Compass Box Revives Its Signature Hedonism Scotch

As the first bottle of whisky to feature the female form on its label and the first-ever blended grain Scotch whisky to hit the market in 2000, Compass Box Hedonism made its mark by introducing a lot of firsts. To the dismay of many Compass Box-obsessed whisky swillers, Hedonism was removed from their core collection and, since 2024, has been reborn as a limited annual release. Each year, the label is graced with a female artist’s unique interpretation of the original 'Hedonism woman'. Now, we welcome the 2025 limited release, featuring artwork by Sofia Bonati.

About Sofia Bonati - The Painter behind the Portrait

The modern Mona Lisa of the whisky world is one way of describing the ‘Hedonism woman’- in other words, the first woman to ever sit front and centre on a bottle of Scotch. Like the Mona Lisa, there will always be an original, but many different interpretations by different artists will follow after. In 2024, we saw the reimagining of the Hedonism woman by Scottish artist Stephanie Rew. Setting the bar high, the torch has now been passed to Sofia Bonati, who has created the 2025 interpretation of the Hedonism woman for this label design.

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bonati has always captured women on the canvas with a look of mystery about them and has brought this same aura to the Hedonism woman of 2025. Encircled by golden rings, Bonati has channeled the tasting notes of the whisky into the colour palette of the painting - a subconscious sneak preview of the tasting profile, if you will.

The Tasting Profile of Hedonism 2025

Onto the tasting notes themselves, I was welcomed into the Gillian Jason Gallery on Great Titchfield Street for my first swirl, sniff, and sip of the new release. There, I had the original mixed-media Hedonism woman by Bonati in sight, with Stephanie Rew’s artistic interpretation alongside it - like the humble beginning of a Hall of Fame, awaiting future generations to join them on the wall. Guided through the notes by Compass Box whiskymaker Sam Travers, the whisky revealed a clear dairy quality on the nose, reminiscent of soft, creamy caramel being gently heated on a stove, with hints of airy chocolate mousse.

Sam mentioned, “we’ve played around with peach and apricot in this whisky,” also noting the presence of a poached pear flavour. He explained that, “this is an emergent quality in the whisky that isn’t present in any of the individual components,” adding that the 2025 “differs from the 2024 edition of Hedonism, which is bigger on bounty and coconut-like flavours. They are each very distinct, and I would want both in my drinks cabinet if I could.”

Sam also shared that, although Hedonism 2025 is a Scotch, he would love to see it used in place of Bourbon, for example, in Old Fashioneds. It's almost like a Scotch for Bourbon drinkers.

A Word from the Whiskymaking Director

Whiskymaking Director, James Saxon, has expressed his excitement about Hedonism continuing as a Limited Annual Release. Stating that, “we not only get to collaborate with a different artist each year to put a new stamp on the label, but it also gives us the opportunity to explore a twist on the whisky itself. The 2025 release is unmistakably Hedonism in style and texture, but with the addition of one ex-Marsala barrique and some casks of previous batches, we push the flavours into new territories.”

A Hedonistic woman, by definition, is a woman that puts pleasure and fun first despite the consequences. So, by definition, Hedonism is a whisky that puts pleasure first. Now, Sofia Bonati’s interpretation of Hedonism is available to gaze out from your liquor cabinet and grace your tumblers - or, as Compass Box prefers, your wine glasses.

Find our more and purchase the 2025 Limited Release of Compass Box Hedonism now via compassboxwhisky.com