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Step 1 - Admitting you have a problem . . . and it is being a Compass Box whore


GaryT
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So tonight as I unpacked my 3 latest acquisitions and set to enter them into my spreadsheet, to save time I figured I'd go to an older version to copy/paste the info for the 2012 Flaming Heart.  Not remembering when I bought it, I pulled up the Sept 2015 version.  Not only is it not there - I'm reminded that I had only owned one single bottle of Compass Box whisky just two short years ago (although it was the best bottle of whisky I've owned to date)!  For grins, I pop over to Sept 2016 - and I see the tally is 6 (and all were either new, or recent purchases - I hadn't bought/emptied any during that year).  I'm currently up to 14 bottles, and in the last year, have emptied 4.  So . . . 1 to 6 to 18 in a two year span.

 

For me, it started at a tasting in Atlanta where several members of the GBS headed down (and I volunteered to be the designated driver, not being a fan of Compass Box at that time - but interested in trying some).  Honestly - the regular lineup didn't really light any fires for me.  While driving down, Big Rich and Smokin'Joe are talking about something called "The General", and I caught that it was allegedly really really good, and $300.  I thought to myself "Who in their right mind would spend $300 on a bottle of liquor?  Seriously?!"  Of course. John Glaser shares a very small sample of that with us - and I immediately understood . . . and wanted.  

 

Since, I've gone out of my way to at least try all of their LEs (and have bought many, although not all - so maybe I'm just a CB Padawan at this point).  But they're all so different that I think that is OK.  

 

My name is Gary, and I'm powerless over the whiskeria musings of John Glaser.  

 

Certainly I'm not alone?  Would love to hear who else suffers from this, and how they got started!

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I'm in the same boat. The combination of the fantastic & innovative liquid and packaging, plus John's non-conformist and transparent stance-- really ring all of my bells. It was actually the Orangerie liqueur that got me into the Box-- and on a recent NYC trip I dug up a dusty 375mL Orangerie bottle with tube which made it all go full circle. I just picked up the 1.75L Cask Strength Peat Monster (57.3% ABV) a week ago and look forward to cracking it open tomorrow night.

 

Regards, Dave

 

 

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^^^Dave, I love that CSPM. It's my go to cigar whiskey at the moment.

 

 

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4 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

I fail to see what part of any of this is a problem! :D

 

Denial - not just a river in Egypt ;)  

 

Although I just cracked that older Hedonism . . . and I feel myself slipping further . . . into delight :D 

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I've wanted to try Compass Box, but my Scotch crew has been stuck on single malts. Which Compass Box should I start with?

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4 hours ago, dwolf said:

I've wanted to try Compass Box, but my Scotch crew has been stuck on single malts. Which Compass Box should I start with?

What are your favorite single malts?  Some CB offerings are heavily influenced by one distillery, but others are a unique taste.  From the core line up I'd suggest Spice Tree...it's solid for a $60 bottle.  I'm not a fan of Hedonism at all, especially not at $100.  Flaming Heart 15th anniversary is largely Caol Ila and I love it.  Reminds me of Lagavulin 16yr but higher abv and a long finish.  I have an Enlightenment half empty (discontinued) and it's nothing special.....mostly Clynelish.

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This is the first time I'm actually looking at their website. I knew they were all for transparency in their products, but this is information overload. And I like it! I'll be buying a few bottles today, hope to find the Spice Tree and Flaming Heart for starters, maybe Hedonism too because I'm curious.

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I've wanted to try Compass Box, but my Scotch crew has been stuck on single malts. Which Compass Box should I start with?

You need to sneak some in on them blind.


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On 9/10/2017 at 5:26 AM, BigRich said:


You need to sneak some in on them blind.


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I agree. I heard monkey shoulder was a good value blend so that was my original plan, but Compass Box sounds like more of a sure thing.

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On 9/9/2017 at 8:05 PM, Nm0369 said:

What are your favorite single malts?  Some CB offerings are heavily influenced by one distillery, but others are a unique taste.  From the core line up I'd suggest Spice Tree...it's solid for a $60 bottle.  I'm not a fan of Hedonism at all, especially not at $100.  Flaming Heart 15th anniversary is largely Caol Ila and I love it.  Reminds me of Lagavulin 16yr but higher abv and a long finish.  I have an Enlightenment half empty (discontinued) and it's nothing special.....mostly Clynelish.

Flaming Heart sounds like a winner. Lag 16 is one of my go to single malts. I also enjoy Highland Park 15, Springbank 10, and Bunnahabain 18. Find myself drinking Ardbeg fairly often too. The Uigeadail is pretty delicious. 

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On 9/10/2017 at 8:53 AM, jvd99 said:

Guilty

 

 

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Damn - nice CB stash sir!

 

18 hours ago, dwolf said:

I agree. I heard monkey shoulder was a good value blend so that was my original plan, but Compass Box sounds like more of a sure thing.

I know some folks give blends a bad rap - as I readily admit that I avoid American "blended whiskey" unless I know what went in (HW Campfire is a good example).  For me the knock on blends is they tend to be diluted with GNS so they don't have as much flavor - but I think if you brought in a Peat Monster or a Spice Tree - they might see the light :)  

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Not exactly a 'whore' but I do have varying Flaming Hearts stashed. I wasn't hugely impressed with The General as most were, it seems (actually prefer Black Bull 30 as a comparable sherried blend). But... I do seriously regret not running to grab Hedonism Maximus when it briefly lingered a few years back. Quindecimus was solid too. I wish they'd do a special limited Hedonism every year. Lots of old grain still out there and money to be made. 

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On 9/9/2017 at 6:12 PM, dwolf said:

I've wanted to try Compass Box, but my Scotch crew has been stuck on single malts. Which Compass Box should I start with?

Can't go wrong with one of their starters like Great King Street Artist's or Glasgow blend, or Oak Cross.  Spice Tree definitely kicks it up a notch, and is one of my favorites--well worth the $55 I have bought them for IMHO.  I similarly don't think that Hedonism is worth the $90-$100 cost.

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1 hour ago, jeffrey r said:

Can't go wrong with one of their starters like Great King Street Artist's or Glasgow blend, or Oak Cross.  Spice Tree definitely kicks it up a notch, and is one of my favorites--well worth the $55 I have bought them for IMHO.  I similarly don't think that Hedonism is worth the $90-$100 cost.

In defense of Hedonsim --At WhiskyFest Wash DC TWO years ago, John Glaser's booth was right across the aisle from  HW.  David Perkins introduced me to Yippee Ki Yay.  After a short chat, I turned around, and Mr. Glaser asked if I'd like to try his scotch.  I told him I was not a scotch fan.  He gave me some Hedonism then some Hedonism Quindecimus.  If I had not tasted the Hedonism, I'd never have purchased my own bottles of it and of Spice Tree sitting next to it on the shelf.  I must admit that I did not pay full price - a Montgomery County ABC store was closing, and everything in it was 20% off.   The bourbons (and the single malt scotches) were mostly gone within minutes of the store's opening, but Compass Box was surprisingly undisturbed until some guys saw me adding CBs to my cart and looked it up on their phones.   I still don't know a lot about scotch, but I KNOW I like CBs.

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So close today. I walked into a store with 6+ ST Extravaganzas on the shelf and I really thought they needed a home. I resisted. Barely.


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I went against all the advice here and just purchased a Hedonism, but the price was $84 so this was my chance to try it. Also got a Spice Tree for $49.

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On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 9:26 PM, Kane said:

I went against all the advice here and just purchased a Hedonism, but the price was $84 so this was my chance to try it. Also got a Spice Tree for $49.

Hmm, guess it is good I am not I Boston! Not sure I could ever stop buying Spice Tree at $49.

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4 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Hmm, guess it is good I am not I Boston! Not sure I could ever stop buying Spice Tree at $49.

This wasn't typical Boston pricing, I assure you :) Even TW is selling those for $100 and $55, and I bought from a well known gouger, too. I guess they were really desperate to move those bottles. Can't complain.

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I also wasn't crazy about the first Hedonism I first tried.  Flaming Heart has been my favorite as well, and that is night/day to Hedonism to me (very delicate/nuanced where FH just punches you in the mouth with flavor).  I do enjoy the older Hedonism I picked up, although I'm not positive if I'll pick up the others (hell - not sure they survived Irma yet!)  The Double-Single is another I tried once, and while I can appreciate that it is a well crafted whisky, it just isn't right in my wheelhouse.  I think I've found that I'm not a huge fan of single grain scotch - at least not for the price I'd have to pay for the stuff that gets to a point where I do really like it :) 

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I picked up a bottle of Hedonism on a whim and really do not care for it - it's a sickly sweet one note caramel bomb. Is it worth trying some of the other bottles?

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1 hour ago, EarthQuake said:

I picked up a bottle of Hedonism on a whim and really do not care for it - it's a sickly sweet one note caramel bomb. Is it worth trying some of the other bottles?

Yes, it is in my opinion. But only way you will know for sure is to try them. Maybe find a bar that has them to try first. If you like peat there is Peat Monster. If you like full body but no peat try Spice Tree.

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