28adc08f_irits_Importing___Distributing__About_the_Producer
[Producer] Compass Box [About the Producer] 
Compass Box Whisky was established by John Glaser, an American winemaker with a passion for Scotch whisky. Glaser grew up in Minnesota, and while attending college he developed a passion for fine wine and decided to pursue a career in winemaking. He had winery jobs in both Burgundy and Napa before ending up on the business side of the wine industry. He ended up changing careers and started working as the marketing director for Johnnie Walker. In 2000 he created the Compass Box Whisky Company in an effort to make a different style of Scotch whisky. Less than 20 years ago, most of the Scotch whisky on the market was blends; mostly mass-produced stuff from a small group of large Scottish distilleries. The Scotch world was also dominated by the stuffiness of being the connoisseur’s spirit. Rules for drinking, rules for enjoying, and a flavor which takes years to appreciate. John Glaser and Compass Box aim to change that. Compass Box blends boutique Scotch whiskies using single malt and single grain whiskies from distillers in different regions of Scotland. Compass Box is fanatical about the oak barrels in which they age their spirits. They utilize American oak casks (like bourbon distillers do) and also some high-quality French oak for others. Each oak barrel has a different effect on the taste of the end product. The highly conservative Scotch industry has sometimes become annoyed at this flaunting of tradition. The first release of its Spice Tree whisky in 2005 used a technique from the French where new oak staves are inserted into used whisky barrels to give them a burst of new flavor. The Scotch Whisky Association threatened to sue Compass Box because this technique had never been done with Scotch before. John is of the opinion that Scotch does not deserve all of this baggage and feels that Scotch can be drunk on the rocks, neat, or mixed into cocktails. For more information, plus tasting & technical notes and accolades, please see: www.compassboxwhisky.com
Whiskey - Vinum Wine & Spirits Importing & Distributing
About the Producer