Some time back I happened to spy Compass Box Artist Blend stilling on a shelf in NC and decided to give it a whirl. If memory serves it as about 44 beans which isn’t terribly expensive for a 43% ABV blended Scotch. I’ve liked most of the Compass Box offerings I have tried so I was hoping this one wouldn’t disappoint. The aroma was very fruity with apples and pears initially greeting the nose followed by sweet honey and just a hint of black pepper. The flavor was once again pear and apple with honey, but also supported a light caramel, black pepper, and leather backbone. The finish faded into dryness, but the sweet impression lingered into the aftertaste and the warming post consumption was pleasant, but seemed higher than the alcohol level. As much as I want to proclaim this isn’t worth the price of admission, I keep coming back to a complexity in the flavor which makes it worth every penny. The bottom line is this is a tasty bottle, and I’d likely snag one again if I run into it at an attractive price. Pick one up and let me know what you think.
