Compass Box – Great King Street Glasgow Blend – 43%

There’s a new Great King Street blend on the streets. Here’s PR info and then below that find my notes and thoughts…

Glasgow Blend is the second permanent whisky to be introduced to the Great King Street range of innovative, small-batch Blended Scotch whiskies from Compass Box.

It is made from approximately 67% malt whisky from the regions of Islay, the Highlands and Speyside and 33% Lowland grain whisky from a Fife distillery.

It is aged in a combination of first-fill Sherry casks, first-fill and refill ex-Bourbon barrels with a small portion of new French oak finishing. It is bottled at the traditional bottling strength of 43%, is not chill-filtered and is a natural colour.

Priced at around £30 in the UK and €36 in Europe for a 50cl.

Now on to my notes and thoughts…

Nose: Big whisky nose, malty, sweet sherryness and peaty smoke with a wine hint.
Palate: Big thick and more mossy dry oak peat than you might expect at first. It’s sweet with some autumn fruits and nuts.
Finish: The finish is lead by barley and grass tones quickly followed up by the mossy peat and then the sweet sherry tones. It’s long and luscious.
Thoughts: Around £30 for non chill filtered and not coloured, that’s got to be a sweet spot right there hasn’t it? You’d be right! Excellent value, classic style whisky. How is a 43% non chill filtered whisky not cloudy? I’ve no idea!

Thanks to Compass Box for the sample.