Compass Box The Peat Monster Arcana

This is kind of a fun one as I like The Peat Monster enough, and the different take on it was appealing. Let’s see what it’s like.

Compass Box The Peat Monster Arcana, Scotland Blend, 46% ABV

Minutia: Comprised on 72.9% 14-year-old Talisker in refill hogsheads, 10.6% 11-year-old Miltonduff in 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrels, 9.6% 9-year-old The Peat Monster Cask Strength in a refill custom French oak barrel with heavy toast, and 6.9% 16-year-old Ardbeg in recharred barrels yielding 8,328 bottles.. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Jonquil, ripe corn; 0.4.

Nose: Woody and earthy. More maritime than smoky.

Taste: Spicy, creamy, fruit like berries.

Finish: Musty and fruity smoke. Some vanilla. Medium-short, leaning more medium.

This gets more enjoyable once it gets into the mouth. The nose isn’t bad, but that palate is better. It’s subtle and I actually like it for its lack of monstrousness.

Score: 82

Musical Evocation: Alice Cooper – “I Never Cry”

SMWS 72.92 Miltonduff 7 2011 “A wonderful welcome”

I mostly got this because of the glassware that came in the set. The three 100ml sample bottled (which I believe come from casks which were only meant for these bottles rather than as part of a typical outturn) was just gravy, particularly with the spread as there is a heavily peated one, which I expect to like, and two unpeated ones which I’ve been growing more interested in exploring.

Miltonduff 7, 2011 Vintage, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 72.92, Speyside Single Malt, 62.2% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in March 2011 and matured in a 1st-fill barrel for 7 years. This is part of the Young & Spritely flavor profile named “A wonderful welcome”. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Jonquil, ripe corn; 0.4.

Nose: Strong, malt behind the ethanol and juniper. Herbal and some fruit.

Taste: Honey, gin. Malt.

Finish: Slightly hot malt. Vanilla. Dry-ish. Apple skin. Medium.

This isn’t bad, but it is young, and I think the new-makey qualities are coming through as gin to me. (Initially I figured it was part of the spirit or cask influence, but I got a similar note in the other two bottles that came in the set, also similarly young.)

Score: 72

Musical Evocation: Pink Floyd – “Welcome to the Machine”