The Story of the Spaniard (Compass Box) (Batch TS-2022 A)

The Story of the Spaniard (Compass Box) is a blended malt Scotch from Compass Box. It vats malts from more than one distillery, Glendullan among them. Glendullan, founded in 1897 in Dufftown, is best known as a blending malt. Its water rises at the Goats Well spring in the Conval Hills above the distillery. It sits on the banks of the River Fiddich, in the heart of Speyside. It runs long fermentations and a slow distillation for a green, grassy, lightly fruity spirit.

Glendullan lends a green, grassy, lightly fruity Speyside note. A bourbon barrel held it, the wood adding a soft honey over the orchard fruit. Because the long fermentation keeps the spirit fresh and grassy, the cask shows clearly with time. First fill wood drives the maturation, the cask clear in the light spirit. Years in oak deepen the spirit to gold, the body growing rounder with time. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At an approachable 43% it is fresh and clean. Green apple, pear and a light grass run through it. A green apple and a gentle citrus lift the middle. A medium finish carries a soft honey. A characterful blended malt Scotch.