Compass Field and the Rise of Superbly Blended Scotch

Compass Field is shaking issues up with their modern method to whisky. For many years, single malt scotch has dominated the premium whisky market. However Compass Field is difficult the established order with their fantastically offered and meticulously crafted blended whiskies. Based in 2000, they’ve constructed a popularity for pushing the boundaries of each style and label designs.

Intrigued by their method, we spoke to James Saxon, Compass Field’s new Whiskymaking Director, to delve deeper into their philosophy and what makes them stand out within the crowded world of whisky.

Who Are Compass Field?

I’d describe Compass Field as a “centaur” of the whisky world; a chic and enigmatic mixture of two points. They’re an impartial bottler, however not like most impartial bottlers within the scotch whisky world they don’t bottle single malts. As a substitute they produce and bottle their very own bespoke blends. For every launch they create iconic and memorable labels that improve a drinker’s expertise and entice new prospects, all whereas pushing boundaries of what blended whisky might be.

I can’t consider one other firm within the trade doing one thing with parallels. I’m unsure if that is extra shocking contemplating their success or the very fact they’ve been doing it since 2000.

Discovering A Area of interest In The Scotch Market

The preferred scotch whiskies on the planet are blends. For a lot of the historical past of whisky blends have been the favored whisky of selection with nearly all of drinkers as a result of grasp blenders mix flavorsome malt whiskies with sweeter grain whisky to create one thing that’s normally simpler to drink in comparison with a single malt scotch.

Whereas blended whisky has all the time been the selection for almost all of drinkers, it has lagged behind single malt with its premium and artistic picture. Which is the place Compass Field stepped in.

“When Compass Field was based, the intention was to face out, when it comes to whisky kinds but in addition aesthetics,” defined James Saxon, the brand new Whiskymaking Director at Compass field in an e-mail change with me. “The affect of the wine world and their progressive method to labels knowledgeable our personal have to not appear like another Scotch whisky model. You possibly can actually see our affect when it comes to beautifying labels taking maintain throughout the trade since 2000.” 

What Do Compass Field Do?

Since 2000 the staff at Compass field have created a collection of blended whiskies that push the boundaries of blended scotch. They began with the whisky itself, not solely naming the part whiskies however telling shoppers precisely what proportions they used.

Sure, creating top quality whisky is vital, however should you’ve learn a lot of my work you’ll additionally understand how essential I consider a model is to success. That is the place Compass Field have shined. From their very first launch with Hedonism they’ve pushed the boundary of what a whisky bottle ought to appear like. Brightening bar cabinets and displaying that blends might attain into the realm of premium branding with out splashing distillery names throughout bottles.

When John Glaser stepped down earlier in 2024 I questioned at what path the corporate would possibly take with out him. So I took the chance to ask his successor, James Saxon:

“Having briefed a wide range of design companies alongside John for the final 5 years, I’ve come to grasp how vital it’s to seize folks with what’s placed on the bottle, whereas providing clues and references in design that flesh out the character of particular releases. That’s central to what we provide at Compass Field: a thought-about, artistic piece, the place liquid and label are in dialog and construct on each other. Every label is totally different, and there may be enormous selection in Compass Field labels, however we actually aren’t prone to be pursuing a minimalist method any more. It’s all about amping up the work and concepts that go into the whisky, making statements visually.”

The latest launch of Nectarosity into the core vary is a welcome affirmation of Saxon’s plans. With its vibrant label in shades of orange, adorned in chaotic but hanging choice of desserts and confectionery, it’s quintessentially Compass Field in each its design and accessible pricing.

Creating Lovely Whiskies

We are able to see a slowly altering perspective to design all through the scotch whisky trade. From the gorgeous bottles used at Nc’Nean to quirky designs utilized by the likes of That Boutiquey Whisky, artistic design largely stays the avenue of single malt manufacturers. Blended whisky largely stays the steadfast premise of good, however finally boring bottles.

There aren’t any boring bottles of Compass Field. Probably the most notorious collectors version from the blender needs to be Whisky & Ink. It’s visually gorgeous and in addition one of many few blended whiskies I do know that may command a 4 determine worth on the secondary market. I requested Jaxon what his design highlights had been:

“Of all of the Compass Bins, my favourite design must be The Misplaced Mix: three totally different labels, all with lovely illustrations of misplaced objects. There’s something so restrained and charming about it. I initially didn’t ‘get it’ once I first noticed it in 2014, but it surely has actually grown on me within the years since.”

After all, no enterprise is with out its threat. I requested Glasser about Compass Field’s riskier ventures too: “Vellichor was a whisky we weren’t sure about—how are you going to reassure {that a} whisky that smells like an untidy previous library doesn’t style like one as properly? The label and the storytelling finally allowed the whisky to persuade folks to discover an costly mix with a made-up phrase for a reputation.”

For me that whisky and reply epitomizes the essence of how Compass Field goes about issues in a different way. It’s taking one thing attention-grabbing and distinctive, which may not have “labored” as a single malt, however making it fantastic by means of mixing. Then guiding drinkers into that have by means of visible cues.

The Secondary Market

It isn’t simple being an impartial bottler in at present’s market, even a novel one. We’re seeing a lot of historic impartial bottlers shift partly and even fully away from impartial bottling to their very own distillers. At solely 24 years previous Compass Field can’t be in comparison with the likes of Gordon and Macphail or Hunter Laing, however I questioned how they felt concerning the shifts.

“I do know entry has been tighter for mature whiskies, particularly over the past 5-8 years, however Compass Field has a wealth of whisky gaining deliciousness in quite a few Scottish warehouses. We salute these bottlers who’ve began distilling, and the outcomes are extraordinarily encouraging from all I’ve tasted. I see a number of corporations who nonetheless wish to showcase scotch whisky’s liquid range, although. As soon as an impartial bottler, all the time an impartial bottler.”

Lastly, as a whisky dealer myself I couldn’t assist however ask Glasser for his opinion on the secondary cask market and its impacts on the mixing trade. 

“Had we been reliant on going to the brokerage market every time we launched a brand new whisky, it will have been inhibiting. Fortuitously, we now have loads of characterful aged inventory to select from. Actually, we noticed costs for some objects that will need to have factored in attracting non-public people, however a few of that is beginning to enhance. 

Nothing in any enterprise is steady without end, and even whisky usually thought inert as soon as it’s sealed in glass does proceed to evolve. “I really like creating an preliminary mix, then seeing the way it metamorphoses. The core concept can stay whereas the whiskies round it radically shift. Then, as soon as bottled, that whisky adjustments over its life.” From mix to bottle all the things evolves, even when it’s slowly. However hopefully ahead pondering manufacturers like Compass Field will proceed to pave various variations of the trail for brand spanking new drinkers to find.

This text is tailored from one initially written by me for Forbes.com