Will someone turn the (Christmas) lights off when they leave?
It seems that now all of us have survived the so-called Mayan Apocalypse, festive relief has truly set in across the globe and most of us decided to skip off work today, in search of a few last Christmas bargains they can get their hands on before settling back into a week of pure indulgence.
That is certainly the case for the Caskstrength office anyway - Harrison, decided to clock off last Friday (Bah, Humbug indeed) and headed for Scotland (alright for some, eh) whilst I ably manned the phones and the company Visa card - keenly perusing the internet for whisky
And as part of our ongoing 18 Under £30 series, I've sought out another cracker, this time from our pals at Compass Box.
So if you fancy something a little bit different over Christmas, remember the versatility of a quality blend: straight up, over ice, with sparkling water or as part of a cocktail, bottlings like Great King Street (£23.99) and the richer, more complex Spice Tree (£37.32) will serve you very well indeed. However, our 18 Under 30 wouldn't be complete without this little offer: Compass Box Asyla for under £30!
Compass Box - Asyla - Blended Scotch Whisky - 40% 70cl
Nose: Some seriously fruity notes of fresh orchard fruit (red apples, plums) wrestle with some distinct melon freshness, a blast of sweet grain and a waft of subtle smoke.
Palate: Sweet at first, with plum jam, some sliced apple, sweetened breakfast cereal, vanilla notes and again just a wisp of smoke. Balanced, yet bold enough to punch through in a long drink or cocktail.
Finish: Lingering notes of vanilla and a little liquorice/anise spice, alongside some malty bread.
Overall: One of the core Compass Box range and easy to see why - Asyla is well blended, stupidly easy to drink and as we mentioned above, extremely versatile. Blending at its best.