 Compass Box Hedonism  
Mixed Distlleries |
Tastes & Smells
There's quite a lot of soft, creamy flavours here - banana & peach crumble, soft fruits and the moment just as a marshmallow starts to burn on a bonfire all impact on the nose, with less of a fieriness than many grain whiskies. When you pop it into your mouth, you get a slight fizz and spiciness, but it becomes pretty mild and creamy but still has a surprising sting in the tail. Soft, yet rich - like a thick yoghurt, perhaps a strawberry one. It's sweet too, with a subtle souring over time (almost to slightly fermented limes). I'm pretty sure there are raisins and pineapple in there too, as well as pineapple and something fishy - perhaps the oil in a sardine tin? It doesn't dominate, but adds something interesting to the general creaminess. It's also got a slightly edgy sweetness, best described as basil toffee.
Any good?
It's pretty drinkable and gets more so the more you have - the initial sting dissipates a bit over time and it's got a very pleasant taste, but it doesn't quite hit home or fully excel in the things it begins to suggest it can - jack of all trades, master of none. However, it's a very decent introduction to grain whiskies.
Reminiscent of...
Imagine being stung in the mouth by a really vague, laden bee whilst you're eating yoghurt - its heart's not in it, and it injects more honey than venom, but there's still a bit more venom than you'd usually have with a yoghurt.
## Secondary Tasting ##
I tasted this again blind (in early 2014), and here's what I thought the second time: Smells included (pine) apples, black pepper, bananas and positive body odour - it was sweet and smelled a bit watery somehow. It tasted fizzy & different, and sweet ("so sweet"), keeping its sweetness with water. Lemonade and banana (medicine) were the best descriptors, whilst brie and lime were perhaps a bit unsure suggestions - spicy as the finish develops. I described it as "a wolf in sheep's clothing", "child's medicine" and a "lack of balance, like a see-saw". I scored it as "0.1 more than Hedonism?", which is pretty close for a blind tasting!
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Tasted on: 01/04/13
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  Creamy and well-balanced, but somewhat of a jack of all trades. |
In summary:
Creamy and well-balanced, but not as exciting as I'd like - well worth a try to see what grain whiskies can offer, but not a stand-out. It seems to give away the fact it's a blend with many good points but a few weaknesses - a decent oddjobsman.