Crème brûlée inspires Compass Box creation
Whisky maker Compass Box has unveiled a limited edition release inspired by the 17th-century origins of the French dessert crème brûlée.
Brûlée Royale Blended Malt Scotch Whisky was inspired by the transformation of natural sugars into ‘extravagant deliciousness’, as seen in the creation of a crème brûlée – a rich custard-based pudding topped with a layer of hardened caramelised sugar.
Chef François Massialot first created the recipe for the crème brûlée in the late 1600s for the Palace of Versailles.
The backbone of the blended whisky is comprised of single malt Scotch that has been aged in ‘special’ American white oak barrels. It is joined by casks that have been toasted and charred to offer flavours of peach, butterscotch and spiced molasses.
Clynelish and Benrinnes single malts play starring roles in the blend, contributing notes of tarte tatin, nectarine, custard, burnt toffee, Basque cheesecake and Danish pastry, while Speyburn and Ardbeg single malts bring hints of crème caramel, brandy snaps, red apple, steamed milk, scorched custard, raspberry, praline and Speculoos biscuits to the mix.
Samuel Travers was the lead Compass Box whisky maker in Brûlée Royale’s creation. He said: “Versailles was the epicentre of innovation in art, science and gastronomy in the 17th century, making it the ideal source of inspiration.
“Through the lens of chef Massialot’s intoxicating creation, we highlight a very special parcel of whisky from the Clynelish Distillery, which has been matured in second-fill custom American oak barrels that offer extravagant sweetness while their precise toasting and charring coax just a hint of scorched sugar.”
On the nose, the whisky offers immediate aromas of its namesake dessert, along with notes of poached pears and opened vanilla pods, leading to custard Danish pastries and scorched sugar brittles.
Clotted cream, honeyed malt, and broiled peaches feature on the palate, followed by freshly mixed custard over toasted tarte tatin.
More desserts can be detected on the finish, with a slight note of pannacotta, followed by silken Jersey milk and gentle nutmeg spice, finished with a ‘whisper’ of burnt toffee and banana split.
In Compass Box style, the limited edition Brûlée Royale features artwork that represents the ‘surreal’ scene of alchemy and mastery within the Versailles Palace kitchens, where Massialot created his crème brûlée.
The new limited edition expression is bottled at 49% ABV and retails for £110 (US$147).
There are 8,556 bottles available at retailers including Amathus Drinks, The Whisky Exchange, The Whisky World, The Green Welly Stop, Primitus Fine Wines, and Spirited Bristol.
Last month, Angela D’Orazio was named as the new Compass Box whisky-making director.
Recipes
A signature cocktail has been crafted for the limited edition release, inspired by the story of Brûlée Royale. Described as an innovative take on a Whisky Sour, this cocktail has a scorched sugar top reminiscent of a crème brûlée.
Massialot’s Secret Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 35ml Compass Box Brûlée Royale
- 15ml Lemon juice
- 15ml Oat milk syrup*
- 15ml Egg white
- 10ml Egg yolk
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
Method: Add ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Double strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Wait 10 seconds for the foam to settle before sprinkling the garnish on top. Brûlée the top of the garnish.
*To make the oat milk syrup
Method: Combine 500g of oat milk with 500g of sugar, and mix until the sugar is fully dissolved. Store in airtight vessels in the fridge, use within 30 days.
Brûlée Royale fondue
In a further nod to chef Massialot, Compass Box has collaborated with renowned pastry chef Dominique Ansel to create the Brûlée Royale fondue.
Chef Ansel recreated the whisky in ‘decadent’ dessert form by topping off a creamy vanilla bean fondue with a splash of flambéed Brûlée Royale, serving it with bite-sized sweet treats that represent the blended Scotch’s dominant flavours: apple tarte tatin, toffee brittle, Basque cheesecake, caramelised Danish pastry, red apple, steamed milk, fresh strawberries and toffee custard.
Chef Ansel’s recipe will be available exclusively via the Compass Box website.
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