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Compass Box Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard

woody fruity
3.5
(5)€69Scotland, Blended Malt

Flavours

Whisky character

Fresh
Warm
Mild
Full
Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

The Story of the Spaniard began as a bespoke bottling for a New York City bar of the same name. Compass Box turned that experiment into a permanent blended malt built around Spanish wine cask maturation. Sherry-seasoned wood and red wine barrels lend a full, soft profile with jammy fruit and warming spice. Founder John Glaser traced the idea to a sherry guide he met in southern Spain decades ago. You taste citrus peel, honeyed sweetness, and clove alongside dried fruit and vanilla oak. Pour it neat for a slow late evening dram.

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The Whisky Exchange
The Whisky Exchange
700ml
€69.41 ( £59.95 )

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About the distillery

Distillery

Compass Box

Compass Box is an independent Scotch whisky bottler and blender based in London, founded by John Glaser in 2000. The company sources whisky from a variety of distilleries in Scotland, and then blends them to create unique and high-quality whiskies. Compass Box is known for its innovative approach to blending, using both traditional and modern techniques to create new flavour profiles. Their whiskies often feature a combination of malt and grain whiskies, and may be aged in a variety of casks, including sherry, bourbon, and French oak. In addition to their core range of whiskies, Compass Box also releases limited edition bottlings and collaborates with other companies to create special releases. The company has been at the forefront of the movement to increase transparency in the whisky industry. In 2016, they launched a campaign called "Transparency" that provides detailed information about the whiskies used in their blends, including the distilleries they come from and the ages of the whiskies used.

3.7Average rating

79Whiskies on Distilld

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About the Compass Box Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard

Compass Box Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard is a blended malt Scotch whisky from Scotland. Compass Box created it as a tribute to sherry's broad spectrum and Spanish wine cask influence. First released in 2018, this expression puts Spanish sherry and red wine cask maturation at centre stage. The whisky is bottled at natural colour without chill filtration, keeping texture rich and mouthfeel generous. The recipe grew from a bespoke bottling Compass Box made for The Spaniard, a bar in New York City. Founder John Glaser named the release after a chance meeting with an elderly sherry guide in southern Spain. Early batches blended sherry-seasoned casks with red wine barrels, linking whisky maturation to winemaking traditions. The composition has evolved in later batches, yet the sumptuous sherried character stays consistent. Compass Box has built its reputation on transparent recipes and bold cask-led blends since John Glaser founded the company. It joined the core range as a permanent bottling after that NYC bar commission proved the concept worked. On the palate, expect orange marmalade, lemon citrus, and honeyed sweetness wrapped in baking spice. Dried fruit and clove mingle with creamy vanilla and woody oak from the casks. A long finish lingers with sherried depth and gentle fruity warmth. Jammy notes echo pears poached in red wine, a detail the distillery highlights on its own tasting notes. Compass Box Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard suits neat sipping on a quiet evening. It rewards patience as the glass opens, revealing layers of sweet spice and fresh fruit. Collectors note batch numbers on the back label, as recipes shift with cask availability while keeping the Spanish cask focus. The style sits between sherried richness and wine-cask fruit without tipping into heaviness. That balance makes it approachable for newcomers while offering enough clove, oak, and citrus complexity for seasoned drinkers. Pour a measure neat and let the aromas unfold slowly in the glass.