SWA openly pushing for less transparency in the whisky ind.

[Diademo]

Compass Box founder John Glaser about his frustration over company's latest dispute with the Scotch Whisky Association regarding withdraw of specific ages information for the whiskies that were used to make their two new editions:
http://whiskycast.com/compass-boxs-glaser-transparency-in-scotch-whisky-sadly-illegal/

Compass Box is doing this great - they are losing legal battles but at the same time gaining public support/sympathies and selling the products: http://maltactivist.com/2015/11/03/compass-box-vs-swa/

[Bookie]

Have I got this right, Compass Box revealed the age of all the whiskies in their Flaming Heart 5th Edition and This Is Not A Luxury Whisky, I don't see the problem as long as they have revealed the ages of ALL whiskies in the blend and not just boasted about the older whiskies.

This Is Not A Luxury Whisky
79% Glen Ord is 19 YO. The 10.1% Strathclyde is 40 YO. The 6.9% Girvan is 40 YO. The 4% of Caol ila is 30 YO.

Flaming Heart 5th Edition
27.1% Caol ila is 30 YO whisky. The 24.1% Clynelish is 20 YO whisky. The 10.3% Highland malt is 7 YO blended malt whisky made up of whisky from Clynelish, Teaninich and Dailuiane; this whisky was finished in very active hybrid casks made up partially of French oak. Finally, the remaining 38.5% of Caol ila is 14 YO whisky.

[Cuba]

Just a thought, is it possible Compass Box has knowingly done this so as to get the free press for expensive blends which haven't yet sold out.

[Diademo]

The problem is that SWA is in the first place an interest group, protecting big players. And they are interested in producing as many NAS expressions as is possible with much higher prices of comparative age statement whiskies. They want that we pay for 3-5 years old malts the price of 15yo - for them is important that at any circumstances the age of the whisky in the NAS bottlings is not reviled.

On the other hand we have Compass Box.
Of course we all (well, at least me) support Compass Box plea for transparency but their Don Quixote's stance toward SWA is becoming a farce.

A cynic could say that we are witnessing a good old fashioned marketing, cleverly executed...
What's not to like, it's a great performance!

But to be able to move rigid SWA from their positions you need to employ heavier weaponry or at least better strategy in cooperation with the industry insiders.

Till then we have a new hero in the town and another "Spice Tree Moment"? to digest:

BTW Compass Box knew that they will get sued and IMO all this is just a smart marketing move (they done it before):

[Kray]

They are all about making money, big players and small players alike. They don't mistakenly bend or break the rules.

[sorren]

This is actually ludicrous... What the hell is wrong with actually saying what you have put into a whisky.. We all want age statements and information on what we are drinking.. I for one applauded compass box for the information they provided on my bottle of " this is not a luxury whisky " this should be up to the distillers, ok it might be harder to publish blends that have up to 50 or more whiskys but there is no harm saying.. Compas box are only trying to give us all the information we crave.. Ok it might help promote it but why shouldn't they ?? WELL DONE COMPASS BOX ...

[opelfruit]

The SWA have to do this sort of thing whenever they have the chance to, otherwise we'd all forget they were there, not like they do anything else. Every now and then roll some amendment to minor clause or appendix.....


If I was Compass Box I'd do a great big F You to them and just remove the word "scotch" off my bottles. That way they don't have to follow the regulations and can publish whatever they want about their contents, and mature is with wood chips in or additional ladder, or whatever else they want.

The whiskies we're all talking about are ones for the geeks (us) and we all know it'a actually scotch, we don't care if it doesn't say so on the bottle. I'd rather know the contents of the bottle than a label of provenance.
_________________
"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[jcarrick]

I am of the same opinion as Cuba and Diademo, Compass Box knew what they were doing.

[Diademo]

Mounting pressure on SWA to change the laws and regulations - an open letter to Scotch Whisky Association:
https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/news/latest-news/compass-box-an-open-letter-to-the-industry/?utm_source=mailjet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sw-digest-04-11-2015

[TheWM]

[raithrover]

We're purchasing these bottles and we don't know what is in them. Whilst there is a certain degree of trust and Scotch has a protected status. As a consumer I'd like to know exactly what is contained within the bottle. Not just the whiskies but also whether artificial colouring has been added and chill filtration.

[Fergie]

If they want to disclose what is in the bottle then print it on the bottle label

[sorren]

The way compass box has gone about this is fine.. I think as said things like caramel colour should have to be mentioned.. It is an additional ingredient.. What whiskys are in should be up to the distilled/ blender.. I really can not see compass box dropping the " scotch" label.. We just need a new law saying the contents can be disclosed.. Like said every other food stuff have to disclose ingredients.. Come on SWA sort yourself out and stop been so pretentious..

[Blackadder]

Here is an idea, why don't whisky drinkers press for a rule saying:

ALL WHISKY MUST carry an age statement or state the age of the components and their relative proportions in the whisky.

That way we would know if the whisky is worth the price we are being asked to pay for it.

[Darwin]

Lots of sensible comments above. Honest disclosures should be applauded. I think I am going to pick up a couple of the Compass Box expressions in the near future.