Compass Box – Flaming Heart 15th Anniversary – 48.9% abv

Info: First released in 2006, Flaming Heart was the first whisky to combine the rich, complex spice of Scotch aged in new French oak with the evocative peat-fired smoke of Islay malt.
Colour: Ripe corn to light gold; no colouring (or chilling) here.
Nose: There’s a light to medium smokey peat note there, amongst bourboney fruits and hints of honey and wax polish.
Palate: Thick, oaky and peaty… yum. There’s a good set of berry fruits at the front, followed up by an earthy clean peat with a good sweetness behind it to make it really enjoyable.
Finish: Slow, long and really warming on your chest, a good tickle of gentle spices to keep the dram going. Crushed berry fruits, raspberries and smoke.
Thoughts: For me this really floats my boat, as it were; the original batches in the series were also great, so I’m not surprised I like this, alot. It’s a good strength, drinkable as is.
Extra: Compass Box did a good thing and told everyone the exact makeup of the blend, only to be threatened with legal action because under SWA rules they’re actually not aloud to, which is slightly crazy, and therefore withdrew their information. So you didn’t hear it from me that it contains 27.1% 30yo Caol Ila, 24.1% 20yo Clynelish, 10.3% 7yo ‘Highland Malt’ (Hybrid Barrel), 38.5% 14yo Caol Ila.
Available: Master of Malt – £99.74

Thanks to Compass Box for the sample.