Kokova Magazine

This Christmas, Brand Beckham's crushed velvet blazer will be beating a trail for Diageo's Haig Club around the world. The adoption of this once unfashionable liquid by a mainstream distiller marks a turning point in world whisky at which Compass Box invite you to cast your mind back to the grain whisky that started it all.

Fourteen years ago, award-winning Scotch whisky maker, Compass Box Whisky Company released its first ever product 'Hedonism' - blended in Scotland using 100% grain whisky.

Hedonism was revolutionary at the time, challenging preconceptions of the role grain whisky could play in a market dominated by blends and single malts. By focusing on using only the rarest, highest quality parcels of grain whisky available Hedonism quickly gained a cult following, a reputation for excellence and the favour of critics - described at the time by whisky writer Jim Murray as 'the first classic of its genre'.

Fast forward to 2014 and the genre Hedonism gave birth to has grown beyond recognition. Today, we see not only Haig Club receiving the year's largest international marketing launch but also grain releases from William Grant and Sons and a host of other international distillers quickly entering the market.

What started out as a niche product sold from the boot of founder John Glaser's car is today being sold by celebrity figureheads in style bars and luxury retail around the world.

Hedonism is a reminder that, by focusing relentlessly on quality and flavour, small players can still make big changes in an industry typically dominated by multinationals. So this Christmas raise a glass to Hedonism, to the spirit of innovation, and take a moment to pass on the word about the grain whisky that started it all.

Hedonism is unusual in the Scotch whisky world: a blended grain Scotch whisky. When launched it was incredibly rare to see 100% grain whisky bottlings in Scotland. Going back 100 years, grain whisky brands were more common but they were overtaken in popularity by the big brands of blended Scotch which comprised both grain whisky and malt whisky. Today most Scotch grain whisky gets blended into the big brand names, typically at young ages.

For Hedonism, Compass Box search for old casks of Scotch grain whisky - and only produce Hedonism once a year, when they find casks with the right flavour profile.

Hedonism is available today through the Compass Box online shop and a wide network of independent retailers. For further detail visit www.compassboxwhisky.com