Nice video appreciative I have a couple bottles from the UK on my shelf I haven't opened yet and I have been curious how they are kind of scared to open them lol
@@topshelfdustin3060 thank you for an update and I understand. I had such high expectations of this one until I saw your review back in the days. Unfortunately I had bought it already and I'll probably just drink it instead of saving it for some special day.
@@zippendale7736 if you just want a well aged nice pour. It's perfectly fine. It's just over priced and you kinda have higher hopes for a blend of HP...and I guess macallan.
Just tried this yesterday against a Speymalt Macallan 21 and a Benromach 18 Single Cask (peated). This won for me although it was a familiar CB taste which I really like. The Macallan came in 3rd and the Benromach was quite tasty with the heavy peating. Also on the Vellichor couldn't there be some Clynelish hiding in the Highland Blend?
I generally don't seek out Compass Box, but I do have the Flaming Heart 15th anniversary and its good. I feel CB is a little over hyped and over priced. Macallan & HP are better known for their sherry casks. Although I do have the Duncan Taylor Dimensions Highland Park 17 CS in ex-bourbon and its decent. Great review.
I love the 15th anny flaming heart! That's one of my spirit bottles that I will cry when i don't have one of. Yeah they've gotten a lot of hype by a very small group of fans. That said they're generally available for some time after launch. I suspect a few flippers are going to hate us for putting this video out there.
Been looking at it for $430 locally....thanks for the advice! It's ingredients have a great pedigree, but I was concerned about the abv and bourbon cask macallan doesn't work great for me.
Seems to fall flat for the price. For me even as a huge compass box fan I have to pass buying a bottle. I'll go out and hunt another bottle of the circus. Excited to see your review of the experimental grain
to my knowledge, most of the blends that list highland park and macallan are actually pre vatted blending stock from edrington and those have been rather mediocre without much character from either of the distilleries.
@@topshelfdustin3060 hmm good point! but I guess it still seems like the stuff thats sold to ibs from these 2 distilleries are sold off for a reason. the liquid just isnt that great in the first place
@@thedrinking_ewok I've had some pretty incredible HP, though I think a lot of the distillate is sold as new make and aged by the IBs so you often get the IB's character as much as the distillate's. I can't speak to macallan...never really though their malt had character to start with. It's all about their casks.
@@topshelfdustin3060 dont get me wrong, ive had highland parks and macallans that i thought were quite amazing. For example the 1956 and 1955 GM 'cask' highland parks and 1980s giovenetti 57% macallan come to mind. had a 1957 rinaldi import recently as well and those just showcase the best of waht highland park and macallan has to offer. im just thinking that the stuff sold to blenders or IBs in recent times (2000 onwards) are probably stock that they arent that keen on in the first place
Compass Box fans, interested in seeing a review of The Experimental grain?
Please join us for our first live stream next Thursday 4/7 at 8pm est
Thank you guys,
I definitely wanted to get this bottle based on the age and present of both Macallan and Highland Park. Now it’s an easy pass for me.
Props for giving this one a gamble guys!! I was very close to getting one until I saw the mac was bourbon cask.
the low abv was also a warning
Nice video appreciative I have a couple bottles from the UK on my shelf I haven't opened yet and I have been curious how they are kind of scared to open them lol
Big compass box fan I have many of their releases from the UK
$400 bottles? I'm a cab driver, not a rock star!
That 2 million view video I'm sure can get you 1-2 400 dollar bottles a year!
@@topshelfdustin3060 LOL and give up those ten $80 bottles? I will have to think about that...
$400 here locally, definitely wasn't willing to pop on it until I saw some reviews.
Hard pass for me at that price. Happy hunting!
Great review guys! Did it improve by time?
I'm sure it's improved a bit, but it remains one of those pours that I never even think of. Definitely a disappointment anywhere close to retail
@@topshelfdustin3060 thank you for an update and I understand. I had such high expectations of this one until I saw your review back in the days. Unfortunately I had bought it already and I'll probably just drink it instead of saving it for some special day.
@@zippendale7736 if you just want a well aged nice pour. It's perfectly fine. It's just over priced and you kinda have higher hopes for a blend of HP...and I guess macallan.
Just tried this yesterday against a Speymalt Macallan 21 and a Benromach 18 Single Cask (peated). This won for me although it was a familiar CB taste which I really like. The Macallan came in 3rd and the Benromach was quite tasty with the heavy peating. Also on the Vellichor couldn't there be some Clynelish hiding in the Highland Blend?
Very possible Clynelish is in there, I know I've been told the blend before but I can't seem to find it or remember.
What is your favorite Compass box?
Huge fan of the 2015 Flaming Heart and the 3 year old deluxe.
I would add No Name 3 to Dustin's list.
I generally don't seek out Compass Box, but I do have the Flaming Heart 15th anniversary and its good. I feel CB is a little over hyped and over priced. Macallan & HP are better known for their sherry casks. Although I do have the Duncan Taylor Dimensions Highland Park 17 CS in ex-bourbon and its decent. Great review.
FH was always a good but I agree Compass Box is no longer the "can't miss great whisky for the price" they were in the past.
I love the 15th anny flaming heart! That's one of my spirit bottles that I will cry when i don't have one of. Yeah they've gotten a lot of hype by a very small group of fans. That said they're generally available for some time after launch. I suspect a few flippers are going to hate us for putting this video out there.
@@topshelfdustin3060 We can't worry about those flippers. :>) Just keep doing what you and Mike do.
Great review guys 👍🏻
But I skip this one at almost 500$😬in Europe
This one was a bit overpriced for my liking but interesting to try. I doubt Dustin goes for a second bottle.
Been looking at it for $430 locally....thanks for the advice! It's ingredients have a great pedigree, but I was concerned about the abv and bourbon cask macallan doesn't work great for me.
Dustin really waned to get this review out partially for that reason. I doubt Dustin is buying a second bottle.
@@topshelfwhisky It's appreciated!
Nice review, shame it did not stand up to its price
Win some, lose some 🤷🏻♂️
Seems to fall flat for the price. For me even as a huge compass box fan I have to pass buying a bottle. I'll go out and hunt another bottle of the circus. Excited to see your review of the experimental grain
Exp grain is coming this Sunday!
@@topshelfwhisky maybe ;) Debating an audible! lol.
to my knowledge, most of the blends that list highland park and macallan are actually pre vatted blending stock from edrington and those have been rather mediocre without much character from either of the distilleries.
These are different ages and cask maturation so I'd assume these weren't pre vatted. Keep in mind Compass Box isn't some "normal" blender.
@@topshelfdustin3060 hmm good point! but I guess it still seems like the stuff thats sold to ibs from these 2 distilleries are sold off for a reason. the liquid just isnt that great in the first place
@@thedrinking_ewok I've had some pretty incredible HP, though I think a lot of the distillate is sold as new make and aged by the IBs so you often get the IB's character as much as the distillate's. I can't speak to macallan...never really though their malt had character to start with. It's all about their casks.
@@topshelfdustin3060 dont get me wrong, ive had highland parks and macallans that i thought were quite amazing. For example the 1956 and 1955 GM 'cask' highland parks and 1980s giovenetti 57% macallan come to mind. had a 1957 rinaldi import recently as well and those just showcase the best of waht highland park and macallan has to offer. im just thinking that the stuff sold to blenders or IBs in recent times (2000 onwards) are probably stock that they arent that keen on in the first place
Sounds like a hard pass.
indeed