Compass Box has unveiled a new limited-edition Scotch whisky dubbed Delos. Inspired by flavors of the past, the new offering offers a delicate and soothing flavor profile.
Compass Box Delos reimagines the brand’s iconic extinct blend Asyla. To create the Scotch, the whiskymakers turned to older stocks, focusing on capturing Asyla’s vibrancy and soothing sweetness. First released in 2001, Asyla remained the cornerstone of the core range until its retirement in 2018.
The second release in Compass Box’s Extinct Blends Quartet, only 5,520 bottles will be made available worldwide. The final two releases in the series will be made available in late 2023 and early 2024.
Named after a Greek island said to be the birthplace of the god Apollo that is blessed with mosaics and ruined ancient temples, Delos signifies Asyla’s beauty and serenity as a whisky. Blended to entice the senses, the sumptuous and meditative flavors of Delos provide a moment of sanctuary, embodying a rare escape to a sun-kissed paradise of great antiquity.
With an interplay of grain and malt, Delos balances some of Compass Box’s rarest and most idiosyncratic stocks of whisky to create an elegant and refined flavor. Malt whiskies from the much sought-after Glen Elgin, Imperial, and Miltonduff distilleries – all aged in American oak barrels – bring a sweet yet mellow medley of ripe pear, pineapple, orange, and vanilla notes, while the maturity of the grain whisky gradually builds to reveal guava, heather honey, and chai spices.
The label art features a female lute player from the original Asyla label, reimagined in mosaic form. However, she now plays a lyre, the instrument classically associated with Apollo, with the outline of the tiles broken away to reflect the coastlines of Delos and Greece.
“While inspired by the style and recipe structure of Asyla, Delos has richer and rounder flavors from using older stocks of whiskies which amplify the character, bringing more grandeur to it and making it more resonant,” said Compass Box lead whiskymaker James Saxon. “The delicate mouthfeel and transportive aromas within Delos are nevertheless familiarly delicious. For me, sipping Delos feels like a holiday.”
Bottled at 49% ABV, Compass Box Delos is priced at £265 per bottle. For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
In September, Compass Box unveiled the first limited-edition in its Extinct Blends Quartet, Ultramarine.