Compass Box Oak Cross 750ML

Compass Box Oak Cross 750ML is a blended malt Scotch whisky bottled at 43% ABV (86 proof) in a 750ml bottle, built from three Highland single malts. Awarded Silver Outstanding at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, Oak Cross stands apart through a proprietary coopering technique in which new French oak heads are fitted onto American oak casks — a practice virtually unique in the Scotch whisky industry.

Quick Facts: ABV: 43%  |  Origin: Highlands, Scotland  |  Style: Blended Malt  |  Producer: Compass Box, London

Production & Heritage

Compass Box was founded in 2000 by John Glaser, an American expatriate and former Johnnie Walker marketing director who relocated to London to pursue artisanal blending. Oak Cross is composed of 60% Clynelish (from the village of Brora), 20% Dailuaine (from Carron), and 20% Teaninich (from Alness) — all Highland distilleries producing characterful single malts. The defining production step is secondary maturation: roughly half the malt whisky in the blend is aged in American oak casks whose heads have been replaced with new French oak, marrying the vanilla sweetness of American oak with the clove-like spice of French oak. The whisky is bottled unchillfiltered and at natural color, preserving texture and flavor integrity.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Salted whipped butter and warm crusty bread open the nose, followed by a subtle clay-like minerality. Underneath, a gentle sweetness emerges — vanilla and light malt sugars hinting at the dual-oak influence.

Taste: The entry is immediately sweet and spicy, with honey giving way to ground black pepper at mid-palate. A full wave of ginger spice arrives alongside clove and a warm maltiness, while vanilla from the American oak anchors the profile with a creamy sweetness. Subtle fruit character weaves through the layers.

Finish: Medium-long, with persistent ginger spice that outlasts the initial warmth. Lingering notes of black licorice candy and dried clove slowly fade into a clean, malty close.

How to Drink Oak Cross

Neat or with a few drops of water is the ideal serve, allowing the French oak spice and American oak vanilla to unfold in full. The 43% ABV provides enough body to hold up well on the rocks without losing definition. Three cocktails that suit this whisky: a Rob Roy, where the ginger spice and clove accent sweet vermouth beautifully; a Penicillin, where Oak Cross's honey and pepper notes amplify the ginger-honey syrup; and a Blood and Sand, where its subtle fruit and spice balance the cherry and orange components.

Best For

• Scotch drinkers exploring the art of blending beyond single malts
• Gifting a whisky enthusiast who values innovative production methods
• After-dinner sipping alongside dessert or cheese
• Building a home collection of benchmark blended malts

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Oak Cross taste like? Oak Cross delivers a rich interplay of honey, ground black pepper, and ginger spice on the palate, framed by vanilla sweetness and a finish of black licorice and clove. It is medium-bodied with a warm, spicy character driven by the combination of French and American oak influence.

How does Oak Cross compare to Clynelish 14? Clynelish 14 is the dominant single malt component in Oak Cross (60%), and both share a similar waxy, honeyed character at comparable quality levels. Oak Cross adds a layer of complexity and spice from the French oak heads and the contributions of Dailuaine and Teaninich malts, making it slightly more multi-dimensional.

Is Oak Cross good for sipping neat? Oak Cross is an excellent neat whisky, bottled unchillfiltered and at natural color at 43% ABV, which provides enough weight and flavor density for straight sipping. A few drops of water can further open up the French oak spice notes.

Where is Oak Cross made? Oak Cross is created by Compass Box, a blending house based in London, England, founded in 2000 by John Glaser. The component single malts are distilled at Clynelish, Dailuaine, and Teaninich — all located in the Scottish Highlands.

What foods pair well with Oak Cross? Aged Comté or Gruyère cheese highlights the vanilla and spice notes. Honey-glazed roasted pork complements the whisky's sweetness and ginger spice. Dark chocolate with a high cacao percentage mirrors the clove and licorice finish. Smoked salmon works well against the salted butter character on the nose. Gingerbread or spice cake creates a natural echo of the dominant flavor profile.

What sizes does Oak Cross come in? Oak Cross is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle size.

Is Oak Cross worth the price? Oak Cross positions as a mid-range blended malt Scotch, sitting above entry-level blends but below single malt flagships like Clynelish 14 in price. Given its unique French-and-American oak coopering technique, unchillfiltered presentation, and Silver Outstanding recognition from the IWSC, it represents strong value within the premium blended malt category.

Why Oak Cross?

The defining reason to seek out Oak Cross is its coopering innovation: fitting new French oak heads onto American oak casks is a technique Compass Box pioneered and one that remains essentially unmatched in the Scotch whisky world. The result is a flavor profile that neither French oak nor American oak alone can produce — vanilla richness married to clove-forward spice in a single, cohesive dram. Built on a backbone of three respected Highland distilleries and bottled without chill filtration or color addition, Oak Cross reflects John Glaser's philosophy of transparency and flavor-first blending. For drinkers who appreciate craft and technique as much as what is in the glass, this is a textbook example of how thoughtful cask management elevates Scotch beyond the sum of its parts.