Earlier this Fall we got some very exciting news about Angela D’Orazio moving into a Creative Director role in Compass Box. This is a bold, exciting and a very natural move in a way as both the Master Blender and the brand are experimental at nature, loving to explore and push boundaries.
Angela started her formal whiskey career as Sweden’s Brand Ambassador to Glenmorangie. She quickly moved up and found herself helping shape Swedish whisky brand Mackmyra, a new world whisky that gained reputation for its discovery and innovation with different casks and finishes. I had an opportunity to chat with Angela a few months ago. I asked her why whisky and how did she become a part of the industry “
as so many things in my life, I would say it was a, a banana shell way in. I did not know I was going to work with, with alcohol or with, uh, with spirits when I was younger, but, as my, my path led me onto, uh, doing sommelier training and, and, I learned so much about good, good quality food and drinks, I then happened to come into whisky… I just realized what a beautiful, the products and the industry had. So I just fell in love, and from there it went. And I guess I was a bit lucky as well because I was one of the first females, working with spirits, in public doing tastings and going around Sweden. So I got a lot of coverage because of that. and then one thing led to another, I would say. not to talk about the whole way, but one thing led to another, and then at a certain point I met the Mackmyra people. “
Angela’s wild palette, mind and heart have led her through many roles in the distillery including Master Blender and Tasting Supervisor, equipping her with 360 view and understanding of the whiskey making process. ” I loved working for Mackmyra, and I worked, with the founders, especially with Magnus, who still is my partner in crime in many ways. Magnus was the CEO of Mackmyra. And, it was so much fun, and it was a lot of freedom to create, I would say. Freedom to create, what was coming for Mackmyra, which was the new world whisky taking place in the world, and, giving out expressions that were, untraditional… with Swedish finishes, Swedish, wine, berry wines, and Swedish different weird things that we could use, which is not the tradition because the Scottish whisky tradition does not allow that. They do allow a little bit more now.”
Compass Box went through some changes in 2024 when Founder John Glaser stepped down from his leadership role. Compass Box is famous for bringing back the spotlight on scotch blends in times where single malts rule, bringing in unique award-winning expressions such as Flaming Heart, Hedonism, Spice Tree, Peat Monster and many more.
D’Orazio and Compass Box, two strong actors that challenge and push the envelope in the whisky world, are a perfect match for experimental ground – I can’t wait to see what this marriage brings!
