Compass Box Flaming Heart 25th Anniversary Edition (70cl, 48.9%)

This is the eighth edition of Flaming Heart, a blended malt from Compass Box released to mark the company's 25th anniversary. It was bottled in December 2024 at 48.9% ABV, in a run of 9,384 bottles. The recipe is deliberately pared back. It combines peated malts from Benrinnes, Talisker, Laphroaig and an Islay malt labelled Williamson with whisky finished in specially made French oak casks. Benrinnes spent four years in French oak, Talisker in re-charred American oak hogsheads, and a small share of Laphroaig had two years in a first-fill Marsala barrique. It is natural colour and non-chill-filtered. The nose is oily smoke and lively spice, with raspberry, apricot, biscuit dough, miso and tarred rope. The palate is dense, with clove, pepper and nutmeg, medicinal peat and pale winey fruit. The finish is long, smoky and ashy, with menthol and citrus oil.