Brûlée Royale is a sumptuous creation from Compass Box, inspired by the legendary dessert invented by the 17th-century chef François Massialot in the kitchens of the Palace of Versailles. Designed to evoke the rich sweetness of crème brûlée — caramelised sugar crust, vanilla custard, torched sugar brittle — this blend layers indulgent dessert-style flavours with subtle whisky complexity.
The blend combines malt whisky parcels matured in ex-bourbon and custom American white oak barrels (heavily toasted/charred) to produce those dessert-like aromas and flavours.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Rich golden amber with glints of burnished sugar and caramel sheen.
Nose: An immediate wave of torched sugar crust and vanilla bean, followed by poached pear, buttery Danish pastry and scorched sugar brittles. Underneath, there are hints of fresh orchard fruit and delicate cedar oak.
Palate: Sumptuously textured: thick clotted cream, honeyed malt, broiled peaches, and tarte tatin notes. As it opens: warm nutmeg, banana-split sweet touches, toasted sugar and a subtle whisper of peat smoke in the background.
Finish: Long, silken and indulgent with lingering vanilla custard, burnt toffee, gentle spice and a polished sweetness that gently recedes — leaving a balanced echo of dessert richness.
Craft & Philosophy
Blended malt Scotch whisky — no grain whisky included. The component malts include: a strong portion of 8-year-old Clynelish (malt character, orchard fruit) and an 18-year-old Benrinnes (creaminess, texture) as the core, accompanied by a 24-year-old Speyburn (aged character) and a small amount of 23-year-old Ardbeg (just 0.5% for peaty lift).
The maturation uses ex-bourbon casks and custom white American oak barrels toasted/charred to emphasise “caramelised sugar & toffee” style rather than heavy wood or smoke dominance.
The inspiration draws directly from culinary alchemy — referencing Massialot’s dessert techniques and tying whisky making to confection-style craft. The packaging and story reflect this connection.
Technical Details
Expression / Series: Brûlée Royale (Limited Edition)
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 49%
Volume: 700ml
Bottled: August 2025 (as per specification)
Outturn: 8,556 bottles worldwide
Filtration / Colouring: Not chill-filtered, natural colour.
Smoke Level / Style Notes: Very light peaty note (via the Ardbeg parcel) — the overall style emphasises dessert-sweetness over heavy smoke.
Collector’s Note
Brûlée Royale is both playful and refined — a whisky that celebrates dessert-style richness but remains true to serious blended-malt craft. The limited nature, strong storytelling, and unusual flavour profile make it a standout for collectors and drinkers alike seeking something distinctive. Perfect for pairing with dessert (especially crème brûlée!) or as a luxury sipping dram.
Delivery within South Africa:
All orders are delivered from our central warehouse located in Montague Gardens, Western Cape. Local orders are usually delivered in 0-2 working days. Orders outside of Cape Town but within SA are generally delivered within 2-5 working days. If you require expedited delivery, we now offer an Express delivery service, which typically takes 1-3 working days, depending on your area.
While we strive for timely deliveries, there are occasional instances where delays may occur. These are rare but can happen due to unforeseen circumstances.
Delivery Rates:
At checkout, you will be presented with delivery options and corresponding rates. These rates are provided directly by our courier partners and are displayed as is. On rare occasions, a courier may generate an incorrect delivery rate due to issues with the address recognition. In such cases, we will arrange for an alternative courier to deliver your order at a similar rate to the original cost.
We believe in offering transparency in our delivery fees and, as such, do not include any delivery costs in our product pricing. We do not profit from delivery fees.
Third-Party Couriers:
For the majority of our orders, we rely on third-party courier services for delivery. Regular notifications will be sent and on the day of delivery the couriers will notify you via sms, call or email . If the courier is unable to reach you, we will get in touch with you to arrange an alternative solution.
Please note, you will be required to sign upon delivery, and the drivers may request a form of identification.
If there is something wrong with your product, we will gladly issue a full refund of 100% of your purchase amount. To process this, please reach out to us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za as soon as possible, and we will guide you through the refund process.
Order Cancellations:
If you need to cancel your order, simply email us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za, and we’ll assist you with the cancellation process. Please note, cancellations will incur a small fee of 10%, which covers the transaction fees we incur for processing each order. If your order has already been shipped, please be aware that the shipping fee is non-refundable.
Consignment Orders:
We do not offer consignment stock or consignment deals.
Returns:
If you find that there is an issue with your product, you are eligible to return it to us. Here’s how you can initiate the return:
Exceptions to Returns:
Sale or Special Offer Items: Only regular-priced items are eligible for a refund. Unfortunately, items purchased on sale or as part of a special offer cannot be refunded.
