Highland Park 30yo 1985/2015

Highland Park 30yo 1985/2015

Whisky Is Nature, Silver Seal
Single malt - Islands
Pale gold
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, applesauce, peaches, yoghurt, cream, apple juice, marshmallows, hints of vanilla. With water, apples, honey, pears, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, pears, apple juice, cream, ice cream soda, vanilla, leather, clay dust, hints of smoke. With water, leather, peat, vanilla, apple juice. 

Finish: Long. Leather, peat, vanilla, apple juice. 

Comments: 

A very fragrant, creamy Highland Park. It’s not as leathery or smoky as some, instead it’s gentle and complex. Not fiery despite the high ABV either. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Whitlaw 2019 (Private Cask Sample)

Whitlaw 2019 (Private Cask Sample)

Private cask sample
Single malt - Islands
Amber
64.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, fresh cut grass, malted grains, toffee, white pepper, hints of smoke. With water, peat, raisins, orange juice. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Peat, autumn leaves, malted grains, toffee, orange juice, cucumbers, hints of smoke. With water, autumn leaves, clay dust, toffee, peat. 

Finish: Medium. Toffee, malted grains, orange juice, peat. 

Comments: 

Thank you SM. Citrusy, and slightly smoky, with an earthy layer that I like in Highland Park. There’s some dustiness as well, which is surprising given the age, that improves with water. Very nice indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Park 5yo

Highland Park 5yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Pale gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, farmyard, autumn leaves, lemon zest, lemon sweets, icing sugar, hints of tyre rubber. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, airy. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Icing sugar, leather, farmyard, tyre rubber, petrol exhaust, smoke, lemon sweets, dandelions, fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Long. Petrol exhaust, wet stones, fresh cut grass, icing sugar, peat. 

Comments: 

A very old official bottling. It’s smoky and dieselly, quite a dirty dram. Lots of flinty, grassy notes, especially on the finish. Very interesting and unusual.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Park 26yo Søren Solkjaer Photography

Highland Park 26yo Søren Solkjaer Photography

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Amber gold
40.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Aluminium foil, raisins, cinnamon, lemon juice, honeydew melons, nutmeg, hints of wet stones. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, sultanas, white grapes, cinnamon, nutmeg, hints of bananas, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Long. Bananas, white grapes, green tea, fresh cut grass, hints of white pepper. 

Comments: 

A cask that the angels took a lot from, and bottled not a moment too soon. It’s quite spicy, but in a gentle, restrained way, almost as if the cask was tired. Quite a delicious dram. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Crabbie 22yo Orkney Single Malt

Crabbie 22yo Orkney Single Malt

Crabbie
Single malt - Islands
Copper orange
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, mint, menthol, lemon sweets, honey, brass polish, leather, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon sweets, marmalade, honey, toffee apples, brass polish, wet stones, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Medium. Rhubarb and custard sweets, brass polish, orange peel, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

A very marmalade-y, fruity Highland Park. The peatiness is just a whisper, manifesting itself in some menthol and brass polish in the finish. A very pleasant dram, wouldn’t have guessed it was Highland Park if I’d hadn’t been told.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Park 19yo 1975/1994

Highland Park 19yo 1975/1994

Vintage Signatory
Single malt - Islands
Golden
50.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blue cheese, walnuts, orange peel, toffee, butterscotch, applesauce, hints of germolene. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Walnuts, orange peel, blue cheese, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, honey, germolene, hints of dates. 
Finish: Long. Blue cheese, orange peel, dates, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Highly unusual, complex whisky. Tastes like Stilton and walnuts, with a slightly medicinal edge. It’s not like anything I’ve ever tasted before. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Park 32yo 1989/2021

Highland Park 32yo 1989/2021

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Islands
Dark gold
51.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, honey, gingerbread, shortbread, fresh baked bread, vanilla, green tea, hints of lemon zest. With water, raisins, white grapes, dandelions, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, hardens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, gingerbread, smoke, peat, fresh baked bread, dandelions, white grapes, hints of shortbread. With water, pencil lead, leather, peat, raisins. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, white grapes, smoke, leather, pencil lead. 

Comments: 

Cask 10015. Flinty, minerally and herbal whisky. The sherry influence is light, manifesting mainly as a gentle raisiny note on the nose and on the tongue. A great dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Highland Park 23yo 1998/2021 (for LMDW)

Highland Park 23yo 1998/2021 (for LMDW)

Unchillfiltered, Signatory
Single malt - Islands
Silvery gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, honeydew melons, vanilla sponge, white chocolate, preserved lemons, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Leather, preserved lemons, peat, lemon zest, green tea, jasmine, cloves, hints of white chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, jasmine, honeydew melons, peat, hints of white grapes. 

Comments: 

A tart and rather gentle Highland Park, lots of citrus, including salty citrus, but also a lot of floral, sweet notes. The peat is earthy and gentle, almost lickable. Some edges of soice complete the picture.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Undisclosed Orkney 18yo 2003/2021

Undisclosed Orkney 18yo 2003/202-

Infrequent Flyers, Alastair Walker
Single malt - Islands 
Red
53.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, barley sugar, sage, vanilla, strawberry laces, hints of smoke. With water, honey, raisins, strawberry yoghurt, hints of leather.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, slippery, warm.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Strawberry laces, white grapes, orange peel, black tea, fresh baked bread, hints of smoke. With water, orange peel, honey, white grapes, hints of strawberry yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, raisins, fresh baked bread, orange peel, hints of greengages. 

Comments: 

Cask 5747. This is Highland Park. Quite fruity, lots of strawberry that almost drowns out any peat or salinity. Some cereal, but it’s somewhat atypically sweet for HP. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Highland Park 19yo 1999/2018 Spiritual Home 1st Release

Highland Park 19yo 1999/2018 Spiritual Home 1st Release 

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Islands
Straw
54.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, chocolate, leather, pine, shredded wheat, hints of white pepper. With water, lemon zest, white pepper, nutmeg, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, warm, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Chocolate, fresh baked bread, vanilla, lemon sweets, leather, hints of toast. With water, more bitter, fresh baked bread, toast, leather, lemon sweets. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, shredded wheat, lemon sweets, toast, hints of aluminium foil. 

Comments: 

Not a usual Highland Park. This one is surprisingly bready and cereally, and the hint of smokiness on the tongue creates an impression of warm buttered toast. There’s a little bit of sweetness in it, but not too much. Quite good. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 4.257 (Highland Park 15yo 2005/2020)

SMWS 4.257 (Highland Park 15yo 2005/2020)

2020, SMWS
Single malt - Islands 
Dark amber
56.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, sea salt, dried apricots, raisins, dark chocolate, cream, sandalwood. With water, dried pears, raisins, red grapes, hints of dark chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, sticky, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Mint, orange peel, dried apricots, raisins, black tea, sea salt, white pepper, rye bread, parchment paper. With water, red grapes, dark chocolate, dried pears, rye bread. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, sea salt, rye bread, parchment paper, sandalwood.

Comments: 

Very spicy, well aged, with some odd papery notes. Normally this tastes like cardboard, and is quite unpleasant, but here it’s fragrant, and slightly estery. Lots of cereal notes also, and plenty of dried fruit from the sherry cask. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Park 1967/1991

Highland Park 1967/1991

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Amber gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Camphor, sandalwood, leather, honey, orange peel, peat, Parma violets, ink. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, slippery.  
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Smoke, peat, Parma violets, leather, ink, hints of tobacco leaf.
Finish: Long. Black tea, ink, camphor, smoke, leather, honey.

Comments: 

This is an old official bottling. Very floral and smoky, much more so than today’s OBs, but also laden with heaps of old bottle effect. There’s something metallic and robust about this whisky, a note that I associate more with porter or stout. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Park Valknut

Highland Park Valknut

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Dark gold
46.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, leather, peanut butter, sea salt, seaweed, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, warm, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Leather, peanut butter, seaweed, wet stones, hints of raisins, hints of salt caramel. 
Finish: Short. Peat, sea salt, seaweed, pears, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Lovely! Maritime, saline, nutty and mineral, this was a really good session-ender. Despite the NAS it tastes reasonably aged, lots of complexity, not much sweetness or fruit notes. Really enjoyed this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Orkney 14yo 2004/2019

Orkney 14yo 2004/2019

Artful Dodger Whisky Collective, Woolf Sung
Single malt - Islands
Dark gold
58.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, peat, honey, cinnamon, sandalwood, leather, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, honey, peat, orange juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, volatile, hot. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Sea salt, honey, cinnamon, driftwood smoke, leather, hints of marmite. With water, sweeter, hay, orange zest, honey. 
Finish: Long. Peat, honey, leather, lemon zest, hints of marmite. 

Comments: 

Cask 18. I think this is most definitely Highland Park. I recognise the leathery, sweet honey notes. This is rather salty on the tongue, the smoke is dry and laden with marine flavours. There is something yeasty on the tongue too. With water, it relaxes, becoming sweeter and more herbal. Another magnificent expression from this remarkable bottler.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Probably Orkney's Finest 16yo 2003/2019

Probably Orkney's Finest 16yo 2003/2019

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islands
Amber
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bitter orange peel, raisins, malted grains, oolong tea, hints of jasmine, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, syrupy, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Bitter orange peel, lemon curd, oolong tea, ginseng, smoke, hints of jasmine. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, oolong tea, marmalade, smoke. 

Comments: 

DL Cask 13371. This is a fruity, orangey, floral Highland Park, surprisingly very gentle. It lacks the robustness of the other Highland Parks that I've had, but it has a layer of bitter smoke under the surface. Quite the dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Highland Park Dark 17yo

Highland Park Dark 17yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Amber red
52.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, vanilla, strawberries, leather, black tea, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla, black tea, red grapes, apples, hints of wood smoke. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, red grapes, mint, hints of white grapes, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

The sister bottling to the Light, it's very similar, but for much more intense fruitiness. The herbal, woody aromas in the finish of the Light have been transmuted by the sherry cask into mint and black tea. This is very nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Highland Park Light 17yo

Highland Park Light 17yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Golden
52.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, star fruit, pineapples, leather, mint, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, sticky, slightly chewy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, white grapes, mint, pineapples, hints of apples. 
Finish: Long. Leather, autumn leaves, white grapes, hints of smokes. 

Comments: 

A lovely, unctuous, fruity Highland Park. Very gentle and subtle coastal and outdoorsy aromas, overlaid by delicious tropical fruit. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 4.211 (Highland Park 24 yo 1991/2015)

SMWS 4.211 (Highland Park 24 yo 1991/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Islands
Pale tea
52.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, wood smoke, soy sauce, raisins, bacon, hints of tarry ropes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, loose, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Leather, bacon, smoke, soy sauce, hints of raisins, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Long. Peat, smoke, tarry ropes, bacon, hints of raisins. 

Comments: 

I would never have guessed that this is Highland Park. It tastes more like Caol Ila (soy sauce note) but much more meaty than a Caol Ila is. There's plenty of bacon and tar in this, reminded me of the old smoking days (pre-family, pre-girlfriend even) sitting in a greasy spoon have a fag while munching on a bacon sarnie.

Verdict:

I like this.

Highland Park 16 yo

Highland Park 16 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Straw
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Smoke, custard, honey, peat, orange peel, chocolate, hints of guava.
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, warm, airy.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Smoke, peat, orange peel, guava, honey, melon, hints of chocolate.
Finish: Short. Lemon juice, peat, orange peel, honey.

Comments:

A wonderful whisky. This is only available at travel retail, and is very much like the great 18 yo official bottling. However, it is less heavy on the tongue, and also less salty. It hits all the right spots though, with lots of honey, tropical fruit, smoke and peat.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Highland Park 8 yo

Highland Park 8 yo

The Macphail's Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islands
Light amber
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Leather, milk, orange peel, peat, smoked fish, sea salt, raisins, hints of caramel.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loose, watery, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Orange peel, milk, leather, peat, smoked fish, walnuts, new plastic, hints of raisins.
Finish: Short. Walnuts, new plastic, orange peel, leather.

Comments:

Very flavourful, and quite salty. I had not expected such a young Highland Park to have such depth of flavour. There is a light hit of new plastic, something quite chemical at the back of the mouth, as well as on the finish that I find a little unpleasant. Otherwise quite enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.