Compass Box Peat Monster
John Glaser and Compass Box have been pushing the bounds of scotch since the beginning, often winning awards and angering conglomerates along the way. One of their long staples (Signature Range) has been the Peat Monster. This monster is, despite the name, not built to overwhelm. Rather, the stated purpose is to take those Islay elements and enrich them with fruits and malt. In other words, to create something that is far more than a two-dimensional scotch. There is also a 2013 release of a 10th anniversary edition of the Peat Monster we hope to try in the future. We also raise a special glass to John Glaser, as he is a native son of Minnesota.
Corsair Triple Smoke
One of the many American distilleries sprouting in the decade, Corsair Distillery is located in the somewhat unlikely city of Nashville, TN*. Founded by friends Andrew Webber and Darek Bell in 2008, Corsair has not wasted any time, purposefully eschewing what’s been done before. Not waiting seems to be a core value, as many of their spirits are aged less than a year and pushing the boundaries is an expectation. Not content to use one grain, they produce everything from absinthe to genever to pumpkin spice moonshine in several core offerings and many seasonal or experimental spirits. Thankfully they have good taste to back up their creativity. Many of their spirits have won awards, most of all this Triple Smoke whiskey that is pot distilled from three elements of malted barley, each smoked by cherry wood, beach wood and peat.
Teeling Small Batch
The Teeling name has a long history in the world of Irish whiskey, beginning in 1782 on Marrowbone Lane in Dublin. Teeling has been part of the Irish whiskey resurgence, as they opened a distillery in 2015 in Dublin, the first seen in that city since 1976. While their whiskey is currently sourced from the Cooley distillery, the plan is to use their own stock once it is ready. The Teeling Small Batch bottling is their flagship expression and was finished in ex-rum barrels, something not often seen in Irish whiskies. They also have a single grain and several single malt offerings.