COMPASS BOX BRULEE ROYALE
LIMITED EDITION SCOTCH WHISKY
SCOTLAND
WHY BUY: Forbes last year declared Compass Box "the trailblazers of luxury blended whisky,” writing that they "push the boundaries of blended scotch,” and now comes one of the most distinctive and luxurious drams we've tasted all year. This delicious blend of single malts from 5 beloved distilleries (Clynelish, Benrinnes, Speyburn, Aberlour, and Ardbeg) was double-matured to produce an elegant, creme brûlée-like richness, with a bolstering (but subtle) note of sweet toffee — a befitting profile, given its collaboration with the superstar pastry chef Dominique Ansel, inventor of the Cronut and a wizard of custard and cream. A whiff of peat smoke, courtesy of the Ardbeg, ties it all together beautifully.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Esquire named this British-based company one of the world's 10 most underrated Scotch producers.
OUR TASTING NOTES: The nose is pure pastry shop seduction: buttery, creamy, bready richness that immediately calls to mind the finest French patisserie in full swing. Just as you settle into these comforting notes, a secondary wave arrives with vanilla, caramel, and the kind of sweet spice that makes you think someone's been wielding a kitchen torch. On the palate, those teasing aromas deliver on their promise: silky vanilla custard from the ex-bourbon maturation mixes and mingles with crackling toffee flavors from custom American oak barrels, while a subtle note of peak smoke from the Ardbeg arrives like an unexpected gift. The finish is every bit as rich and creamy and sweet as the treat that inspired it.
THE STORY: This bottle represents something genuinely special: a collaboration between Compass Box whiskymaker Samuel Travers and Dominique Ansel, the genius behind the Cronut and one of the world's most celebrated pastry chefs. Compass Box has built their reputation on just this sort of boundary-pushing creativity, having made it their raison d’être when they launched, in 2000. Take their cult favorite Hedonism, the first-ever blended grain whisky that prioritized pure, buttery flavor and told the world that here was a swaggering startup that was determined to upend traditional expectations of what a Scotch was supposed to be. Their aim to surprise and delight has earned them a devoted and passionate — and ever-growing — following. The inspiration for Brûlée Royale traces back to Chef Massialot, who created crème brûlée in the royal kitchens of Versailles, making this both a nod to the past and, with Ansel on board, an affirmation of the present.
WHAT TO PAIR IT WITH: Given its dessert-like profile, Brûlée Royale is magnificent in the company of actual crème brûlée … and might be the most deliciously redundant (or did I say indulgent?) thing you do all week. It's equally wonderful with a dark chocolate tart, or salted caramel anything.
ABV: 49% (98 proof)
FUN FACT: Compass Box invented the term "whiskymaker" because they felt traditional categories couldn't capture what they do. That is to say: they're more than blenders but different from distillers, crafting whiskies that deliberately zoom past the lines of convention.
OUR GUARANTEE: As always, we only buy and source directly from the producer, so rest assured: your whisky will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Order yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2025. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. The price reflected on your order form is subject to change after the order is placed in the event of a change in tariffs or taxes that are imposed by the U.S. government, or in the case of currency fluctuations of 10% or greater. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NC, NE, NY, OK, TN, VA, & WA. This offer will expire on Monday, September 1, 2025.