The Last Vatted Malt NAS CB (Compass Box)

The Last Vatted Malt NAS CB (Compass Box) is a blended malt Scotch from Compass Box. It brings together malts from more than one distillery, Caol Ila lending the peat. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

Caol Ila's elegant smoke gives the blend its coastal, citrus edge. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness beneath the smoke. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols. Sea air works into the maturing casks, lending a briny, coastal lift. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. Smoked citrus and a saline minerality are the hallmarks of the make.

Bottled at a cask strength 53.7%, it is intense. A coastal peat smoke runs through it, with lemon, brine and a soft oil over a sweet fruit. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. A long, briny finish ends on lemon and soft smoke. A characterful smoky blended malt Scotch.