After two decades on the market, Compass Box Scotch Whisky has decided to go limited-edition with its Hedonism expression via the arrival of the 2024 Limited Edition Annual Release Hedonism.
The new Hedonism Limited Annual Release Blended Grain Scotch Whisky is 86 proof and is composed of old and rare whiskies primarily matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, it includes some of the last grain whiskies from the 1990s. From February, Hedonism will no longer be part of the brand’s core range and will instead be released as a limited bottling once each year. This is due to the old and rare grain whiskies that go into Hedonism becoming harder to find.
To mark the occasion, Compass Box also releases a short documentary, Hedonism: From Grain to Gold, taking viewers behind the scenes to discover the art of the whiskey making and the artistry of the label created by acclaimed Scottish artist Stephanie Rew. She is renowned for her use of traditional Early Renaissance gilding techniques combined with a contemporary painting style, which is explored in Compass Box’s documentary charting the creation of the 2024 Hedonism label and the parallels between art and whiskey making.
In addition to reviving the blended Scotch category when Hedonism first launched, the expression was the first-ever whisky to feature a female form on the label. With the 2024 release, the annual limited release will continue this legacy by collaborating with a different female artist each year to reimagine the grace and strength of the woman who appeared on the original Hedonism label. For the first Hedonism Limited Edition, Rew subverts the artist-muse relationship and conjures a unique synthesis of visual art and whiskey making.
“From Grain to Gold charts the history of Compass Box, who were innovative from the very start, launching the first blended grain whisky to the market back in 2000,” said Compass Box Scotch Whisky Marketing Director Racheal Vaughan Jones. “From Leith in Edinburgh to Soho and Richmond in London, we document the groundbreaking collaboration with Stephanie, who might be the only artist today still using ancient water gilding techniques. The film is a feast for the eyes and signals a new era for the iconic Hedonism.”
“My work has always been about female empowerment and so being able to reimagine the Hedonism woman in my own way was a project I could not turn down,”added Artist Stephanie Rew. “I’ve always loved the drama in art, and the strong, powerful stare of my piece on the bottle delivers this. I like to think women will see themselves in that. The fact that this is the first in a series of female artists being invited to bring their own unique take on Hedonism each year makes it even better.”
Only 8,000 bottles of Compass Box’s 2024 Limited Edition Annual Release Hedonism are available worldwide for $150.
