Whisky Advocate Exclusive: How Angela D'Orazio Created Compass Box Hedonism for 2026

In Angela D’Orazio’s former role as master blender at Swedish single malt distillery Mackmyra, blending grain whiskies was never part of the job. So after her appointment in 2025 as Compass Box creative director of whisky making, the opportunity to craft Hedonism for the first time presented an invigorating new challenge. “That's what life is all about,” she smiles.

Hedonism, Compass Box’s famed blended grain scotch whisky, has grown more exclusive over its 26-year history, adopting a limited annual release schedule three years ago. Before beginning work on Hedonism 2026, D’Orazio immersed herself in the whisky’s past, conducting a vertical tasting of archive bottlings to trace its evolution. The exercise revealed a clear trajectory toward older stocks and higher-quality casks compared to earlier vattings. “Tasting all the past Hedonisms side by side was a real pleasure, you can really sense how the whisky has evolved over time,” she remarks. D’Orazio cites Hedonism The Muse (2018) and Hedonism 2025, which marked the whisky’s 25^th anniversary, as particular standouts. Working closely with the Compass Box blending team, D’Orazio explored a range of mature grain whiskies, including some of the company’s oldest stocks.

One of the key points of Hedonism 2026 is the introduction of a sherry influence from the addition of Port Dundas single grain fully matured in a refill sherry butt, making up 31.2% of the blend and contributing notes of cherry, cumin, and raisin. As most grain whisky matures in refill bourbon casks, sherry-aged grain is relatively rare. “Even in my lifetime, I haven't tried many before,” says D’Orazio. Refill sherry casks, she notes, are better suited to grain whisky’s delicate profile than first-fill wood, which can easily overwhelm it. D’Orazio views the sherry component as a meaningful evolution of Hedonism’s profile, contributing additional richness and texture to the mouthfeel, and adding depth and complexity. As with previous editions, the 2026 recipe incorporates vattings of grain whiskies of varying ages. The 2026 release includes 3.1% of the Hedonism 2024 vatting and 14.1% of the 2025 vatting, plus 13.1% of a blended grain parcel finished for a year in first-fill bourbon casks. The youngest age-stated component is 19 year old Cameronbridge matured in first-fill bourbon casks, making up 5.4% of the blend, joined by 20 year old Port Dundas matured in recharred American oak hogsheads, which adds a lovely, creamy texture and makes up 30% of the blend. Overall, more than 60% of this blend is from closed distillery stocks. The oldest single grain in the bottle, 30 year old Strathclyde, makes up 3.1% and adds structure to the blend, lending elegance, weight, and refinement in a way that younger components cannot replicate.

“Attention to detail is even greater when blending grain [than with malt whisky],” notes D’Orazio. With grain whisky, she says, there’s nowhere to hide. Mastering its use requires time, patience, and repeated tasting, allowing the subtle nuances to reveal themselves. Despite logistical challenges during development—including a sudden unavailability of selected casks—she credits her Compass Box team for their guidance and support, and notes that the final result surpassed expectations.

Compass Box Hedonism has long been acclaimed as the first whisky with a label featuring a woman, now known as The Muse. In 2026, actress Karen Gillan appears as The Muse, presenting an empowering image of strength, confidence, and femininity that pushes the brand into new creative territory.

During her first year at Compass Box, D’Orazio has made a powerful impact herself. A one-off creation called Compass Box Confluence, a fusion of Scottish and Swedish influences created for Miami-based design museum The Wolfsonian, set a new auction record for the brand. D’Orazio was impressed that the winning bidder chose to open it, the only bottle in existence, and share it with friends.

At Mackmyra, D’Orazio was known for intricate, layered recipes and imaginative cask programs, occasionally incorporating unconventional casks seasoned with wines made from Swedish birch sap or cloudberries. Such experimentation may yet influence her work at Compass Box. “We’ve been talking about those possibilities,” she says.

Ultimately, D’Orazio sees the 2026 release as a confident step forward for Hedonsim; one that remains anchored to its pedigree, while introducing new layers of complexity signal a new creative direction at Compass Box.

Compass Box Hedonism 2026 Release is bottled at 46% and priced at $165. The release of 13,218 bottles is available globally beginning February 24^th.