Raw materials
malted barley
other cereals for whisky (grain)
Independent bottler
Compass Box
Explore the spirits, production style and story of Compass Box.
Compass Box is an independent producer and bottler of Scotch whisky founded by John Glaser in 2000. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, it is known for innovative blends, transparency about blend components and a range that spans blended grain to blended malt and blended scotch.
Scotch whisky
blended scotch
blended malt
grain whisky
independent bottler
Producer range
Producer range Compass Box
Spirit categories
Scotch whisky
blended scotch
blended malt
grain whisky
independent bottler
Representative products
Hedonism
Orchard House
Nectarosity
Crimson Casks
Peat Monster
Great King Street (Artist & Glasgow Blend)
Secrets Of Smoke
Metropolis
Art & Decadence
Spice Tree
Casks and ageing vessels
sherry butts / oloroso-seasoned butts
Spanish wine casks
ex-bourbon
French oak (documented use in some experiments/finishes)
Distillation and production
Distillation and production
Production method
Compass Box is not a distillery; it selects distillates (malt and grain) from different Scottish distilleries, creates targeted blends, applies specific maturations/finishes and proceeds to bottling. In some releases it applies maturation or finishing stages in selected casks to achieve distinctive aromatic profiles.
Distillation
They do not distill in-house; assembly and blending of distillates purchased from various Scotch distilleries.
Ageing
Maturation in oak casks with possible finishes/secondary maturation in specific casks (varies by expression); wood and cask type are key elements in maturation decisions.
Producer history Compass Box
Founded in 2000 by John Glaser, former marketing director at Johnnie Walker, Compass Box established itself as an independent company specialized in assembling and bottling Scotch whiskies purchased from various distilleries. Over the years it launched pioneering releases such as Hedonism (a blended grain) and drew public attention for regulatory disputes related to maturation techniques and transparency about blend components.
Production philosophy
The company philosophy centers on innovation, storytelling through labels and the prominence of wood ("cask is king"). Compass Box promotes greater transparency in the Scotch category by showing, when possible, the components of its blends and by experimenting with finishes and cask influences.
Territory
Scotland / United Kingdom. Blend components come from various Scotch whisky distilleries across Scottish regions; the company is headquartered in the UK and operates with an international commercial focus.
Awards and recognitions
Numerous international recognitions for individual expressions (including awards at the World Whiskies Awards and other competitions for bottles such as Hedonism, The Spice Tree, Glasgow Blend and Orchard House in different years).
Compass Box
This producer is a useful reference point for enthusiasts looking for authentic spirits, distinctive production identity and a carefully selected online catalogue.
On this page you can discover the producer, understand its main categories and browse the products currently available for purchase.
Products from
Products from Compass Box
Products from this producer are currently not available.
Italy
Europe
USA, UK, Switzerland