The American guy who moved to Scotland - this could be the beginning of a good joke. In fact, it’s the beginning of Compass Box, a Scotch whisky company started in 2000 with the purpose of highlighting the beauty of blends while offering total transparency when it came to its recipes. 22 years later, founder John Glaser is still at the helm, creating and releasing new whiskies every year.
“I woke up one morning and decided to start Compass Box and leave my job. The early years were really exciting. I was literally doing everything from my kitchen over in Richmond, and the dining room was the office, and the hallway was where I stocked all my cases. My first product was a grain whisky that we’re still selling today, the Hedonism.
Most people didn’t know what a grain whisky was, they didn’t know that Scotch whisky could taste like that. Blending when you come from the world of wine doesn’t have any negative associations attached to it. It’s how you create balance from your various vineyards, barrels, or grapes. It’s a way to create something interesting, complex, and balanced.”
Compass Box has grown over the years and now has two dedicated Blending Rooms in London. “We have our own stocks of maturing whiskies in Scotland and a team of over 15 hugely enthusiastic whisky-lovers. We believe Scotch whisky is one of the world’s great drinks. With more spectrum of flavour and style than any other spirit, it has incredible capacity to delight both newcomers and discerning devotees. Which is what we aim to do with every bottle we create.”
