nostalgia but I'm not jumping to buy one at that point. Score - 4.25. This is outstanding and I reserve the right to bump this up.

I was lucky enough to get a sample of this limited edition release by Compass Box Whisky from my good friend Lee a few months ago. I finally had the time to try it tonight and I’m glad I did. This is a blended malt scotch, the components of which are a combination of two different vintages of Caol Ila, Clynelish and Dailuaine. I’ll spare you the age, percentages and cask types of each as they are well documented. Bottled at 48.9% ABV and as all CBW whiskies are, it is non chill filtered and natural color. This is a golden straw color. Big peat smoke on the nose initially. Strong citrus, grilled lemons. I get salty baked whitefish with green olives on a plank of green oak. A bit of an unusual combo but it works. Burnt wood/campfire ashes, settling into what my in-laws basement smells like during Christmas when they have a nice fire going. Once the big smoky notes subsided, a beautiful wave of warm vanilla buttercream, toffee, caramel and toasted coconut took over. Lovely but somewhat restrained fruits like peach, apricots and pineapple. Some dark chocolate rounds things out. The palate starts off with vegetal peat and sooty smoke. Smoked shellfish in a lemon/lime brine with some herbs. Baking spices like nutmeg, clove and pepper. Creamy vanilla comes in with oak and dark chocolate. Soft leathery notes and maybe the barest hint of tobacco. Every sip the smoke is the first thing you notice, but you get used to it and then can pick through everything else. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is oily, becoming dry. A medium long finish that is dry with lots of cold ashes, peat and vanilla. A well put together blended malt scotch. I’ve never had any of the individual components as single malts (soon to change), but they work well together. The casks are mostly American oak and it shows in the vanilla and toffee notes as well as the nutmeg and overall softness. It’s quite mature with the peat still playing a major role in the overall profile. Even though I’m giving this the same rating as I did with the Lost Blend, I think Lost Blend still holds the top spot from CBW for me. Thanks again @LeeEvolved for the lovely sample. 4.5 Cheers

With Round 2 of our distillery tour looming I figured I needed to work on a couple of open bottles I've had sitting around for a month or so. Tonight is the night. Up first: Compass Box Flaming Heart (15th Anniversary). This was bottled in July of 2015 with a total of 12,060 bottles available. This is the 4th edition of the Flaming Heart series. This is roughly made up of 65% Caol Ila (14 & 30 year old), 24% Clynelish (20 year old) and 10% Dailuane (7 year old). It's bottled at a slightly robust 48.9% ABV and is non-chill filtered. Enough with the technical mumbo jumbo... The nose is heavily peated with subtle hints of red berry fruit, cookie dough and bourbon cask wood. There's a lot of smoke so you really have to wait it out and get in there for the rest. It's worth working for, though. The initial sip is almost entirely peat. You can tell it's primarily Caol Ila used in the blend. It really overpowers, err shines, here. I love Caol Ila and that makes this one another winner in my book. Sea salt and briny seaweed stick to the tongue towards the finish which, in my opinion, makes you want to drink more. The finish is thick and oily. There isn't much burn and it's all over pretty quickly. This isn't my favorite CBW by a long shot but I can't see ever turning it down lol. Overall, it smells better than it tastes and the taste is kind of one dimensional- peat. But, if you love oily, peat bog whisky then seek out a bottle and give it a try. I paid somewhere north of $100 for this bottle which is cheaper than their newer blends, yet slightly higher than their core stuff. Buy it for the simple fact it's got 50% of whisky older than 20 years old. That makes the price point pretty reasonable IMO. 4.25 stars. Cheers, my friends.

Opened 6/4/2018. Killed 3/13/19. Compass Box Flaming Heart Blended Malt NAS 48.9% ABV Bottled 07/2015 Limited to 12,060 bottles Price: 107 USD. I have another bottle I purchased for a few bucks more. I will buy more if given the opportunity. The 2015 Edition of Flaming Heart is peerless in terms of value for money. Compass Box has more recently been harsh with pricing their limited edition releases, but this is the one that should have been five hundred dollars. Many special bottlings of Compass Box are John Glaser’s attempts to recreate Brora, and this blend reminds me of the greatest Brora – nay, the greatest whisky – I’ve ever tasted: 1972 Rare Malts Brora. Such an elegant, composed peat. Quietly assertive and sophisticated; this is one to nose for an hour. On the palate, this is mindblowing in slow motion. The arrival is subtle, and the flavors gradually appear and build on top of one another. As one fades, three new ones appear, and intensifies the flavor orchestra like brooms from Fantasia. Maltiness, maritime, funky, medicinal, citrus, pineapple, chocolate, umami. Everything is there, and each sip is different, as the dram breathes. The finish is breathtaking, and the linger is long. Ultimately, this is not nearly as deep or massive as the Brora, lacking its legendary mouthcoating oiliness, but this also adds some French oak spiciness, which Broras do not have. The beauty of Compass Box is that as it secretly tries recreate old legendary single malts by the art of blending, it is unafraid to have its own flair. And of all the Compass Box creations that I have had the pleasure of trying, this one is at the top. Rating (price not factored): 95 / 100 Purchase satisfaction (price factored): 5 / 5

Age: NAS Alcohol: 48.9% Paid: $107 Components: 1: 38.5% 14 year old Caol Ila matured in refill American oak hogshead 2: 27.1% 30 year old Caol Ila matured in refill American oak hogshead 3: 24.1% 20 year old Clynelish matured in rejuvenated American oak hogshead 4: 10.3% blend of Clynelish, Teaninch, and Dailuaine matured in “highly active” new French oak hybdif barrels This remains one of my favorite whiskies of all time. Over a quarter of this blend is 30 year old Caol Ila. Caol Ilas age exceptionally well, and become this decadent, refined, sultry, oily creature. What makes this bottle a true piece of art is that the other 72.9% of the ingredients make this better than a 30 yeasr old Caol Ila. Gentle meaty and hickory peat is on the nose that hints at how oily and waxy this will be on the palate. Soft fruity notes, with a balanced assortment of leathers, salts, and oaks. The palate and finish are a combination of the patiently immaculate oily, savoury, citrusy peat from the aged Caol Ila; the waxy, floral, acetones of the aged Clynelish; with just the right amount of spikiness from the younger ingredients. This just may be the greatest affordable blended malt ever. MARK: 96/100. If you can still find it, buy it!

Oh my god, this is really good!! I'm a huge fan of Compass Box...they're probably one of the few blenders who actually make something where the sum is worth more than the parts. This is the whisky version of Priyanka Chopra (Google her...the Quantico star). Amazingly great to look at, smooth, sexy, curves in the just the right places, and deep enough to warrant a night over meaningful contemplation. How in the world did Distiller give it a 77!!!???? Did you sample the right whisky? Nose is lemony and citrusy...let's you know it's Caol Ila lurking in there. I can smell her perfume, teasing me into now going for a taste. Palette is meaty...lemony..clean smoke. Wow. Like lemons grilling over a barbecue. Finish is lovely, lingering and she wants you to come back for some more. Can't wait for round 2. And then round 3. Till I'm all worn out and morning has arrived. Maybe well into the morning as well...I can call in sick and enjoy her company all day long. Yup. This is my whisky version of Priyanka.