Compass Box Hedonism / Hibiki 17 year 

17 Dec 2012

Compass Box Hedonism. Seriously, that's the name. And it's a grain whiskey. Not sure what that is either. So this is brand new.

It is light, light, light in color. Incredibly light.

The Compass Box is also a light drink -- citrusy and not overwhelming. To be honest, I feel like I need another drink to really have a strong opinion. I liked it, but it was different enough that I'm not sure I can really pinpoint if it was just different, or if it was fantastic.

(Such is life when you're trying 24 whiskies in 24 days.)

Another Japanese whiskey, this time Hibiki 17. I've had the Hibiki 12 year. This version is certainly a good bit smoother and, I'd say, spicier.

It's a rich gold color, and has a great scent. It's not overpowering like some whiskies can be. It's fruity and maybe even a bit of cocoa? I don't know, I may be coming down with a cold, so I'm probably not the best judge.

The Hibiki 17 is wonderfully smooth. It's a blended whiskey, though I'm not sure you could tell. It tastes like a great, smooth single malt. This might be the least alcohol I've ever tasted in a whiskey. Really, it's that smooth. There's definitely some sort of spiciness to the taste.

The only downside might be that it seems to leave a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

Still, it's quite tasty.