Compass Box No Name No. 3

Pale straw color. The aroma is a bit faint, starting with red apples, tar, and iodine. There's a pleasant hint of bacon and brine, some hay and honey, and a touch of old campfire embers. The character is quite mellow but distinctly smoky. Beneath the smoky notes, the peat possesses a nice, high alpha acid-like quality. It doesn't quite reach citrus, instead falling into a floral range. Zing!! Wow – that's a bit fiery but lively. That acidic quality shifts towards citrus on the palate, accompanied by the prominent notes of tar and iodine. Old campfire smoke and floral peat contend before slowly fading. No significant surprises emerge. While not overtly spicy, there's a satisfying warmth in the chest. The finish consists of tar, red apples again, oak, and an almost lemongrass/ginger note. This is peculiar, as returning to the glass reveals candied ginger in the aroma. Subsequent sips definitely bring a sensation of ginger spice (and alcohol) tingling on the top of the tongue. Overall impression: A delightful, tarry blend with bright, almost Thai spice notes. It's an excellent variation on Laphroaig, though I wouldn't guess it's older than the 10-year expression. I'm not skilled enough to discern the influence of the other components, but the fruits, acidity, and spice are pleasing. It's less rich and malty than Corry, but shares similar citrus notes. It bears some resemblance to PC 10 but is more tar-forward with added ginger. It is certainly more assertive than GW Green and offers more distinct flavors. Now, regarding bias. We all have our preferences. Mine are for Springbank 10 and Talisker 10 (and Glendronach 15, though entirely different, it's worth mentioning) – I could happily drink only those scotches forever. Personally, I wish this blend had more brine and bacon notes. At $145 a bottle, this will be a one-time purchase for me, primarily because heavy tar and iodine, characteristic of Laphroaig, aren't my top preference – they're more like my third or fourth choice, especially when I can get PC10, Talisker 10, and Springbank 10 for $60-100.

Although this whisky has no name, it will surely be remembered as one of Compass Box's most exciting peaty releases. The third installment of the "No Name" collection, it has been bottled at 48.9% ABV, and it is a blended malt from Clynelish, Mortlach, Bowmore, and mostly Laphroaig. A beautiful bottle like most from this "whisky maker," offers a well-crafted dram, where you can truly discern each malt used, in different ways as they are blended together. Pale straw color. On the nose, it starts with grass, damp earth. It smells like a gym. Gunpowder, a fresh can of tennis balls, and sour prunes. Pine tree, floor cleaner. It's almost unbelievable. After a few sips, the aroma shifted to plastic with condensed milk. It smells like a horse stable and milk powder. Extremely complex. The palate is a bit of a transition to a wonderful aftertaste. Plastic and gooseberries; salt, toffee, and oranges. A second sip brought condensed milk, vanilla, hay, and prunes. After a few sips, the orange note dominated everything. Aftertaste is smoky but very pleasant. An elegant cigarette; gooseberries, pepper, and something I can describe as a fiery viking battle in your throat. Elegant, powerful, peaty, flavorful. Very long finish. Overall, this is the true proof that blends can be a superb dram; where the individual malts can shine together. So many wild, interesting notes here have made this dram incredibly tasty and enjoyable. My score for this beauty is 94 out of 100.

The nose begins with a blend of gentle smoke, lemongrass, and hot asphalt near the ocean, then dark chocolate-covered candied bacon, hay bales, and sea salt vanilla taffy that fades to persimmon, lychee, and mango fruits, transitioning to candied ginger and a freshly opened can of tennis balls with a moderate alcohol burn. The taste has a medium mouthfeel, starting with a moderate sour, bitter, and peppery spice before softening to citrus and floral notes, then tangy barbecued short ribs, burning hay bales, and sea salt vanilla taffy that fades to persimmon, lychee, and mango fruits, transitioning to candied ginger, spearmint, and a freshly opened can of tennis balls with a moderate alcohol burn. The finish is medium length with dark chocolate raisins, lemon zest, Granny Smith apples, and light ash from a campfire from the night before. Overall, this is a great blend by Compass Box that incorporates some gentle smoke along with a nice balance of citrus, meats, and ocean brine, but the taste starts with a higher level of bitter, sour, and peppery spice than I would prefer before finally allowing the notes from the nose to emerge and finishes on an ashy note. Compared side-by-side with No Name 1, the No Name 1 seems sweeter with a lighter peat profile, whereas the No Name 3 has bolder flavors with zesty fruits but leans towards an ashier profile. I can't pick a winner between the two and will rate them equally. Thanks a friend for providing a generous sample of this one.

This will be featured on the channel soon, but the presenter is taking his time. So, let's give away a little secret. This is primarily 15-year-old Laphroaig bottled at nearly 50% ABV. Do I even need to offer a review? Nose: Iodine-forward smoke with a blend of sherry, funky oak, and unusual malt notes. Deeper inspection reveals spearmint, gasoline, and oak. Beneath that, hints of lemon and lime emerge, with a lightly smoked yet still moist interior. Taste: The viscosity is medium to high, creating an incredibly oily whisky experience. Laphroaig, Bowmore, and Clynelish are all harmonizing perfectly. Intense smoke ranges from campfire to medicinal, smoked BBQ to simply smoked wood fire. It's wonderfully clean yet also rugged. There's citrus, vanilla, and coffee creamer notes. Mint, smoke, and citrus are among the many fantastic flavors. This is an amazing pour, and I'm purchasing another bottle tomorrow. It's undeniably the best Compass Box release since the Tobias, and considering the price, it's been the best in a long time. I might compare it to the 2015 Flaming Heart. However, to be fair, it's far more substantial, bolder, creamier, and the mouthfeel alone is exceptional. The score is between 3.75 and 4.0. I'll initially score it 3.75, but I suspect the price is influencing my judgment. It might be a 4. Buy a case. That's my recommendation.

This is absolutely magical. My preferred whisky is Ardbeg Uigeadail, and this offers a similar experience from a different perspective that I find captivating. I appreciate peat, brine, protein, and sherry, and how they combine, but here, the darker sherry and protein in Oogie are replaced by a bright yet rich fruitiness. This enhances the more ashy character of Laphroaig, reminding me of raspberry compote on dark chocolate cake. I love the contrast and richness of both extremes in this whisky. Ultimately, it's a Laphroaig 10 where the iodine has been swapped for fruit. While it doesn't satisfy me like Ardbeg, it's like a fine dessert – not intended as a main course, but its deliciousness is unforgettable.

NOSE Peat, a plastic-like funk, salinity, vanilla, iodine, printer's ink, citrus, vanilla frosting, and some nutty spice. "It smells like Bowmore." My first sniff immediately brought Bowmore to mind, with that characteristic plastic funk. As it developed, it became more complex, but the Bowmore aroma remained dominant. PALATE Peat, a plastic-like funk, salinity, vanilla, iodine, printer's ink, citrus, vanilla frosting, a hint of biscuit, and some nutty spice. A subtle spirity note appears and disappears, lending a pleasant minerality at times, but overall, like the nose, it tastes like a rather good Bowmore. FINISH Long, with plastic funk, Honey Nut Cheerios, spice, and vanilla.