The Story of the Spaniard (Compass Box) (Batch TS2019-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 is one of Dufftown's seven historic distilleries, largely a blender's malt. Within a few years it was supplied to King Edward VII by royal request, from 1902. It runs long fermentations and a slow distillation for a green, grassy, lightly fruity spirit.

Glendullan lends a green, grassy, lightly fruity Speyside note. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending a creamy vanilla. The fresh, fruity spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out a soft honey. Maturation runs slow and even in the warehouses at Dufftown. Because the long fermentation keeps the spirit fresh and grassy, the cask shows clearly with time. Years in oak deepen the spirit to gold, the body growing rounder with time. Long ageing turns the fresh green notes towards orchard fruit, honey and a gentle spice.

Bottled at 43%, it is light and creamy. Green apple, pear and a light grass run through it. The body is light and fresh, the fruit lifted by a soft oak. The close is light and clean, fruit over a gentle oak. A characterful blended malt Scotch.