Compass Box Asyla

From a sample pack containing five different 50mL vials from their main selection. I got this on sale for $30. This is the least expensive of the samples, costing around $45 per 750mL bottle. This is a blended Scotch, consisting of 50% grain and 50% malt sourced from Glen Elgin, Teannich, and Linkwood distilleries. Aroma: Crisp and refreshing. Lime, lemon, lemongrass, a bittersweet note... could it be tequila? Getting back on track with deeper sniffs, a slight saltiness, roses, and Earl Grey tea from Linkwood. The fruitiness is all apple, which blends with the grassy notes from Teannich. Palate: A pleasingly waxy mouthfeel. Vanilla is dominant in two ways: the flavor itself, and its blandness. There's some corn sweetness, but it's not as bad as popular blends. I can detect the least pleasant component better than most, and it's distracting. The least pleasant component in this spirit is better than that in JW Red/Black/Green, definitely. Still, it's thin, a mix of grassiness, vanilla, and maltiness. These are just unexciting flavors. Linkwood – the best part of the aroma – is absent on the palate. I'm considering just drinking this quickly and moving on. Finish: Generic. It's pleasant and lasts somewhat longer than less expensive single malts like Glenlivet and Glenfiddich 12. There's some maltiness, apple fruitiness, vanilla, and caramel toffees. I'm pleasantly surprised that none of the unpalatable notes from young, cheap grain spirits are present. WITH WATER: Surprisingly, a few drops of water add some much-needed spicy intensity to this dull dram. Even though this is only 40% ABV, some water makes it more engaging. VERDICT: This is essentially glorified white wine. A certain expert even likens this to white wine. You'd either drink this on a hot day with dull company that is only tolerable with alcohol, or you must pair it with food. May I suggest a rich white-fleshed fish like cod. This is perhaps the most uninteresting spirit from this brand. SCORE: 69/100.

Review from Barreled from November 2016 This is the first review in a series covering the Compass Box Whisky sampler pack. Consistent with all CBW whiskies, this has natural color and is non chill filtered. This blend is 40% ABV. This No Age Statement (NAS) is composed of 50% Lowland single grain, 40% Highland single malt, and 10% Speyside single malt. The specific distilleries are unknown to me. All have been aged in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon casks. Considering its pale straw color, I'd estimate this is a very young whisky aged in lightly charred casks; otherwise, the first-fill wood would have had a more significant impact on the color. The aroma is very light and primarily fruity. Pears, green grapes, and strawberries. Experiencing strawberries in a nose for the first time was a pleasant surprise. Floral notes follow the fruit. As it rests in the glass, the fruit fades, and the bourbon oak becomes more prominent. Vanilla and bourbon sweetness are present, but it remains very light. The palate is as delicate as the nose. Soft vanilla, mild oak spices, and bourbon caramel sweetness. The mouthfeel is very creamy. The influence of the ex-bourbon casks becomes more apparent with time. The finish is quite brief but very clean. Sweet yet restrained, with some light peppery oak. John Glaser described this as a whisky for a Sunday afternoon or pre-dinner drink, and I strongly agree. It's very light and well-balanced, ideal for a scotch beginner or an experienced whisky enthusiast seeking something light to unwind with. Score: 3.5

Completely boring. The aroma hints at many things that the "grainy" taste and nonexistent finish can't deliver. Actually, its backstory is pleasant (perhaps the best aspect of this spirit). Asyla means plural of Asylum. Compass Box aims to create an "everyday" "Sunday afternoon" spirit. They might achieve this by crafting a very light, extremely delicate whisky. Comes in at 40% alcohol by volume, pale straw color. Its aroma is quite good. Very sweet and fruity. Creamy, very creamy vanilla, milk white chocolate. Swirling the glass and letting the dram evaporate slightly diminishes the vanilla, revealing citrus fruit notes: lemon peel and inexpensive lemon air freshener. Coffee notes also appear, along with an orange note. On the palate, the grain whisky dominates heavily. Water is the initial taste (or is that not a taste?). Spicy ginger, a very light dram. Grassy grain, slightly creamy. Far too light. It lacks the character or personality to even be considered whisky. The finish is nonexistent. There's a very, very, very, very slight hint of spice, but it's nothing. I did not add water as suggested on the Compass Box website; I now suspect that a single drop would dilute it into plain water. Overall, my scoring was generous due to the decent aroma, earning a 56 out of 100, and I'm not being overly critical here.

Completely uninteresting. The nose suggests potential that the 'grainy' palate and nonexistent finish fail to deliver. Its backstory is actually quite appealing (perhaps the best aspect of this whisky). Asyla is the plural of Asylum, and Compass Box claims to aim for an 'everyday' 'Sunday afternoon' whisky. They might achieve this by creating a very light, incredibly delicate whisky. Bottled at 40% ABV, pale straw color. On the nose, it's quite pleasant. Very sweet and fruity. Creamy, intensely creamy vanilla, and milk white chocolate. Waving the glass and allowing the dram to evaporate slightly diminishes the vanilla notes, revealing citric fruit notes: lemon peel and inexpensive car air freshener. Coffee notes and an orange note are also present. On the palate, the grain whisky's influence is excessive. Water seems to be the primary flavor (or perhaps not a flavor at all?). Spicy ginger, a very light dram. Grassy grain with slight creaminess. Far too light. It lacks the character or personality to even be considered a whisky. Aftertaste is non-existent. There's a very, very, very, very slight hint of spice, but it's negligible. I did not add water as suggested on the Compass Box website; I now suspect a single drop would dilute it into simple water. Overall, my scoring was generous due to a good nose, resulting in 56 out of 100, and I am not being overly critical here.

Nose: Crisp and fruity with a waxy undertone, balanced by powdered sugar. Notes of citrus, cereal grains, pears, peaches, and melon are present. There's a faint hint of smoke with a breezy, maritime character [This is more apparent in the dry glass aroma, which is waxy-honeyed and lightly smoky]. Palate: The initial taste is all malt and gristy cereal with notes of orange citrus zest. As it evolves, flavors of grass and orchard fruits emerge, along with barley sugar. A slight tannic waxiness provides a firm structure to the palate, but it's counterbalanced by a yeasty sweetness. Finish: Short. Malty cereal flavors dissipate quickly. A very, very slight smokiness lingers in the aftertaste. The most fitting description for this whisky is "sweetly delicious cereal." Fruit and untoasted grain dominate – citrus, pears, peaches, rice flakes. It borders on being too sweet but is restrained by a light tannic quality. There's an undeniable presence of Teaninich malt in this blend, and the grain whisky component is excellent, as is the oak influence. It possesses many subtle characteristics hidden beneath its simple appearance that are easily overlooked. It definitely holds up well to being tasted neat. "Above Average": 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Elegant, refined, and gentle. A perfect example of how blended whiskies ought to be crafted. Nose: Peanut or peanut butter, nutshell, vanilla, light and sweet cream, anise, apples, halva, and fudge. Reminiscent of perfume. Palate: Very rich and sweet, 'delicious', with prominent vanilla again, honey or honey cake, some nuts, coconut, and a hint of tropical fruits in the background. It's light and gentle, with a clear taste of creamy strudel cake topped with powdered sugar. Finish: Truly smooth, delicate, and evenly expanding. Slightly watery and sweet with a spicy note. More tropical fruits reappear alongside a fresh floral/grassy theme. Initial impressions might not suggest extraordinary qualities. It doesn't immediately showcase its full potential but gradually reveals its unique character in balanced proportions through further exploration. It may seem unassuming or reserved at first, but it intelligently unfolds its rich, creamy, and elegant nature, maintaining balance and dignity throughout. Asyla effectively leverages its strengths and offers a multifaceted experience, which is what makes it so special.