Delos - The Extinct Blends Quartet - Compass Box

Profile: The Delos - The Extinct Blends Quartet - Compass Box

• Limited luxury blend: Compass Box Delos is a mosaic of old stocks
• The Extinct Blends Quartet: Delos is the second of four bottlings in the series
• The big advantage of blended whisky? The best qualities from different distilleries combined

Portrait: what makes the Delos - The Extinct Blends Quartet - Compass Box so special.

With Delos after Ultramarine, Compass Box presents the second bottling of “The Extinct Blends Quartet”. The quartet is inspired by forgotten flavors that Compass Box revives based on some of its most valuable whisky holdings.

The role model for Delos: the 2018 discontinued Compass Box Asyla. The lively character of the blend is now being resurrected. Old and rare whisky components contribute to this. Glen Elgin, Imperial and Miltonduff distilleries provide the malt portion with notes of exotic fruits and vanilla from American oak. Lush and fragrant grain whisky from Cameronbridge preserves the delicate mouthfeel that was once Asyla's trademark.

For those who wonder why Asyla isn't being reissued: As of ancient mosaics, such as the Greek one Island of Delos, too many parts are missing to restore the blended scotch as a permanent part of the range.

The big benefit of blended whisky? You are not limited to the character of one distillery, but can enjoy the best qualities of different distilleries combined. Hardly anyone enables this at such a high level as Compass Box. John Glaser and team create textures and flavors that a single whiskey often cannot achieve. For their luxury blends, the "whisky makers" combine high-quality single malt and single grain whiskeys from their own cask store in Scotland.

The whiskies used in detail:
Imperial Single Malt (33.4%), First Fill Bourbon Barrel
Glen Elgin Single Malt (28.5%), Recharred American Oak Barrel
Miltonduff Single Malt (21.2%), First Fill Bourbon Barrel
Cameronbridge Single Grain (16.9%), First Fill Bourbon Barrel

Bottled: November 2022
Outturn: 5,520 bottles

Tasting Notes: This is how the Delos - The Extinct Blends Quartet tastes - Compass Box

• Nose: sweet juiciness settles in gentle waves of ripe pear, pineapple, orange oil and vanilla cream
• Palate: an interplay of fruit tarts and white chocolate flatters the palate, while the maturity of the individual whiskies gradually reveals guava, heather, honey and chai spices
• Finish: long finish - again the fruit and the vanilla, behind it spicy heather and herbs