Compass Box Scotch Whiskymakers recently announced changes to two of their popular expressions The new bottles now don the simplified names of Artist Blend and Glasgow Blend.
The previously named Great King Street collection and introduced 2011 and 2014 respectively, the whisky remains the same. Created by Compass Box founder and whiskymaker John Glaser, these two expressions reflect the preferred whisky styles of the people of Edinburgh and Glasgow, according to Aeneas MacDonald’s book, Whisky. Artist Blend (formerly Great King Street Artist’s Blend) offers the fruity and creamy flavor profile enjoyed by Edinburgh’s whisky lovers, while Glasgow Blend (formerly Great King Street Glasgow Blend) is rich and smoky, per the taste of that city’s whisky drinkers.
“When I first created these blended Scotch whiskies, I was inspired by the writing of Aeneas MacDonald in his classic 1930 book, Whisky,” explains Glaser. “MacDonald wrote about the distinct differences in whisky taste between the citizens of Edinburgh and Glasgow. He also detailed what blended Scotch whisky recipes were like at the time. This was all hugely inspirational to me when I first created Artist Blend and Glasgow Blend, and it made these whiskies, in effect, an homage to Scotland’s two biggest cities.”
Internationally renowned designers Stranger & Stranger convey the tale of the two cities and two whiskies through new labels that celebrate the diversity of thinking and originality of both cities with a homage to blending’s golden age in the late 19th century when individuals used artistry, creativity and craft to pioneer the world-famous spirit.
A tribute to Edinburgh, the Artist Blend’s label depicts an artist in front of the Scottish National Gallery. Glaser first created this whisky in 2011 and was inspired by 100-year-old recipes. This blended Scotch whisky has a higher proportion of single malt whiskies than is normally found in blends today.
Conceived as a contrast to Artist Blend, Glasgow Blend represents the bold, fearless and characterful personality of the Glaswegians. One of Glasgow’s most iconic landmarks, the statue of the Duke of Wellington is on the new label for Glasgow Blend as it is a symbol of the city’s sense of humor.
This is an old-school peaty blended Scotch whisky, originally created by Glaser in 2014, that draws on an historical reference that Glaswegians have long preferred bigger, smokier whiskies. With a high malt content, Glasgow Blend is full, bold and smoky on the palate and unites the rich spice and fruitcake-like notes of Sherry cask aging with the maritime punch of Islay malt whisky.
Compass Box Scotch Whiskymaker’s Artist Blend and Glasgow Blend retail for $38.00 each.
