Compass Box Launches Third Limited Annual Release of Hedonism

ANNOUNCING: COMPASS BOX LAUNCHES THIRD LIMITED ANNUAL RELEASE OF HEDONISM

A-List Actor Karen Gillan Serves As The Muse For Acclaimed Artist Emma Hack's Label Design

Arriving On-Shelf February 24, Hedonism 2026 Limited Annual Release Continues the Tradition of Featuring a Female on the Label & Celebrating the Richness of Grain Whisky

LONDON, ENGLAND, February 24, 2026: With today's arrival of the third edition of the Hedonism Limited Annual Release (46% ABV; 700ml; $164.99 SRP; 13,218 bottles worldwide), the award-winning Compass Box, once again brings one of modern whisky's most iconic expressions to life – uniting art, whisky and muse in a singular release. At the heart of the 2026 release is a new interpretation of the Hedonism Muse – an image that has become one of the most distinctive and enduring symbols in modern Scotch whisky. Compass Box enlisted globally acclaimed artist Emma Hack to bring the 2026 Muse to life, creating a live action portrait featuring A-List actor Karen Gillan at its heart – the first time a known face has stepped into the role.

When the whiskymakers at Compass Box released their first whisky, Hedonism, in 2000, they changed the course of modern whisky – not only the world's first blended grain Scotch whisky, but as one of the first whisky bottles to place a woman at the center of its visual identity. As Hedonism achieved global success over the next two decades, the old and rare grain whiskies that made it so beloved became harder to source, and in 2023, Compass Box decided to transform Hedonism into a Limited Annual Release. With each annual edition, Compass Box continues its pursuit of celebrating the rich possibilities of grain whisky, as well as engaging a different female artist to reimagine the original Hedonism Muse in her own eyes. Each one becomes both a whisky release and a creative collaboration: a dialogue between whiskymaking and art. In 2024, for the inaugural Limited Annual Release, Scottish artist Stephanie Rew used shimmering gold leaf to create a Renaissance-inspired "goddess with a gaze"; in 2025, Compass Box worked with Bristol-based Argentinian artist Sofia Bonati, who integrated vibrant color and intricate details to reflect the elevated tasting notes in her creation.

The Artist & The Muse

For the 2026 release, Compass Box enlisted the globally acclaimed Australian artist, Emma Hack, who is celebrated for her arresting body art, photography, and immersive fine art installations. Best known for her iconic work on musician Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" music video, which won international acclaim, Hack brings a unique ability to merge the human form with pattern, texture and storytelling. With Gillan serving as the Muse, Hack transformed the human form into canvas, using gilding, paint and photography to create a layered, immersive portrait that fuses body, pattern and mythology into a singular visual language.

"Hedonism means to me the power, the beauty, the goddess, the strength within, and that's what I really wanted to capture," explains Hack. "Karen is perfect for the character of our Muse."

In her role as Muse, actor, director, and proud Scot, Karen Gillan embodies the grace, strength and independence that define the original Hedonism woman. A lifelong whisky lover with roots in the Highlands of Scotland and a bold presence on the world stage, Gillan's career – from Doctor Who to Guardians of the Galaxy and Jumanji – has spanned fierce roles and a strong affinity for creative, character-driven collaborations.

"Sharing whisky and stories are some of the best times of my life," says Gillan, who grew up in Inverness. "There's no doubt that whiskymaking is an art form, and there's no wilder sensation than seeing yourself on a whisky bottle!"

The Whisky

For the 2026 edition of Hedonism, Compass Box's Creative Director of Whiskymaking, Angela D'Orazio, draws on some of the oldest components ever used in Hedonism to date, including a 30-year-old from Strathclyde Distillery; the recipe also includes whiskies ranging from 20 to 24 years old from Port Dundas and Cameronbridge Distillery, alongside some historic blended grain parcels. In addition, a new sherry component contributes notes of cherry, cumin and raisins.

NOSE: Warm, rich and inviting, with clove-accented fruitcake, dates and toffee; poised between softly sweet and fragrant dryness

PALATE: Classic Hedonism texture: soft, melting and thick – however, here the flavors are darker than prior iterations: coffee, toffee and a long, evolving journey through dry sherry flavors like roast almond and tart raisins; the final impression is of cocoa-infused cream

"The 2026 release is unmistakably Hedonism, but this year's expression is richer, darker and more intense than previous editions," says D'Orazio. "It is also the first time we have used an old sherry component in Hedonism, which brings a new flavor perspective to our original and most iconic whisky. Working with Emma and Karen to bring the label to life was a fantastic experience – seeing the different forms of artistry blending together and our whiskymaking process mirroring art. Karen as our Muse truly is the Hedonism woman brought to life."

The Film

To document the creation of the 2026 release, Compass Box has created a cinematic short film, "Hedonism: Brought to Life," taking viewers behind the scenes of the collaboration between D'Orazio, Hack and Gillan, and exploring how art, whisky and identity intersect in the modern Hedonism story. The film also features perspectives from whisky experts Billy Abbot, author of The Philosophy of Whisky, and U.K. bartender and TV personality Jack Sotti, reflecting on Compass Box's role in reshaping the modern blended whisky narrative.

Discover more about the Hedonism Limited Annual Release and other Compass Box whiskies at the link below or follow @compassboxwhiskyco on Instagram.

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ABOUT COMPASS BOX

Compass Box are Scotch whiskymakers. The word 'whiskymaker' is their word – it does not appear in a dictionary. For over 20 years they have been relentlessly focused on reinventing Scotch whisky, with every new blend designed to discover new territories and dimensions of flavour. They have not done it on their own and have collaborated with some of the world's most visionary bartenders and designers to really push the boundaries of what is possible. They are always experimenting, always looking for sparks of creativity that will deliver something totally compelling, yet completely surprising. This vision motivates them as whiskymakers.

ABOUT COMPASS BOX LIMITED EDITIONS

Compass Box's Limited Editions allow them complete creative freedom, often using smaller parcels at greater ages. Each Limited Edition is one-off in nature. Every year, Compass Box creates a number of Limited Editions from very rare releases of a few hundred bottles to more accessible runs of several thousand bottles. Each one boasts a different identity, each expresses deliciousness in Scotch whisky in a different way.

ABOUT EMMA HACK

Emma Hack is an internationally acclaimed Australian artist known for her unique, transformative fusion of body painting, photography, and design. Drawing inspiration from nature, textiles, and her deep connection to the environment, Emma creates intricate works that seamlessly blend the human form with richly patterned backgrounds or within built environments. Her art explores themes of unity, identity, and the relationship between humanity and nature. Follow her @emmahackart.

ABOUT KAREN GILLAN

Karen Gillan is currently filming the third installment of the JUMANJI franchise reprising her role as Ruby Roundhouse alongside Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, and Kevin Hart for Columbia Pictures with Jake Kasdan directing. She will film HIGHLANDER in Spring 2026 for Amazon MGM with Chad Stahelski.

Karen can be seen in Mike Flanagan's THE LIFE OF CHUCK, opposite Tom Hiddleston, which won the Toronto Film Festival Audience award and that Neon released in June. She can recently be seen starring alongside Huge Bonneville in the ITV1 four-part comedy drama DOUGLAS IS CANCELLED, written and created by Steven Moffat. She can also recently be seen in Adam Cooper's feature SLEEPING DOGS, opposite Russell Crowe and LATE BLOOMERS, Lisa Steen's debut feature which premiered at SXSW. She can be seen in Judd Apatow's feature THE BUBBLE for Netflix where she stars opposite Pedro Pacal and Leslie Mann. She starred opposite Aaron Paul in DUAL, which premiered at the 2022 Sundance film festival to rave reviews. She can be seen in Navot Papushado's GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE opposite Carla Gugino, Lena Headey, Angela Bassett and Michelle Yeoh. She can also be seen in JUMANJI: NEXT LEVEL opposite Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, and Jack Black for Columbia Pictures and director Jake Kasdan. The movie exploded to a $60.1M domestically for the opening weekend, an all-time record opening weekend for a comedy in the month of December. The last installation of the franchise, which came out in 2017, was Sony's highest grossing film of all time. She can also be seen in AVENGERS: END GAME, AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, and in the worldwide hit GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2 and 3, in which she reprised her role as Nebula opposite Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Kurt Russell, and, again directed by James Gunn.

Other film credits include, James Ponsoldt's THE CIRCLE with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson. Adam McKay's Best Picture nominated THE BIG SHORT, alongside Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, and Steve Carell, and appeared in the box office hit horror/thriller film OCULUS, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was released by Blumhouse.

Karen also starred opposite John Cho in the ABC comedy series SELFIE, in addition to the western IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE, alongside Ethan Hawke and John Travolta and directed by Ti West, which debuted at SXSW and was released last year, Karen shot HBO's 7 DAYS IN HELL opposite Andy Samberg and directed by Jake Szymanski. She played the romantic lead in John McKay's romantic comedy NOT ANOTHER HAPPY ENDING and portrayed Jean Shrimpton the BBC drama WE'LL TAKE MANHATTAN opposite Aneurin Barnard as photographer David Bailey. Karen is also known for BBC's critically acclaimed series DOCTOR WHO.

Her directorial debut, THE PARTY'S JUST BEGINNING, a project which she also wrote and starred in premiered to rave reviews at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival and is now available to stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime.