There is a lot to like about Whisky Review: Compass Box Ultramarine on paper. At 103 Proof and $400 700ml (Limited Edition 5,430 bottles worldwide Ultramarine shows a deep burnished copper border, let us see if it lives up to expectations.
Nose
Ultramarine shows a deep burnished copper bordering on chestnut, with just the slightest haziness. The first wave is an intoxicating blast of lightly charred fig with undertones of iodine, tennis ball rubber, and salinity, all intermingling with an integrated, elegant peatiness. The press release described it as an ethereal peatiness, a description which initially turned me off for its grandiosity but .well damn if that isnt just the perfect word for it. After several inhalations, I held the aromas and suddenly imagined I was standing on a shoreline inhaling smoke coming off the water on a foggy afternoon and I half expected to see some siren standing tip-toe on a ships bow come bursting through the fog at any moment. Ethereal indeed. Time in the glass sees a bit more dried fruit character coming to the fore, with that iodine and rubber smell relaxing into more toffee, chocolate, and tobacco tones.
Palate
At a relatively modest 102 proof, I was a bit surprised at how hot this comes in on the palate at first but the heat subsides and then its all toffee and malty chocolate mingling with raisin and roasted nuts with a veritable pillow of smoke nestling onto your tongue as you exhale. What is magical is how well everything is integrated, all the different notes and elements playing off each other without dominating or muddying the others. Exceptionally balanced. The finish is medium long and gently smoky with lingering tobacco and nuttiness.
Finish
I could exhaust a majority of superlatives in my vocabulary lauding this whisky. It is quite simply a masterful evocation of what imaginative blending can be when conjoined with a precise understanding of balance and the unique ways that terroir manifests in Scotch. Here we have a representative sampling of multiple regions, each bringing their own idiosyncratic traits to the whole and allowing them to shine individually while also creating a harmonious depth that is greater than the sum of its parts. And yet does so with a subtlety that seems the peak of elegance.rnrnWhisky enthusiasts should find it worth every penny (and then some) of its $300 or so price-tag, and with a mere 5,400 bottles produced, I imagine collectors will jump at this rarity that I believe will come to be regarded as a genuine classic.
The Bottom Line
Whisky Review: Compass Box Ultramarine is outstanding — one of those bottles that reminds you why you fell in love with whiskey in the first place. If you see it at $400 700ml (Limited Edition 5,430 bottles worldwide Ultramarine shows a deep burnished copper border, do not hesitate. This one earns a permanent spot on the shelf.
