Blending house Compass Box has revealed Secrets of Smoke, its latest limited edition whisky. The brand says the new release showcases the “secret sweetness” in peated malts.

To emphasise the layers of flavour present in peated Scotch, Compass Box blended Secrets of Scotch from whisky aged in Palo Cortado sherry-seasoned casks, second-fill Spanish red wine casks, and first-fill Marsala casks.

Lead whiskymaker James Saxon commented: “Our limited editions allow us to spread our creative wings and concoct one-off expressions with unique recipes. With Secrets of Smoke, we wanted to build on the results of some of our cask experiments and enhance the unexpected sweetness of peated malts.”

Compass Box says the release has notes of pears, caramel, peach, spicy, and citrus, with a coastal smoke. Peated whisky has been a previous playground for the brand; its core expression Peat Monster is one of its bestselling bottlings.

Commenting on the design of the new limited-edition release, made in collaboration with agency Stranger & Stranger, Saxon continued: “Working with our good friends at Stranger & Stranger, we are able to reveal on the label how flavours of fruit or honey or flowers emerge from behind the smoke screen.”

Saxon was appointed lead whiskymaker earlier this year after the brand's founder, John Glaser, stepped down after more than two decades at the helm.

Compass Box Secrets of Smoke (52% ABV) will be available from 14 November 2024 via Compass Box at RRP £130.