Whisky Review: Compass Box Flaming Heart 2022 from ies including Laphroaig — a Scotch expression worthy of considered evaluation.
Nose
9,606 bottles produced. Bottled at 48.9% ABV with no added color and not chill-filtered. This is 100% malted barley blended from an unknown number of distilleries including Laphroaig, Talisker, Caol Ila, Highland Park, Glen Elgin, and Balmenach. SRP $155 per bottle. This is a light golden color. It forms a ring of tiny tears that take a long time to combine into some thick long legs. The initial nose on this is peat and caramel apple. Trying to define the style of peat on this puts me somewhere between the smoke of a barbecue and petrichor, that subtly earthy smell of a first rainfall.
Palate
This starts off incredibly clean with a sweet citrus quality to it. It moves into a rich mid palate with some caramel, cinnamon, and black pepper with just a touch of that smoke starting to build. The finish really lets the peat take front stage while staying clean and only getting the slightest medicinal quality.
Finish
Compass Box delivers another iteration of Flaming Heart that will be readily enjoyed by those that like peated Scotch. This is a lighter fruitier style of peated whisky that strikes a good balance of heavy smoke and other flavors. A good addition to the Compass Box line with another beautiful label from Stranger and Stranger.
Verdict
Whisky Review: Compass Box Flaming Heart 2022 is an exceptional expression that stands among the finest in its category. It rewards patience and attention in equal measure, and we recommend it without reservation — though at $155 per bottle, one expects nothing less.
