No Name No.3

Our series studying heavily-peated malt whisky reaches a somewhat OTT crescendo with this, the third and final No Name. Since 2017, we have used the same recipe structure to explore different smoky double acts. Whether it was the crème-brûlée-on-freshly-laid-tarmac effect of the inaugural release or the bonfire-in-a-cherry-orchard style of No Name, No. 2, fans of the series have been treated to radically different expressions of smoke.

Compass Box No Name No. 3 is a blended malt composed of Laphroaig matured in a recharred hogshead (75.0%), Bowmore matured in a refill barrel (11.0%), Miltonduff matured in a first fill barrel (6.8%), Clynelish matured in a refill hogshead (6.7%), and Compass Box’s Highland Malt Blend matured in a high toast, custom French oak cask (0.5%). Compass Box No Name No. 3 is bottled non-chill filtered and of natural color at 48.9% ABV.

No Name, No. 3 marks a further point on the spectrum of peat. It is older, wilder and weirder than the previous No Names. Seaweedy and barbecue-scented single malt from the Laphroaig Distillery takes top billing, with malt whisky from the Bowmore Distillery lending compelling hints of mango and pineapple at the very limits of ripeness. Seashells and sage; pineapple and allspice; smoke that moves in oily waves. This is the perfect whisky for introducing a little drama to proceedings – and a fitting conclusion to our peaty trilogy.