Compass Box Completes Its Extinct Blends Quartet With The Release of Celestial

With the departure of founder John Glaser, it’s the dawn of a new era at Compass Box. Celestial, the first new Compass Box release since the Glaser news, is the final installment in the Extinct Blends Quartet, a four-part series of modern recreations of classic scotch blends. The new expression is bottled at 50% ABV in a limited edition global release of 5,532 bottles, which will go on sale on April 4^th for $375.

While not going as far as naming the brand that inspired the blend, Compass Box has dropped a series of enigmatic clues and hints with a knowing wink, such as the equine theme of this release, strong links to a Whisky Baron and distilleries on Islay and Speyside, and label artwork depicting the celestial body of Pegasus. To create Celestial, Compass Box opened an original bottling of the blend from the 1960s, discovering a peaty whisky with a profile of floral, sweet, and gingerbread notes behind the chalky-colored stallion on the label. James Saxon devised the blend, Compass Box’s newly promoted whisky-making director, around a core of Islay whiskies using a parcel of Ardbeg and Caol Ila brought together six years ago for Compass Box No Name.

The Extinct Blends Quartet: Tasting Review

With the Extinct Blends Quartet drawing to a close, here are our impressions of all four whiskies in the series:

95 points – Compass Box Extinct Blends Quartet: Ultramarine, 51%, $375

Released in 2022, this has well-structured aromas with floral top notes, seasoned oak, vanilla, layered peat smoke, dried banana chip, and gently spiced pecan bars. The interaction of polished oak, smoke, cigar, and deep-toned wood sugars makes this pretty special. Smooth to sip, with toffee, vanilla, citrus, bountiful fruits, smoke, and spice, burgeoning with burnt heather, toasted nuts, oak char, malty chocolate, coffee, and black fruits. Simply stunning blending at work here. (Global release of 5,430 bottles)

92 points – Compass Box Extinct Blends Quartet: Delos, 49%, $325

Later in 2022, they recreated Compass Box Asyla using select older whiskies, and the light, fresh, fruity nose showcases a remarkable range with oak shavings, tropical fruits, fresh pineapple, dried apple ring, vanilla cream, lavender, floral notes, fresh linen, peel oils, and oak spices. The satiny, glossy mouthfeel is burgeoning with honey and tangy citrus, candied pineapple, butterscotch, and featherlight spices, concluding with vanilla and gooseberry fool. (Global release of 5,520 bottles)

90 points – Compass Box Extinct Blends Quartet: Metropolis, 49%, $325

This third installment from 2023 has a nose of banana candy, Victoria sponge cake, honey, lemon, jellied orange, dried apricot, and fin spices, developing more juicy orange and a whisper of smoke. The palate has a concentrated fruity intensity with apricot, orange, lemon, and butterscotch, interrupted by a spicy kick of ginger and pepper, followed by chocolate orange, tangy citrus, and dried mango, with a catch of smoke again at the swallow (Global release of 5,910 bottles)

93 points – Compass Box Extinct Blends Quartet: Celestial, 50%, $375

Distinctive Islay peat smoke aromatics, leaning towards earthy, salty coastal notes rather than smoky ash, complemented by pine, lime zest, dried rosemary, and sunbaked seaweed on rock pools. A fast blast of peppery spice and licorice supplants flavors of honey and caramel before a thick mouthfeel of gingerbread, tangy citrus, stem ginger, lime marmalade, and gentle peat smoke, with lemon curd and menthol on a mouth-coating finish (Global release of 5,532 bottles)