Scotland, the Isles: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Highland Park

The Isles: Orkney

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Highland Park
Highland Park Distillery
Holm Road, Kirkwall
Orkney KW15 ISU

+44 1856 874 619
Owner: The Edrington Group
Creation date: 1798

Highland Park, the most Northern of all Scottish distilleries dominates both the city of Kirkwall and the famous Scapa Flow. At the end of the 18th century, preacher Magnus Eunson who was a famous smuggler, is supposed to have distilled spirit on the place of the current distillery. He was hiding stocks of illegal spirit under the pulpit in the church. This preacher who was a native of Orkney has been canonized here later, but the church of Kirkwall has not been named after him, but after Magnus Erlendsson who died some 600 years earlier.
The current distillery has been built in 1825 by Robert Borwick, but is became soon the property of John Robertson who was the excise man who jailed Magnus Eunson for moonshine distilling. Later on the ownership of the distillery has been shared between Borwick and Robertson, until the last retired. After the death of Robert Borwick, his son George became manager of the business until 1860.
After this, Highland Park has been owned by different people since 1890 when James Grant, owner of The Glenlivet formed a partnership with William Stuart, owner of Miltonduff.
The production capacity was doubled in 1898, 10 years after the buying-up of William Stuarts shares by James Grant.
It is part of the Highland Distillers group since 1937.
The Highland Distillers group has been acquired by Edrington Group in November 1999 for £ 601m.
Highland Park is part of the composition of Long John amongst others.
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The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

See Help 0 - 40 € 40 - 80 € 80 - 120 € 120 - 160 € 160 - 200 € 200 - 240 € 240 - 280 € > 280 €
Highland Park Official bottlings
 

Highland Park
12 years


Age
12 years
Alcohol percentage
43%
Bottler
Official
=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 The colour is amber with golden glints. The nose is full and rich marked by undergrowth, heather, (light) sherry, vanilla, grilled barley and light smoke touches.
The palate is fresh and full, and confirms the nose even if it is better balanced.
The finish is elegant and its length is average. A smooth malt, developing between heather, ash and an wood-vanilla texture.

(la Maison du Whisky)

The nose reveals immediately the exceptional class of this great malt. Balance and complexity associated to a great aromatic richness characterize the whisky of the most Northern of all Scotland's distilleries. A light smell of iodinated smoke associated to grilled malt hints emphasizes the exceptional character of this single malt. The taste is even pleasant. The only negative point is that the pleasure disappears quickly, due to a too short finish. The affordable price makes it a good quality-price ratio.
18/20
The second tasting completely confirmed the first one. A very great malt.
18/20
At the third tasting, the rich and complex nose revealed some floral hints, sweet and smoky at the time on a background of malt and vanilla. In the palate, a great sweetness, allying the sweet honey hints to wild fragrances, recalling humid undergrowth impressions. A rather long finish where the memory of honey remains, on a malted background with some spicy hints.
18/20
A nicely fruity nose with honey and heather hints with a very slightly acid touch on a discrete smoky background. A lot of nice nose sensations. In the palate, a mix of sweet citrus fruits, slightly salted, malt and vanilla with a very discrete touch of sherry. A pleasant finish recalling the nice fruity character of this complex whisky.
18/20

A very beautiful nose full of fruits, mix of green apple and ripe pear, marshmallow, honey and quite discrete floral hints. This nose announces a great malt.
In the palate, the first impression seems to be some lack of character but it develops quickly on a very nice complexity with tasting travelling endless between a nice fruity acidity and a nutty notes, followed by malty ones. The whole being very smooth.
The finish is rather long with discrete chocolate notes.
18/20

Comment by J.L. Zamora

sweet honey and light smooth. Palate: sweet (vanilla, honney) light smoke, an citrus hints. A very good whisky ideal for any good whisky collection
18/20

Comment by Henrik Johansson

Apperance: Pale gold to Amber.
Nose: Wood laquer, peat, military tent, resinous, wood smoke. Diluted dram is much sweeter revealing honey and vanilla. Very fruity, malty and just a bit carbolic. Body: Medium. Very smooth.
Palate: Quite dry with less smoke than expected. Starts off bland, then explodes in a cresendo of sea plants, dried fruits and old wood. Then comes a dry cover of smoke.
The finish is long and delishious with a flavour of irish stout.
85/100

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Highland Park
18 years


Age
18 years
Alcohol percentage
43%
Bottler
Official
=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park 18
Colour: Gold
Nose : full, floral (violet, lilac)
Hints of honey, chocolate apricot and smoked malted barley.
Palate : smooth, confirms the nose. Evolution on spices (nutmeg) and dried fruit.
Finish : dry, ash (nut, almonds). Sherry notes on a background of heady flowers (honeysuckle).
(la Maison du Whisky)
A rather fresh nose with a pleasant flower smell and some spicy hints on a malted background. In the palate, a slightly bitter taste (walnut) with spicy touches, still on a malt background. A long and dry finish, where a kind of bitterness dominates floral hints. The honey sweetness which is so characteristic of the younger official version is here not present at all.
18/20
A very nice nose between flowers and ripe fruit, on a spicy and malty background. A remarkably balanced mouth, between honey and spices with a little woody aftertaste, which enhances the smooth complexity of the whole. A nice finish, dry and slightly bitter;
18/20

Comment by Henrik Johansson

Apperance: Old sauternes ranging to copper
Nose: A very complex aroma. Warm, nutty, a littly grassy and flowery. Some peat. Diluted nose is slightly dusty. Huge development of character. Flowery and nutty at first, then dry and salty, then woody and sweet. Deeply complex.
Body: Very smooth and mouth filling.
Palate: Delicate at first. Dry and salty middle, then comes nuts, honey and spices. Oily.
Long spicy finish with dark chocolate notes.
Comments: And exeptionally smooth and complex dram. Top notch.
93/100

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Highland Park
21 years


Age
21 years
Alcohol percentage
40%
Bottler
Officiel
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
Highland Park 21
Nice nose with some discrete floral hints with some character.
In the palate a good general impression too, even if this whisky seems to be watery... A higher percentage of alcohol would be welcome. Touches of honey, a light bitterness but the whole remains discrete, seems to be somewhat week.
The finish is relatively short and keeps the memory of flower and malt.
This is a kind of deception for a 21 old Highland Park.
17/20
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Highland Park
25 years


Age
25 years
Alcohol percentage
53,5%
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland park 25
The colour is amber with greenish glints. The nose is fine on a background of heather, vanilla and is nicely woody. The palate is full, nearly syrupy and floral (violet). It is also marked by honey (acacia), heather and sherry. The length of the finish is impressive.
Maison du Whisky)

The remarkably fine nose is very sweet despite the relatively high degree of alcohol. The taste is very intense and is marked by malt with a background chocolate and honey taste. Sherry presence is obvious. A wonderful finish developing on chocolate crowns this excellent bottle.
19/20
A very nice nose, revealing sherry, vanilla and slight smoke hints a the time, the whole perfectly balanced announces a great old whisky. A slight and fresh heather smell is rather present too. In the palate, the first impression is discretion, but developing quickly on honey and chocolate hints on a malty background, with some nice floral touches. A remarkable and very long finish, where honey hints and sherry notes are nicely present on a heather background.
19/20
An extremely pleasant nose with its moka and malt notes and it's discrete yeast hints. Despite those dominant palette, the nose remains very fresh and gives off some nice citrus notes merged with hints of other fruits. Nice complexity. The palate is first influenced by clear sherry hints before developing on cut grass hints, fruit, honey and slightly woody notes. The lingering finish is warm and pleasant. Amazingly complex and the moka notes from the nose develop on chocolate and the memory of all sensations in the palate prolong for quite a while.
19/20

Comment by Henrik Johansson

The last of the three bottles in the Highland Park gift set my ex-girlfriend bought for me while we were dating, and truly an exceptional old malt. I've enjoyed all three immensly, the 12 year old, the 18 year old and finally, the great 25 year old. Holding this glass sort of makes me feel bad I broke up with her.
Apperance: Dark copper or Amontillado Sherry Nose: Very mild and balanced. Creamy. White chocolate and orange fudge. Slight wiff of malt. Absolutely delicious. Diluted it becomes just a bit dryer and some mossy scents comes out. Hugely complex aroma. If I put the glass an inch further away from my nose I get a scent of bakery. Brilliant.
Body: Creamy and very full while smooth as silk.
Palate: Just like I experienced with all the other Highland Park! bottlings to some extent, it starts out very light and delicate, but after just a second comes a malty richness rolling. White chocolate, fruits, honey and spices. A lot of development.
The finish is very long with balanced sweetness and a malty tone.
95/100

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Highland Park
19 years
Single cask 2793
(Special bottling Leiden Festival 2005 )
1986-2005


Age
19 years
Alcohol percentage
55,3%
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park Leiden bottling
Colour: Rich, dark orange glow
.
Nose: a sweet sherry note is the first thing to notice. Then comes the Maple syrup interlaced with spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg finishing with a feeling of being in the great outdoors.
Palate:Intensely sweet and warming with candied orange peel leading to a gentle smokey mouth feel.
Finish: delicate finish with hint of raspberry.
The nose is clearly marked by a subtle mix of sherry and honey with nice woody and chocolate notes.
The mouth is first rather dry, but develops quickly on nice chocolate notes. Nice evolution with with clear nutty hints. A very beautiful finish, lingering and perfectly in the style of the nose and the mouth.
19/20
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Highland Park
16 years
Single cask 5831
1990-2006


Age
16 years
Alcohol percentage
58.7%
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park Single Cask
There is no doubt possible: this nose is very sherryish. No need to smell it, this was already obvious just after having seen the colour. All the complex sweetness of sherry is present here, with some floral notes, some honey, cocoa and even vanilla.
The mouth has to deal with some complex environment, where woody bitterness, sherryish smoothness and some quite acid notes share the attention. The mouth is powerful on one hand, but seems sometimes a bit watery on the other hand. A tiny lack of consistence. The mouth is very complex and the taste seems to develop following a pre-determinate scheme. First bitterness, nuts and for a very short while, nothing (water) before going to citrus hints and than the nut again. This evolution seems to be cyclic (but water is happily not returning in the cycle). Really a nice impression in the mouth.
The finish is warm and lingering, marked principally by a mix of wood and sherry, which delivers happiness for some very long minutes.
19/20
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Highland Park
15 years


Age
15 years
Alcohol percentage
40%
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros
Highland Park 15
A nice moor smell with heather and a hint of iodine and smoke. In the mouth, a great smoothness with some woody hints and fruity notes. An interesting finish, with typical honey hints. Just a pity this whisky is not a bit stronger.
18/20
Hints of yeast and nice freshness characterize the very first nose. Then, some more complex notes appear, a kind of mix of wood and plum jam.
In the palate, a mix of pleasant slightly bitter notes and hints of malt and a touch of honey. Nice balance, but quite a linear whisky.
The finish is rather long but rather plain too, even if some nice peppery notes are clearly present. And this impression of spiced malt persists for a while.
18/20
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Highland Park Independent bottlings
 

Highland Park
Old Malt Cask 1987


Age
16 years
Alcohol percentage
50%
Particularity
Single Cask
Bottler
Douglas Laing
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 The nose detects a very perfumed smoke and hints of refined oak.
The palate is rich and oily , with nice touches of sherry.
The finish is dominated by spices. It is warm and soothing.
The first nosing reveals some light hints of heather, associated to some citrus touches. The taste confirms this first impression. Strong malt, partially due to its relatively high alcohol percentage, which helps the palate to appreciate fully all the rich touches of this good whisky. A rather long finis crowns the whole.
17/20
The pleasant nose is somewhere between the sweetness of honey and the acidity of citrus fruits, on a background of wood and smoke. In the palate, a great complexity, sweet and sour, with some hints of sherry on the background. The pleasant finish is warm and lingering, with some spicy touches.
18/20
The nose is rather rich, with hints of honey mixed to a kind of hay smell and a touch of smoke on the background. Somethins like grass juice also perhaps... In the palate, a nice complexity, mixing sweet-salted tastes, mix of muesli and not entirely ripe fruit, sherry hints and a slightly acid touch at the end. A nice finish, between malt and sweet spices with a slight citrus fruit impression and a touch of ripe pear.
18/20
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Highland Park
1989 Cask


Age
12 years
Alcohol percentage
58,4
Particularity
Cask Strength
Bottler
Gordon & MacPhail
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 
This cask strength version of Gordon & MacPhail is remarkable because of the balanced nose and palate. A smooth mix of peat and smoke with sweeter malt hints. I suspect a slight alteration of the taste due to the caramel added... A long and very pleasant finish. Another bottle I do not regret having purchased, even if it is not necessarily easy to get it.
18/20
The nose is marked by slightly acid notes (citrus fruits) probably due to the high alcohol degree, but develops on floral notes which sweetness contrast highly with the first impression. In the palate, the first impression is that all nuances are hidden by the high degree of alcohol. However, all this nuances come back after a few seconds, just to confirm the nose. A lingering and pleasant finish, with malted touches.
17/20
The nose is rather sweet and floral, even if it is marked by the alcohol which provokes a little tingling. In the palate, a wonderful complexity, from the sweetness of honey to acidity of citrus fruit, through a lot of pleasant impression. A long finish, slightly bitter, crowns the whole.
18/20
The nose is rather complex, marked as well by the honey sweetness, the flower delicacy and a slight tingling due to the percentage of alcohol. Some spices too. In the palate, the firs nice impression is a mix of flowers and fruits, with some woody taste (a kind of bitterness) which makes soon room for smoother malty notes. The alcohol is quite present. The finish is sweet, and relatively long, nearly disapearing and coming back after a while...
18/20
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Highland Park
1988
Signatory's
Un-Chill filtered Collection


Age
13 years
Alcohol percentage
46%
Particularity
Non chill filtered
Cask
Sherry
Bottler
Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
  The colour is old gold. The sweet and aromatic nose reveals malted, vegetal (heather) and vanilla hints.
The palate, rich, full and oily is very nice and confirms the nose.
The elegant finish continue on the malty sweetness, heather, chocolate, toffee and fruits (peach).

(la Maison du Whisky)

 All the aromas of the Orkney's moor are concentrated in the inescapable whiskies of Highland Park. The Signatory's un chill filtered collection lets the lover enjoy fully of this wonderful whisky. I really recommend this bottle. The price is not exaggerated for a whisky of this quality.
18/20
An unbelievable perfumed (smoke) sweetness from the very first nosing announces a very great happiness, which indeed is reel from the very first tasting... A very complex and really pleasant whisky.
The second tasting resulted in a higher score as the first one.
19/20
A sweet and rather fragrant nose with clear floral notes. In the palate, the sweetness of the nose is confirmed and the tastes mixes vanilla and cereals in a rather complex whole. The finish is rather long, with sweet and woody hints.
18/20
A very clear nose. Smells of heather, flowers, with nice hints of coconut, bee was and a touch of smoke on the background. The mouth is very complex, with hazelnut, woody and malty notes, and a touch of coffee, moka and some discrete slightly acid hints. A very beautiful finish, rather long and somewhere between chocolate and coffee whiffs.
19/20
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Highland Park
1992
Cask Strength Collection


Age
11 years
Alcohol percentage
59,3%
Particularity
Single cask
Cask strength
Cask
Sherry refill butt
Bottler
Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park Cask strengts Collection
The floral nose is first rather discrete with however some tingling's due to the high percentage of alcohol. A drop of water helps opening the fragrances, and some pleasant honey and heather hints seem suddenly to stream through the mouth, with a kind of smoke screen on the background. In the palate, the first impression is a dominating alcohol feeling, with a superb range of tastes, from a kind of bitterness (from grapefruit zest to unripe walnuts), an impression of dryness first, much more "coloured" after a while, and finishing on nice chocolate notes. But the alcohol percentage harms it definitely. Do not be afraid to add some more water. The finish is lingering and develops between chocolate and some more bitter aromas (is it wood?)
18/20
A remarkably fresh nose with hits of honey and flowers. Great smoothness with however some tingling. This nose announces some nice surprises in the palate.
The mouth is complex and very pleasant with notes of cut grass, flowers and ripe fruit with a light veil of smoke.
Very pleasant finish too, lingering and very perfumed.
After reading the precedent notes. it seems that time and aeration helped to make this aggressiveness disappear.
19/20
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Highland Park
1990
Cask Strength Collection


Age
16 years
Alcohol percentage
56,1%
Particularity
Single cask
Cask strength
Cask
1st fill Sherry butt
Bottler
Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park 1990 Cask Strength Collection
A remarkably fresh nose with notes of cut grass, hay, honey and flowers, heather. After a while, some nice ripe fruit notes appear, giving even more body to this very pleasant nose.
In the palate, first impression is a mix of smoothness and acidity. Fruit, green apple and honey with a slow development on cashew nuts. Amazing and remarkable...
The finish is very long, beginning on slightly acid notes, developing soon on a kind of cashew nuts bitterness, contrasting a bit with the nice whole the nose and mouth were offering.
An excellent whisky!
19/20
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Highland Park
Provenance
Summer distillation
1991


Age
10 years
Alcohol percentage
43%
Particularity
Single Cask
Bottler
Douglas Laing
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park Provenance 1991
Light in colour, you will find this subtle and dry on the nose. It has a medium weighted body and an immediate sweet palate which is different from what the nose first suggests. It has a finish which is sweet, heathery, honeyed yet quick. It is surprisingly good over ice - sorry!
(note of the producer)
Nose is first quite trifling, but after a while it begins revealing some sweet floral notes. In the palate, sweet but slightly bitter notes give this whisky a relatively complex character, but it does not really provoke great papilla enthusiasm ... The finish is interesting, recalling some floral and sweet (honey) touches. May be the produce is right when he says it is good with some ice...
17/20
Quite a floral nose with hints of fruit and some smoke. This whisky is quite special as the nose is first very discrete but after about one hour it is getting much more expressive. Flowers are clearly present, heather smells, light minty hints.
In the palate, a mix of freshness and a bit of bitterness. Nut, plum and a touch of chocolate. Could have been rounder despite a nice balance. A nice diversity of tastes even if it cannot really be qualified as a complex mouth.
Long finish marked by a nutty chocolate impression.
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Highland Park
1985
Scott's selection

Age
19 years
Alcohol percentage
54%
Particularity
Cask strength
Bottler
Scott's selection
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park 1985
A nice fruity nose (exotic fruits, banana) with slightly acid hints (orange) and a touch of spices (pepper).
In the palate, first impression is a kind of acidity, quickly taken over by sweet malty notes and a nice presence of the alcohol. Neither too strong, neither absent. A nice complexity, however dominated by citrus notes.
The finish is lingering and pleasant, somewhere between the sweet malty notes ans clear fruity hints (more like prunes now) and a presence of the alcohol which goes on warming the palate....
18/20 .
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Highland Park
16 years
Dewar Rattray

Age
16 years
Alcohol percentage
56.4%
Particularity
Cask strength
Bottler
Dewar Rattray
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park Dewar Rattray 16
A very expressive nose with nice floral notes, lots of smoothness but also lots of character. Very complex, a hint of honey, a nint of heather, a hint of smoke, a hinte of pepper. The palate first offers a wonderful mix of freshness and complexity, in a perfect balance. Hints of citrus fruit, red berries and s touch of smoke. Nice spicy notes come and increase the level of this excellent whisky, which is a very model of balance and complexity. The finish is lingering, very pleasant, both spicy and slightly acid. Very fresh too. This is a marvelous bottle.
19/20
The nose is pleasantly marked by floral notes (heather) and nice peppery hints. Very nice complexity. A bit of smoke. Very inviting nose. In the palate a wonderful mix of citrus acidity, honey, a touch of smoke, hints of nuts and lots of pleasure. The finish is long, pleasantly peppered with a touch of very fine wood. A fantastic bottle.
19/20
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Highland Park
24 years
Adelphi

Age
24 years
Alcohol percentage
55.8%
Particularity
Cask strength
Bottler
Adelphi
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park Adelphi
A nice floral nose marked by sherry and spices. Very pleasant fruity notes appear after a while. A mix of banana's, peaches or mango's.
In the palate, a very pleasant bitterness, a nice complexity, sherry notes but also fine wood, fruits (plum) and chocolate.
The finish is warm and long, and sherry hints mix with the woody impressions.
19/20
Quite a floral nose with notes of heather and sherry followed by very pleasant fruity hints.
In the palate, very fine dry fruit notes (plum, apricot) and a nice bitterness made from nutty tastes and hints of chocolate.
The finish is specially long and warm, prolonging perfectly the mouth feelings, with its sherry notes and its refined woody hints.
19/20
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Highland Park
Adelphi
Breath of the Isles

Age
13 years
Alcohol percentage
53.4%
Particularity
Cask strength
Bottler
Adelphi
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park: Breath of the isles
A nice floral and bucolic nose, recalling the summers in the country with its smells of hay and dried flowers.
Smoothness and freshness. The first impression in the palate is rather dry and acid and the complexity of this whisky seem to need some time to develop. But then the first honey notes appear behind this bitterness increased by the alcohol which remains dominating at this stage. But once it is mastered, this whisky develops very nice floral notes and is rather fresh, despite the constant presence of alcohol.
The finish is quite long and fresh, with the same floral hints which were present in the palate
18/20
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Highland Park
1967 Mission

Age
35 years
Alcohol percentage
40.1%
Bottler
Murray McDavid
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park 1967 mission
Quite an expressive nose, with very nice floral notes, citrus smells, tangerine, orange juice followed by a developing on exotic fruit, a touch of peat and a light veil of smoke. Certainly not a common nose.
The mouth is first rather bitter and immediately after gets very sour. But this is very short. Rather soon, the palate develops on nice slightly smoky notes, and a touch of woody bitterness. Some fruity impressions too. Plum. The nose was more interesting than the mouth is, and if the nose was characterized by some tinglings I thought due to a high percentage of alcohol, the mouth is somewhat watery.
The finish is more interesting again, even if the mouth was very far from being deceiving. It is lingering and pleasant, dominated by some nutty after tastes. A very nice whisky.
18/20
The nose is amazingly smooth. Subtle aromas of flowers or heather. Nice and discrete spicy notes. A pleasant mix of pepper and vanilla and a touch of very fine wood on the background, Touches of hay.
In the palate, the same great smoothness first, before a slow development on slightly acid fruity hints, then on honey with always this light bitter and very refined touch of walnut.
The finish is lingering, warm and ... friendly. All the smoothness of the mouth is present here too together with this gentle bitterness which gives a nice finishing touch to this whole.
19/20
What a nice nose! Spices and flowers. Heather and hay.
The mouth prolongs the nose. Superb, even if it seems to be rather plain. Honey, some nearly unripe fruit, some very fine wood. A very pleasant mouth, even if it could have been a bit more complex.
The finish is lingering and pleasant. The memory of refined wood associated to floral hints is dominating.
18/20
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Highland Park
The Single Malts of Scotland


Age
16 years
Alcohol percentage
46%
Bottler
The Whisky Exchange
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park The Single Malt of Scotland 16
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Highland Park
Scottish Castles
1981-2007


Age
25 years
Alcohol percentage
52.8%
Bottler
Jack Wieber
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park 25 Jack Wieber
Quite an unpleasant nose where malty notes mix with yeast hints and a kind of dominant acidity. So not such a nice nose...
The palate is much more pleasant than the nose was. Cut grass, fruit (ripe and green apple), some citrus notes. Pleasantly perfumed, the mouth corrects the bad impression left by the nose.
The finish is quite short and the rather smooth fruity hints remain as long as the finish goes.
This bottle deserves certainly another tasting. The bottle has just been opened and previous tastings of samples left a much better impression.
18/20
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Highland Park
Cask Collection
18 years
1989-2007


Age
18 years
Alcohol percentage
53.5%
Bottler
Dewar Rattray
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park 18 Dewar Rattray

The nose is a subtle and perfectly balanced mix of honey and flowers. Nice freshness and great smoothness. This seems to be a prelude to a great pleasure.
The first mouth is rather dry but develops quickly to become extremely complex after a while, with alternately liquorice or violet (tastes like Bowmore...), red currant jam, honey, the whole with a very pleasant warmth sensation.
The finish is long and warm. Very smooth, it prolongs perfectly the mouth impression.
18/20
A very fruity nose, with smells of green apple mixed to wax , some hints of paint remover and honey. This nose simply announces a nice complexity with a pleasant mix of smoothness and acidity.
In the palate, the impression is even better. Ripe fruits and green apple, honey with some slightly bitter nutty notes, cashew nut.
Nice finish, lingering and warm, where nutty hints seem to dominate, developing gently on nice moka notes.
19/20

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Highland Park
Alc-hem-ist 15 years


Age
15 years
Alcohol percentage
46%
Bottler
Alc-hem-ist
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park 15 Alchemist
The nose is both fresh and smoky. Smells of heather and an amazing salty and minty freshness recalling the "Fisherman's friend" drops make soon room for a very pleasant smell of green apple.
The mouth is very fresh, with hints of freshly (and sweet) cut grass developing slowly on cashew nut notes and then on ripe fruit. The texture of the mouth is particularly oily.
The finish is very long and pleasantly balanced between nutty notes and chocolate.
18/20
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Highland Park
Reserve
Cask 5832


Age
10 ans
Taux d'alcool
56,4%
Embouteilleur
Gordon & MacPhail
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Highland Park Reserve 1997
Honey and heather and lots of flowers characterise the very first nose, A great smoothness and malty hints, a touch of mint, acid drop. Very nice complexity, even if the nose itself is rather discrete.
In the palate, a generous mix of floral smoothness and citrus notes give this whisky quite a pleasant taste. Presence of alcohol is obvious but does not really hinder.
The finish is warm and rather long and a touch of acidity seems to emerge by the end.
18/20
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Highland Park: samples

Highland Park
30 years
MacPhail's collection

Age
30 years
Alcohol percentage
43%
Bottler
Gordon & MacPhail
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
What a powerful nose. With notes of peppered honey are mixed with vegetal heather hints on a light background veil of smoke.
In the mouth, a very nice mix of honey, some discrete spices and floral notes.
A nice and lingering finish, long and on the same palette than then the mouth and the nose.
18/20
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Highland Park
1966-2005
"For the whisky fair Limburg 2005

Age
38 years
Alcohol percentage
42,4%
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Highland Park
Reserve, for Netherlands 1997
(cask#?... there are 2 versions)

Age
11 years
Alcohol percentage
57,6%
Bottler
Gordon & MacPhail
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Quite a strange nose, dominated by hints of yeast trying to hide some floral smells giving this whisky a clear undergrowth smell.
The palate is relatively more interesting, despite its rather woody taste and its discrete notes of cough drop. A clear presence of alcohol and some fruity notes.
The finish is long and warm. This finish is clearly better than the mouth. Just a pity it is impossible to enjoy the finish without having to get the whisky in the mouth.
17/20
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Not in collection Highland park

Highland Park
Murray McDavid
Bourbon/Grenache Blanc aged in Banyuls casks

Age
17 years
Alcohol percentage
46%
Bottler
Murray MacDavid
Cask
Bourbon/Grenache Blanc aged in Banyuls casks
Highland Park 1989 mmd

Comments by Johannes Sauer

Colour: Medium golden, a light rosé wine glimmer.
Nose: Very soft and reserved in the beginning - forest herbs (waldmeister, wood berries), green apples and marcipane, later also lavender soap with a very secret smoky note and soft citrus hints. In my book it is not as fat and voluptous as I might expect from a Highland Park, but in this discretion very appealing.
Taste: Very full, sweet and round, surprising for this discreet nose, full bodied malt combines beautifully with this still very clear floral and soft fruity notes. Demarara sugar, later there is nougat praliné, coated by white chocolate.
Finish: Long: The beautiful chocolate – nougat impression goes on and on revealing also exotic spices like cloves, ginger and cimmamon. If you ever wanted to know what “Perfectly balanced finish” means, this is the bottle for you.
Conc.: A great Highland Park which shows its very qualities in the second half.
Date: 3. July 2009
18/20 (it’s 16 pts for the rather weak nose (for a 17 yo– but great 20 for this exuberant finish)

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Highland Park
16 years


Age
18 years
Alcohol percentage
40%
Bottler
Official
highland prk 16

Comments by Johannes Sauer

Colour: Golden brown, dirty gold, very interesting ... the bottle and the very exhuberant liner notes say nothing about any kind of colouring.
Nose: The first impression is very full, sweet and firm, backed by very nice floral notes. Créme brulée. Soft smoke clouds and a very subtle caramel sweetness together with soft hints of lemon peel are promising a great complexity.
Taste: Exactly the same first impression described in the nose chapter. Additional there is dark chocolate combined with forest honey and the smoke now reminds clearly of milk coffee or fudge tablet with mocca taste.
Finish: Evenly full and round, long and sweet. Again surprisingly clear the tasty capuccino notes.
Conc.: A very well crafted dram, for me no great, but very fine whisky. In Germany available in a liter-bottle (traveller’s shop) at a very affordable price for a 16 yo. If you see this bottle get it!
Tasting date: 10/7/2009
17/20

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The Isles

Campbeltown map

The Scottish coast is surrounded by isles where whisky is produced, specially on the West coast (Mull, Skye, Arran and Jura) and on the North (Orkney)
The most important island from a whisky point of view is Islay, but this one is considered as a production area on its own.

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Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information about the Isles area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow

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