Compass Box Oak Cross

from a purchased sample

Nose: Light, crisp, and very malty. Honey opens, but quickly yields to dominant malt and sugar-coated barley. A touch of wax with lemon, and a slightly funky fruit note. Vanilla, cake frosting, and more of those candied notes. Very enjoyable. Does this stand up on the palate at 43%? The nose is no wallflower.

Palate: Big on honey, bitter wax, the white bitter flesh under lemon zest, and soft-yet bitter- wood. There's a brief note of the barley and vanilla, but the bitterness is the most apparent element. Not as rich as the nose suggested.

Finish: Lightens up a bit as the bitterness subsides, and it comes out to a more pleasant and enjoyable end. A good, well-made dram that surprised me a bit; it's just a little off on the palate, but seems to be a decent buy for this sort of thing.

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