Compass Box at 25: Pioneering flavor, transparency, storytelling and artistry in Scotch whiskey

Compass Box is carving a distinctive path in Scotch whiskey with a focus on artistry and innovation. Global Travel Retail Magazine recently spoke with Nishat Gupte, Chief Executive Officer at Compass Box, and Michael Stephenson, Compass Box whiskeymaker, about the brand’s 25-year journey, its travel retail range and the philosophy behind its award-winning whiskeys.

A quarter-century of innovation

Founded in 2000, Compass Box set out to challenge conventional ideas about Scotch whiskey and appeal to consumers who felt excluded by the traditional market. “Our mission was always to make scotch whiskey more interesting and creative,” shares Gupte.

The brand launched its first release, a blended grain whiskey, breaking new ground in a category dominated by single malts and age statements. “It was pioneering in the category because it had never been done before. It set the tone for what we try to do at Compass Box,” adds Gupte.

Transparency has been an important hallmark of Compass Box. In 2015, the brand launched a campaign to give consumers more detail about what goes into its whiskeys. “We wanted people to have more information so they could make informed decisions,” Stephenson explains. “When you buy a food item, you can look at the back and see the ingredients. It is the same thing for us.”

The brand also champions the title of “whiskeymaker,” reflecting the broader scope of its work. “We do not distill, so we cannot call ourselves distillers,” Stephenson noted. “The term master blender is somewhat fitting, but what we are doing is so much more – pushing back on the status quo and doing things differently. Same as a winemaker who doesn’t just crush grapes, it is more than blending whiskey. It is art, science and experience.”

The company recently earned the title of World’s Most Admired Blended Scotch Brand from Drinks International, marking another milestone in its 25-year journey.

Travel retail exclusives and storytelling

Gupte explains that GTR shoppers often seek unique, giftable whiskeys they cannot easily access at home. “When you travel, you come back with stories,” he notes. Compass Box builds that storytelling into both flavor and design.

“Orchard House is a versatile whiskey, very bright, fruit-led, incredibly refreshing, incredibly juicy. It is great on its own and amazing in a highball. It is a good picnic whiskey with a cheese board and fresh fruit,” Stephenson describes. Peat Monster, launched in 2003, blends peated malts primarily from Islay. “It has a big, intense smokiness on the nose, while on the palate it is softer and more elegant than expected. You get a lovely pop of smoke and then creaminess and fruit,” he adds.

“The bottle and label are part of the experience before the liquid,” Gupte also explains. As such, Compass Box commissions artists for its product labels, including Mark Burckhardt on the GTR-exclusive limited edition The Travelling Circus. Meanwhile, the Hedonism annual series highlights female artistry, commissioning a new female artist each year to reinterpret the iconic woman on the label.

Compass Box also enhances the experience with QR codes on bottles, providing tasting notes, ingredient breakdowns and distillery information to support both personal purchases and gifts.

Leading travel retail distributor Duty Free Global has been instrumental in supporting Compass Box’s availability in airports and duty free stores worldwide.

Trial, error and creative breakthroughs

“We started with one idea, and it became something else,” reads a quote from Picasso that is featured on Compass Box’s website. This quote reflects the trial and experimentation central to the brand’s approach. 

In particular, Orchard House illustrates this philosophy. Stephenson explains, “We began sending casks to distilleries to mature in a specific type of wood, expecting certain flavors. A few years later, we noticed the wood wasn’t as intense as we anticipated. Some casks had been rinsed, which left little influence from the wood, but it highlighted the fruity profiles inherent to the distillery. It gave us a chance to lean into the style of the whiskey, and that is how Orchard House came to be.”

The Secrets of Smoke series, another GTR-focused initiative, explores peated whiskey finished in dessert, sherry or red wine casks. “It takes the experience of something you might be familiar with – in this case, peated whiskey – and gives it an extra layer. There are loads of layers to experience, and the more time you spend, the more amazing it becomes,” Stephenson notes.

Reflecting on 25 years and the future ahead

As Compass Box marks its 25th anniversary, the brand continues to prioritize transparency, design and flavor-led whiskey. “Something has to taste delicious and be flavorful to be considered amazing," emphasizes Stephenson.

GTR is a relatively new channel for Compass Box. “We have been in the market for a year and a half," concludes Gupte. "It is really about making sure that we have consistency of execution and experience for our customers worldwide."