Compass Box Oak Cross

John Glaser has been busy doing his best to "up" the game of blended Scotch whisky and blended Malt Scotch whisky. Oak Cross, referring to marrying Highland malt whiskies, especially his favourite, Clynelish, and showing influence of both French and American Oak, is one of his earlier and continuing standard-line products featuring vatted/pure/blended malt whiskies. He has more recently announced his intention to work primarily on concocting additional products in the world of blended Scotch, i.e. blends of barley-malt and "grain" whiskies, notably for the Great King Street series of blended whiskies. Mr. Glaser still keeps this "blended malt" Oak Cross as part of his standard line, even though he is directing most of his attentions toward developing more "blended Scotch whiskies". The reviewed bottle has been open 2 1/2 years, is 95% full, and has been gassed with inert gas for the past 15 months. N.B. the malts used in Compass Box Oak Cross blended malt whisky and Compass Box Spice Tree blended malt whisky are the same, but the wood used is in different proportion

Nose: mellow, almost delicate, with understated malt and with a good oak presence. You can pick up a little spice from the oak. On the nose the citrus is present but not strong. Clean and likeable

Taste: malt, wood, and spice flavours are stronger on the palate than in the nose. Wonderfully clean and mellow flavours, with significant citrus. You can really taste the Clynelish here

Finish: medium to medium-long, ending on sharp grain citrus and a little sweetness around the edges

Balance: there is a decent balance of sweet and dry in this whisky, and it is certainly easy-drinking. This is pretty gentle stuff

Preservation comment: this bottle of whisky hasn't changed a great deal in 2 1/2 years. 95% full after 2 1/2 years is not a comment that I don't like Oak Cross. It merely is a product of my having 150 opoen bottles vying for my attention

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