Compass Box Experimental Grain Blended Grain Scotch Whisky

Experimental Grain is a bold, inventive whisky that challenges expectations of grain Scotch. It blends unexpected smoke and richness into a base of grain whisky, offering depth, character, and a little playful edge. Ideal for those who think grain whisky must be lightweight—this one proves otherwise.

Origins & Craftsmanship

This release from Compass Box is built primarily from grain whiskies drawn from distilleries such as Cameronbridge and North British. The standout twist: a parcel from Loch Lomond Distillery, distilled from malted barley but via a column (Coffey) still, was selected—giving malt-style character yet still classified as grain whisky under Scotch rules. The final blend is bottled at 46% ABV, with natural colour and no chill-filtration, underscoring the craft-forward approach.
This whisky is part of the “limited-edition” mindset at Compass Box: not bound by age statement but by experimental ambition, pushing against category norms while remaining fully Scotch.

Tasting Profile

Nose: A curious melding of ripe banana and toffee sweetness lead into unexpected savoury undercurrents—smoke (wood-char, mossy herbal) and a distant hint of rum-cake and raspberry.
Palate: Medium-bodied but rich, offering almond-paste and vanilla cream up front, then evolving into a resinous, smoky mid-palate—burnt pine-cone, char-wood, faint patchouli. Grain sweetness remains present yet the smoke and complexity give weight unusual in grain whisky.
Finish: Long, drying towards the end with oak tannin, smoke residue, and a lingering note of burnt wood and subtle fruit echo. The dual personality—sweet grain and smoky edge—leaves you thinking.

Quick Overview