Compass Box Hedonism Limited Annual Release

Compass Box Hedonism Limited Annual Release is a blended grain Scotch from Compass Box, marrying grain whiskies from more than one distillery. Blended grain is a rare category, built to show the soft, sweet, creamy side of grain rather than the punch of malt. Grain from Glasgow giants like Port Dundas gave blends their smooth, creamy base.

Grain is distilled continuously in column stills rather than batch pot stills, giving a light, clean spirit that matures quickly and sweetly. Ex-Bourbon oak shaped it, the cask adding sweetness rather than weight. Grain matures faster than malt, the oak shaping a light spirit into something sweet and round. Marrying several grain whiskies lets the maker build a rounder, more layered profile than one cask could give.

At 46% it is round and easy. The lactones add coconut, vanillin from the lignin gives vanilla, and a rich toffee and fudge note, with grain sweetness running underneath. Banana and pineapple flicker through the creamy body. The finish is gentle, sweet and clean. A polished, sweet style of Scotch that wears its grain character with pride.