Compass Box Flaming Heart

About the Compass Box Flaming Heart

Compass Box Compass Box Flaming Heart is a blended malt Scotch whisky from Scotland. It carries no grain whisky at all. Instead it marries malts from several distilleries into one bottling. Peated Islay spirit from Caol Ila sits at its core. A Highland component led by Clynelish rounds that out. The strength is 48.9% ABV. Every edition is a limited run. Smoke is the signature, but it never runs alone. The sixth edition of Flaming Heart ran to 15,050 bottles. Its Highland malt came from heavily toasted oak, which pushes vanilla and spice into the spirit. The house also brought back a touch of sherry cask influence. That trick had been used only once before, in 2012. The malts in the vatting span seven to thirty years of age. Deanston sits in there too, alongside the Clynelish and Caol Ila. Baked apples and dried fruit lead the aroma. Lemon and a floral lift sit just behind them. White pepper and toasted oak sharpen the edges. Sherry shows on the palate as dried fruit and orange peel. Black tea brings a dry, tannic grip halfway through. Vanilla keeps the sweet side in play throughout. The smoky part arrives late, oily and warm, with chocolate and a rye-like snap. It lasts longer than the strength suggests. Most peated Scotch leans on one distillery and one house style. Compass Box Compass Box Flaming Heart works the other way. It uses heavy toasting and careful vatting to shape the smoke rather than chase it. That is why each edition tastes a little different from the last. Numbers on the label matter here, since a run of 15,050 bottles does not come back. Anyone curious about blended malt should start with a bottling like this.