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Highland Park
 scrapes in
 decent
 good
 excellent
 sublime
Highland Park, 12-Year-Old (Scotland) 
The nose is fragrant and floral, with hints of heather and some spice. Smooth and honeyed on the palate, with citric fruits, malt and distinctive tones of wood smoke in the warm, lengthy, (slightly peaty?) finish. Highland Park is one of the world’s great whiskies, and this12-year-old is up there with The Glenlivet as a classic ‘entry level’ single malt. 40.0% ABV, 70cl, £25, widely available. |  |
Highland Park, 1973 Vintage (Scotland)
A Highland Park spokesperson notes that “When laying down a whisky for extended maturation, as with this vintage, there is a danger the cask may dominate the spirit. Every time a cask is used, its ability to impart an influence on the spirit is diminished, which is why at Highland Park refill casks are used for the older whiskies. The refill casks specially selected for this vintage allow the natural characteristics of Highland Park to come through; there is no over-dominance of cask.”
The nose is rich and sumptuous, with worn leather, fresh fruit, brittle toffee and malt. Smokier when water is added. Lively spice and smoke on the relatively dry palate. More fruit and peat with water. Long and steadily drying, with slightly bitter, smoky oak, in the finish. 50.6% ABV, 70cl, €750.00, Duty Free & Travel Retail.  |  |
Highland Park, 1990 Vintage (Scotland)
According to Highland Park, “A slight increase in the proportion of first-fill European oak Sherry casks underlines the balance between sweetness and smoke for which Highland Park is renowned by whisky enthusiasts the world over. In essence, this expression is a bridge between 18-year-old and 21-year-old. The light green tones on the packaging represent Orkney’s fertile farmland.”
Soft fudge, fresh peaches, cedar and heather on the nose, which is ‘softer’ than the other expressions in this Edition. Very approachable on the palate, with fruity smoke and vanilla, becoming nuttier. More citric with the addition of water. Steadily drying in the subtly spiced finish, with a hint of aromatic heather in the mix.
40.0% ABV, 70cl, €99, Duty Free & Travel Retail. |  |
Highland Park, 1994 Vintage (Scotland)
“This vintage has luxuriated in the most expensive casks,” says a Highland Park spokesperson. “A higher proportion of first-fill European oak Sherry casks has imbued the whisky with a rich, dark colour which is mirrored by sweetness on the palate. The crisp blue of the label reflects the deep sea and big sky of Orkney.”
Lighter on the nose than the 1998 variant, altogether less caramel and softer, fruit notes, notably ripe cherries. Less overt nose character. Fuller-bodied and slightly sweeter than the 1998 vintage on the palate, smoky and quite fruity. Lingering dried fruits and bonfire smoke in the finish.
40.0% ABV, 70cl, €65, Duty Free & Travel Retail. |  |
Highland Park, 1997 (Scotland)
Vintage expressions of Highland Park are unusual, to say the least, but the Orkney distillery’s latest release is a 1997 bottling, exclusive to duty-free and travel retail outlets.
According to Highland Park’s Gerry Tosh, “The guys who look after duty-free asked us to make a whisky that is like the 12-year-old… but smokier. So we hand-picked a selection of Highland Park casks from 1997 – with an emphasis on American oak Sherry casks – and vatted them together in the time-honoured fashion.
“Why the emphasis on American oak Sherry casks? As you know, the biggest single influence on whisky flavour is the oak in which the whisky matures. At Highland Park we use expensive Sherry seasoned casks; those made from American oak give the whisky soft, creamy vanilla and coconut sweet flavours which allow the aromatic smokiness of our whisky to fully express itself. Some refill European oak Sherry seasoned casks have been used in the 1997 vintage to provide complexity, citrus sweetness and that all-important Highland Park sense of balance. In terms of style, Highland Park 1997 vintage is closely related to the 16 and 21-year-old expressions.”
Butter, coconut, cinnamon and nutmeg on the nose. Slightly earthy. More fruity and caramel notes appear with time. The palate is lively and offers fruit, figs and gentle, heathery smoke. The finish is ultimately dry and slightly sooty.
Available from the following airports: Berlin/Tegel, Berlin/Schönefeld, Köln/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, Hahn, Frankfurt, Weeze, Copenhagen, Trondheim, Wien, Linz, Graz, Dalaman, Ankara, Izmir, Istanbul, Antalya, Budapest, Dubrovnik, Pula, Rijeka.
40.0% ABV, 100cl, €42, Duty Free & Travel Retail. |  |
Highland Park, 1998 Vintage (Scotland)
Highland Park says that “With an emphasis on first-fill American oak Sherry casks in its maturation, this vintage reveals the smoky side of Highland Park, attributable to the distinctively aromatic peat from Hobbister Moor. The yellow accent of the packaging is inspired by the Orkney sun which, at midsummer, never sets.”
Lots of caramel and some smoke on the nose. Wispa bars. Medium-bodied, quite dry in the mouth, spicy and nutty. Sweeter and peatier with the addition of water. The finish is of medium length and features drying, smoky oak. 40.0% ABV, 100cl, €46, Duty Free & Travel Retail. |  |
Highland Park, 21-Year-Old (Scotland)
Highland Park has recently added a 21-year-old expression to its core range, available exclusively in ‘travel retail’ outlets. After the UK, Global Travel Retail (GTR) is now the Orkney malt’s largest market, and William Ovens, Area Director for GTR at The Edrington Group, explains “We are delighted with the continued success Highland Park enjoys in this market and the introduction of the 21-year-old not only fills the gap between the 18 and 25-year-old expressions but extends our range of aged variants to six, meaning Highland Park has the widest range of aged expressions of any single malt brand in this channel.”
In terms of flavour profile, the new 21-year-old is quite closely related to Highland Park 30-Year-Old, sharing with it a slight emphasis on American oak in maturation. The nose offers brittle toffee, spicy malt and contrasting heather and smoke notes. Rich and full-bodied in the mouth, it is nonetheless very smooth and elegant, with caramel, stewed fruits and milk chocolate, plus a hint of gentle smoke. The finish is long and sophisticated, with malt, smoke, a little oak, and a final suggestion of clotted cream.
Highland Park rarely puts a foot wrong, and this is an excellent addition to its range of single malts.
47.5% ABV, 70cl, $79 - 99, Duty Free & Travel Retail. |  |
Highland Park, 30-year-old (Scotland)
The trend for distillers to release ‘house’ bottlings of very old whiskies (The Balvenie Thirty, Auchentoshan 1962, Glen Garioch 1958 et al) continues with Highland Park’s 30-year-old. Highland Park is undoubtedly one of the world’s great single malts, and the 18-year-old expression of the Orcadian whisky received the prestigious accolade of being named ‘Best Spirit in the World’ by Paul Pacult in his Spirit Journal. The 30- year-old offers a mellow nose, with almonds, soft malt and a faint whiff of peat. Beautifully balanced on the palate, big bodied, honey and toffee, drying oak and satisfying spice notes linger long on the finish. A substantial yet elegant dram that has aged magnificently. 48.1% ABV, 70cl, £189.00, distillery website, specialist whisky merchants. |  |
Highland Park, 40-Year-Old (Scotland)
As featured in this month’s Whisky News section, Highland Park has just released a new, permanent addition to its range in the shape of a 40-year-old expression.
According to a spokesman for the Orkney distillery, “Highland Park 40-year-old has been largely matured in refill casks, that is to say casks that have previously been used to mature whisky. Every time a cask is used, its ability to impart an influence on the spirit is diminished. When laying down a whisky for extended maturation, such as this, it is important that the cask doesn’t dominate the spirit. If first fill casks had been used, the sweetness (an oak-derived additive quality from the cask) would have been too strident. The long-term nature of the maturation of Highland Park 40-year- old allows time for the perfect balance to be achieved.”
A pretty, delicate, aromatic nose, with heather honey, gentle spices and soft toffee, balanced by plain chocolate notes which lurk in the background. On the palate, sherbet fizz is accompanied by molasses, figs, ripe oranges and Highland Park’s signature sweet, peat smoke. Sherbet citrus fruits last till the close of the long, smoky finish. At the risk of repeating ourselves, another beautifully balanced, perfectly crafted whisky from Highland Park!
48.3% ABV, 70cl, £899.00, specialist whisky merchants. |  |
Highland Park, Ambassador Cask 1 (Scotland)
Gerry Tosh is Highland Park’s first brand ambassador, and he has been given the honour of selecting a cask of the Orcadian single malt for a limited release bottling. Just 270 bottles are available from cask 43, filled on 26th January 1984. According to Tosh, “When I first nosed Cask 43 it stood out above all the other single casks. Every whisky is different; however this one certainly sent a shiver through me. The cask was chosen for its big Sherry flavour and classic dry, smoky Highland Park finish. The crowning moment for me was the unusual buttery aftertaste.” This cask undoubtedly offers characteristic Highland Park smokiness, peat and sweetness, with a powerful blast of sweet Sherry on the nose, followed by candied fruits and butterscotch. The palate has a deliciously sweet, honeyed quality, leading into smoky fruits. The finish is satisfyingly long, and, as Tosh, says, there is a distinctive butteriness at the very end. Another great dram from Highland Park. 56.1% ABV, 70cl, £89.99, distillery visitor centre, distillery website. |  |
Highland Park, Ambassador Cask 2 (Scotland)
Following the great success of Highland Park’s first Ambassador’s Cask bottling, which sold out within three months, brand ambassador Gerry Tosh has now selected a second cask from the iconic Orkney distillery. ‘Ambassador’s Cask 2’ is the strongest and youngest whisky in the Highland Park range, and Tosh says “This second bottling will not disappoint. At first the lips tingle, then the fiery spirit of the Orkney climate comes through, and its finish is creamy, gentle and smoky.”
Big, rich and heathery on the nose, with vanilla fudge following through. The addition of water teases out more floral notes. Firm and full bodied on the palate, with ginger, dry Sherry and even a hint of pepper. A decidedly spicy Highland Park. The finish is very long and warming, with rich fruit cake and mixed spice notes towards the end, along with a persistent squeeze of lemon when sampled at cask strength. Smokier when diluted.
58.8% ABV, 70cl, £44.99, distillery website, specialist whisky merchants. | |
Highland Park, Ambassador Cask 3 (Scotland)
Having received a very positive reaction to its previous ‘Ambassador’s Cask’ bottlings, the Orkney distillery of Highland Park has recently issued a third such expression, again chosen by Global Brand Ambassador Gerry Tosh.
Tosh selected cask number 9035, filled in 1974, and bottled at 33 years of age. “The success of the first two Ambassador’s Casks is testament to the present demand for limited bottlings,” he declares. “By releasing the third edition in a 35cl bottle more people will have the opportunity to try this fantastic 33-year-old whisky. Cask 9035 was one of five under consideration and it will not disappoint, with a lingering aftertaste of dried fruits, setting it apart from the first two limited edition casks.”
The nose offers almonds, figs, chocolate, sweet malt, heather and developing floral notes. A whiff of peat smoke kicks in late. Characteristic Highland Park confidence and balance on the palate, elegant and poised, yet full-bodied, rich and creamy, with tangerines, nut fudge, and finally peat. The finish is filled with milk chocolate orange creams and sweet peat smoke, countered by an attractive, dry note of oak. Yet again, Highland Park offers a masterpiece, even if it is only a half bottle! Everything a great whisky should be.
44.8% ABV, 35cl, £95.00, distillery visitor centre, distillery website. |  |
Highland Park, Ambassador Cask 5 (Scotland)
This fifth and final limited edition in Highland Park’s extremely successful Ambassador’s Cask series comprises 228 bottles from cask number 8845. This is a refill Sherry hogshead, filled on 17th July 1974, making its contents 34 years old.
Gerry Tosh, Global Brand Ambassador, says “I was really drawn to this particular cask and wanted to bottle it as the curtain call which would mark the incredible success of our Ambassador’s Cask series. The initial impact of this cask strength alcohol makes the lips and then the tongue tingle. The sides of the tongue start to dance and as the hidden citrus emerges, warmth permeates the whole of the mouth.”
Rich on the nose, with profound malt and fruity, smoky Sherry aromas, plus a hint of ozone. Full-bodied in the mouth, with sweet summer berries and peat reek. The finish is long, creamy and gently smoky. Once again, a magnificent, vintage expression of the classic Orcadian single malt.
Available from Highland Park distillery and online shop.
41.5% ABV, 70cl, £249.00, distillery website. |  |
Highland Park, Earl Magnus Edition 1 15-year-old (Scotland)
Highland Park’s latest expression is a cask strength 15-year-old named after Earl Magnus, co-ruler of the Earldom of Orkney during the 11th century. According to Jason Craig, Global Controller of Highland Park, “Orkney has a wonderful and magical heritage born out of an incredibly colourful history; with troubles, strife, heroism and a lasting legacy of historical structures and ancient and mysterious standing circles on our island. We hope our Highland Park drinkers and collectors will love this limited edition bottling that captures a period of remarkable history, delivers a full strength 15-year-old and is big on flavour and aroma and which is succinct and distinguished in taste.”
Earl Magnus offers a nose that is initially sweet, with caramel, ginger, nutmeg and fresh fruits, becoming smokier and more peppery. The palate is gutsy and smoky, with spicy vanilla and milk chocolate notes. Medium length in the finish, with lots of lively spice.
52.6% ABV, 70cl, £85.00, specialist whisky merchants. |  |
Highland Park, Highland Park 1995 (Gordon & MacPhail) (Scotland)
Part of Gordon & MacPhail's cask strength series, this Highland Park expression is from a vatting of three refill Sherry casks, and offers an interesting contrast to the previous 1991 cask strength Highland Park in this line up, which had been matured in refill Bourbon barrels.
Initially zesty and heathery on the nose, with delicate Sherry, smoky malt and almonds. Rich, smooth and full-bodied, with spicy, stewed fruits, cocoa, and Highland Park’s signature smoke and heather characteristics. The finish is long, fruity and smoky, with drying notes of Sherry, dark chocolate and a sprinkling of black pepper.
A lovely, complex variant of a true classic whisky.
57.2% ABV, 70cl, £44.95, specialist whisky merchants. |  |
Highland Park, Hjarta 12-year-old (Scotland)
‘Hjarta’ is the ancient Norse word for ‘heart’, and this new expression from Highland Park has been launched to commemorate the recent refurbishment of the Orkney distillery’s visitor centre. Some 3,900 bottles are available, exclusively from the distillery itself, the online shop, or in Scandinavian outlets.
Hjarta is a natural strength 12-year-old variant of Highland Park, and it offers a sweet, buttery nose, featuring orange fondant creams, heather and a suggestion of sweet smoke. The smoke is more overt when water is added, along with a hint of rubbery Sherry. Smooth, aromatic and spicy on the palate, with lemon, coconut and smoke. The finish is refined, lingering and discreetly smoky.
58.1% ABV, 70cl, £65.00, distillery website. |  |
Highland Park, Single Cask 1967 (Scotland)
Last December we wrote (‘Whisky News’) about the release of a unique bottling of single cask Highland Park single malt from Orkney. Half of the cask was bottled as a 38-year-old in October 2006, and the remainder as a 39-year-old on 26th December. The latter will be available from April onwards. Just 200 bottles of each expression have been filled, and Whisky Pages recently got the opportunity to sample the 38-year-old.
The nose is magnificent! Rich, full and floral, with honey, barley sugar and heather. Some smoke develops with exposure to the air. The palate offers oranges, raisins, ginger, black pepper and fresh tobacco. Intriguing for a Highland Park. The finish is long and steadily drying, with more orange notes, leaving a smoked, buttery taste at the last. Once again, Highland Park has produced a superb, complex, characterful vintage whisky. Worth every penny…
55.0% ABV, 70cl, £650.00, Balthazar Ltd. |  |
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