Blended Scotch Whisky 'Vellichor - Limited Edition'

• Limited-edition Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Compass Box, blended by lead whiskey maker James Saxon
• Named for the word used to describe the pensive, nostalgic, aromatic atmosphere within second-hand bookshops and the feeling evoked by the scent of old books or paper
• Lead whisky maker, James Saxon, blended this evocative whisky around the profile of a sherry-matured blended whiskies and bolstered it with bold, mature single malts from renown distilleries
• 9% The Highland Park Distillery single malt aged in re-charred hogsheads
• 3% blended malt aged in refill sherry butts
• 6% blended Scotch aged in a refill sherry butt
• 1% The Macallan Distillery single malt aged in first-fill bourbon barrels
• 1% The Caol Ila Distillery single malt aged in a refill hogshead
• Hints of leather, aged wood, and the crackling dustiness of decades-old pages on the nose; the palate is stacked with sumptuous malty notes, tropical fruit, and raisin, with a delicate but persistent peatiness.
• Non-chill filtered with no added coloring; 44.6% ABV
• Limited release of 3,246 bottles

Whiskies, like old books, contain their own stories. Vellichor is a tribute to the storytelling potential of blended Scotch whisky and the atmospheres of your favorite bookstore. The late whisky writer Michael Jackson recommended some whiskies be enjoyed “with a book at bedtime.” This is one of those whiskies.

Tasting Notes

Vellichor is named for word from John Koenig’s The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows to describe the aromatic atmosphere within second-hand bookshops, or more specifically, the pensive nostalgia and temporality of used bookstores as well as the feeling evoked by the scent of old books or paper. Upon discovering this word, Compass Box and lead whisky maker James Saxon began a quest to recreate the sensation of Vellichor using Scotch whisky. The process of identifying and seeking out the perfect whiskies for this release could be compared to scouring second-hand bookshops for specific volumes to complete a collection. An undisclosed distiller and bottler in the north of Scotland offered casks of whiskies which had been previously blended before being returned to ex-sherry butts for further maturation. This sherry-matured whisky was combined with bold and mature malt whiskies from the Macallan, Highland Park, and Caol Ila distilleries. The aroma is highly evocative for anyone with a fondness for books–hints of leather, aged wood, and the crackling dustiness of decades-old pages. The palate is stacked with sumptuous malty notes, tropical fruit, and raisin, with a delicate but persistent peatiness. The late whisky writer Michael Jackson recommended some whiskies be enjoyed “with a book at bedtime.” This is one of those whiskies. Non-chill filtered with no added coloring; 44.6% ABV. Limited release of 3,246 bottles.

Resources