Compass Box released Three Year Old Deluxe in 2016 as a pointed comment on Scotch labelling rules. Less than 1% of the blend is three-year-old malt, yet the law says the label may only state the age of the youngest whisky, so a bottle made mostly from much older malt carries a "3 Year Old" badge.
About This Whisky
The recipe is around 90% considerably older malt from a distillery near the village of Brora, widely reported to be Clynelish and matured in refill hogsheads, plus about 9% peaty malt from the Isle of Skye aged in a first-fill sherry butt. The three-year-old component, from the same Brora-area distillery, makes up less than 1%. It was limited to 3,282 bottles, with natural colour and no chill filtration.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Beeswax, lemon bonbon, green pear and vanilla, with a light wisp of peat
- Palate: Waxy and fresh, with citrus, white chocolate, honey and a coastal, gently smoky note
- Finish: Long, citrus-led and lightly ashy
Serving & Food
Neat or with a little water, in a tulip-shaped glass; the wax and citrus come through well at 49.2%. Pair with seared scallops, dressed crab or a lemon tart.
How to Enjoy
Blend enthusiasts and Clynelish fans, and anyone who enjoys a bottle with a point to make.
Product Details
Producer: Compass Box
Expression: 3 Year Old Deluxe
Category: Blended malt Scotch whisky
Country: Scotland
Release: 2016, limited to 3,282 bottles
Composition: Under 1% three-year-old malt; around 90% older Brora-area malt from refill hogsheads; around 9% peated Isle of Skye malt from a first-fill sherry butt
Bottling: Natural colour, not chill-filtered
ABV: 49.2% ABV
Volume: 750mL
About the Distillery
Compass Box was founded in London in 2000 by John Glaser, a former Johnnie Walker marketer who set out to blend whisky with the care of a winemaker. The company buys spirit from distilleries across Scotland, experiments with cask types and is known for label art and a strong push for transparency.
In 2015 the firm was told that publishing the full age breakdown of its blends broke the rules, which only allow the youngest age to be stated. Compass Box responded by campaigning to change the law, and this bottling was part of that argument.