Compass Box Releases Final Extinct Blends Expression

Celestialis the fourth and final release in the limited-edition Extinct Blends series.

Scotch whisky maker Compass Box concludes its Extinct Blends series, which recreates iconic whiskies from the mid-20th century, with Celestial.

It uses malt whiskies from Ardbeg and Caol Ila to craft a top-notch blend with tar and herbal notes, recreating aclassic mid-20th century smoky Scotch whiskywith a lavish richness and maturity.

Celestial's aroma leads with heavy peat smoke, followed by a richness of ginger, vanilla, and baked apple. On the palate, it's dry with notes of oak, smoky grilled tropical fruits, and grilled meats that provide a satisfyingly comforting sensation.

This is according to James Saxon, recently appointed whisky maker at Compass Box.

The swirling clouds on the label symbolize the complex peaty notes within the whisky, with the cloudscape and night sky representing the ever-evolving world of blended Scotch whisky.

While Compass Box doesn't mention the specific blend it aims to recreate with this release, it does provide enthusiasts with a few clues.

In particular, Celestial takes inspiration from bottlings produced in the 1950s and 1960s. The Compass Box team wanted to capture the peaty character, the rich cask-derived sweetness, the gingerbread notes, and the fruity floral notes found in the whiskies that were being shipped to the US at the time.