Compass Box Rogues' Banquet

I purchased this a couple of weeks ago and had a serving, so let's revisit it. I haven't done much research on its background. My understanding is it has a malt to grain ratio of about 75:25, with most of the whisky being around 25 years old, blended with some 19 or 21-year-old components. So, it has considerable age. There's some grain whisky to keep costs down, but overall, I believe it offers good value at first glance. Let's see how it tastes. Nose - Okay, right off the glass, it's delicate yet potent and very inviting. Citrus, apples, vanilla, spices, and a touch of oak. It's a truly delightful, if perhaps a bit generic, fruity citrus aroma. The interplay between the spice, fruit, and vanilla, with the underlying notes of aged oak, is excellent. I even detect distinct Clynelish characteristics, which is surprising given its small proportion, but they are undeniable. Taste - The palate takes a different path than the nose. While the nose offers citrus fruits and a balanced, rich array of notes, the flavor is quite distinct. It features some waxy vanilla notes, imparts oak spices, and then transitions into the finish, which becomes somewhat savory with umami elements, likely from the oak. This lingers for a medium to long duration with toasted oak and waxy vanilla. However, I'm struggling to find the pleasant citrus notes from the nose. Mouthfeel is another point of concern. The 46% ABV drinks like a non-chill filtered whisky with a nice coating sensation, but it's disappointingly thin. Reaching even 48-50% ABV could have significantly elevated this dram. I'm rating this a 2.5. Let me explain. The complexity and nuanced transitions suggest a 20+ year old whisky, which should place it in the 4.0 range. The finish is long and lingering, also meriting at least a 3.5, if not a 4. The nose also shows potential for a solid 3+. The issue lies with the flavor being exceptionally flat upon the initial taste. Where one might expect orchard fruits or something similar. I intend to revisit this tomorrow or perhaps later today to see if my perception changes, but the beginning is truly disappointing for an otherwise wonderful whisky. Nevertheless, a 2.0 is an average whisky, and a 2.5 is a definite step up, moving into very good, but not great territory. Don't dismiss this whisky based on my score; it possesses layers of depth that many would find sufficient to rate it 4+. I'm particular, and unfortunately, this one just misses the mark slightly. Short review: See comments, but I'm increasing the score to 3.0.

Let's put on the song "King for a Day" by Jamiroquai and dive into a Compass Box release that paints a picture of a lavish Banquet. This blend combines North British, Miltonduff, Clynelish, and Glen Elgin whiskies, creating the Compass Box Rogue's Banquet. It was launched at the start of the 2020 Covid Pandemic, intended to provide comfort to those confined to their homes. The artwork is arguably Compass Box's most stunning creation, featuring characters from other expressions, like the central hedonism muse and the renowned Peat Monster guarding the whisky casks. It's true artistry. Bottled at 46% ABV, it has a light amber hue. The nose offers beautiful aromas: apples, hay, and stewed apples reminiscent of baby food. It feels thick and creamy, with notes of honey and fruit spice. After a few minutes, the aroma shifts to something more tropical, like chilled pineapple, peaches, and prunes. Later, it evokes vanilla cookies, the kind for children shaped like dinosaurs or animals. The palate reveals old pineapple, tobacco, and cardboard, with notes of hay and grass. The first sip brings vanilla, peach halves, and peppery spice. The grain whisky is perceptible but not unpleasantly so. It also has hints of cookie dough and orange juice. The aftertaste maintains its quality with salt, hay, and freshly cut grass. There's gunpowder and a very long peppery finish, like licking envelope glue. It's salty and maritime, with a new wood character. Overall, this is one of my favorite Compass Box expressions ever – elegant, complex, and incredibly enjoyable. It feels exceptionally well-executed, perfectly balanced, and rich with tasting and aroma notes. They truly created something remarkable. My score is 92 out of 100.

Review forthcoming, but I wanted to share this as I suspect interested individuals would want the details. I recently acquired a bottle of CBRB and was curious about the ages of the spirits in this blend. I contacted CB for age breakdown information for the components, and here is their response: 1: Miltondoff (Rechar Bourbon Hogshead - 25 Years, 68.7%) 2: Clynelish (Rechar Bourbon Hogshead - 25 Years; 3.5%) 3: North British (First Fill Bourbon Barrels; 25 Years; 25.6%) 4: Glen Elgin (Recharred Bourbon Barrel; 19 Years; 2.2%) I must commend Compass Box for their transparency! We (consumers and collectors alike) absolutely need more of this in the industry. With escalating prices and often no justification from many OBs and IBs, it's refreshing to see some accountability, even with rising prices for recent CB products. That's life...

Compass Box pricing has become quite high, so I haven't purchased their new releases recently, except for a $50 store-exclusive marrying cask. However, I'm always happy to try them. Rogue's Banquet is one of their older blends and merits more attention than my small sample allowed, but initial impressions suggest it's a refined, distillate-driven spirit that relies on its own character rather than peat or sherry for flavor. The Clynelish waxiness is noticeable on the nose, even with its small proportion in the blend. Candied pineapple cubes add a fruity dimension. The texture in the mouth is silky, with a blend of sweet and savory flavors like ginger spice and mangosteen. It's an intriguing spirit, though not one I'd purchase at $200 a bottle.

Nose - Waxy apple, ginger, honey, toasted marshmallows Palate - Ginger spice at first, a wave of tropical fruits, honey, creamy vanilla Finish - Medium, creamy finish with hints of ginger and soft tropical fruits This is good stuff, but it doesn't astound me. Lovely toasted marshmallows on the nose, alongside waxy apples and honey. The palate is coated with ginger spice, followed by subtle tropical fruits and honey. A nice creamy mouthfeel, but the palate and finish seem muted. I believe this bottle needs time to open up and could be great. I'll try it again in a couple of months.

Amazing! Nose: Chocolate, Caramel, Strawberries, Peaches, Maple Syrup, Bananas, Raisins, Figs, Plums, Flowers, Cotton Candy, Baking Spices, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Coconuts Palate: Brown Sugar, Toffee, Milk Chocolate, Honey, Grapefruit, Caramel, Raisins, Cherries, Peaches, Pears, Raspberries, Smoke Finish: Smoke, Cherries, Caramel, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Dark Chocolate, Strawberry Jam, Oranges, Pineapples, Mangoes