Compass Box The Peat Monster Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Compass Box The Peat Monster Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is the December 2022 Origin Story bottling, a limited run of 9,126 bottles that marks 20 years of The Peat Monster. The recipe began in New York in 2003, when Compass Box built a peaty malt called Monster for Park Avenue Liquor; it later joined the core range. This edition is bottled at 113.4 proof, natural colour and not chill-filtered. It is mostly heavily peated Islay malt from Caol Ila and the Williamson spirit, with a sliver of Highland malt from heavily toasted French oak. Part of the blend then spent extra time in seasoned virgin American white oak made in Missouri, so the cooper’s vanilla and cinnamon sit on the Islay smoke at full strength instead of being watered away.

Sooty barbecue smoke, green apple, and citrus oils lead, with cinnamon warming the edges. The palate is tarry and full: smoked almond and vanilla from that virgin oak, then seaweed, cayenne, and salt. It drinks medium-full, with a peppercorn heat and a medium-long finish of tart apple and coastal peat. This is The Peat Monster with the volume up, not the core 92-proof bottle.