Highland Park (18 year)
June 26, 2011
I’d been saving this miniature (it’s not every day you find a 50ml sample of an 18 year-old single malt) for a special occasion. Last Wednesday was my birthday, so I cracked it open and had my first Highland Park. All of Highland Park’s malts are lightly peated with local Orcadian peat (see Distillery inset), and matured mostly in ex-sherry casks. This combination of sherry and peat is uncommon, but very interesting. In the 18, I noticed that the two contrasting elements (fruit-sweet and smokey) were both low-key, and also married extremely well. This made for a delicious combination, and so well integrated. According to the website, all Highland Park whiskies have no coloring additives, although the core expressions are chill-filtered. I’m curious to see how many of these flavors are present in the younger 12 year-old distillery bottling.
Nose: Cider vinegar, low-key mossy peat, lemon verbena tea, lavender, peaches and summer fruits. There’s also something sour and juicy – like fat red raspberries. Overall a very fruity, tart nose. A few drops of water bring out some tropical fruits – kiwi, pina colada, pineapple. Nice.
Palate: Thin body, but that tart peat whips in immediately, filling the mouth with bursting strawberries, blackberries, and key lime pie. Evolves on the tongue into softer malty cereal notes, marshmallow, and nutmeg. The water soups up the burn a little, but heightens those same tart flavors.
Finish: Lengthy. The peat takes center stage, echoing the tart nose but now asserting a round, smokey presence. This fades into slightly bitter oak, cinnamon, and black pepper. With water, there is a delectable lemon zest note throughout the finish.
Overall: Not what I expected. This is a versatile chameleon of a dram – sometimes fruity and light, sometimes peaty and brooding. While it may not be able to decide what it is, there’s no denying the quality of the flavors and the smoothness on the tongue. I recommend a few drops of water, which really make this dram dance.
About The Distillery
The most northerly distillery in Scotland (although Scapa is only a kilometer to the southwest), Highland Park is located on the distant Orkney Islands, off the northeast coast of the Scottish mainland. The distllery’s water comes from Cattymaggie Quarry, which is decidely hard. It’s the peat, though, that makes Highland Park unique. Orcadian peat, sourced locally, is predominately compressed herbacious plants and heather (unlike peat from farther south, which is partially formed with tree matter and/or seaweed). The peat character is mild, however, as only 20% of the mashbill comes from Highland Park’s own floor maltings (and of that, only half is peated). The rest is unpeated malt imported from the Scottish mainland. Another Highland Park eccentricity is the use of predominately (and soon, exclusively) ex-sherry casks, without any finishing. This dance between heavily sherried wood and light Orcadian heather peat is what gives Highland Park its unique qualities. According to the website, all Highland Park whiskies have no coloring additives, although the core expressions are chill-filtered.
hi! long time, no post. i just wanted to say that i recently enjoyed a few drams while in yokohama (japan, as you may recall)–including HP 18. i quite enjoyed it, from the first hits on the nose that really got my attention to the afterglow. i thought that it was indeed what you and many others have suggested: all things to all people, something for everyone. having said that, i’m amazed at how well-balanced it came across. at the same wonderful “all expressions at one price” (700 yen) bar i was able to enjoy ardbeg uigedail: i have to say that that is now my “so-far favorite” dram experience–albeit not one i’m likely to be able to repeat (or re-peat) any time soon.
for the record, i also tried a tasting set that same evening in another establishment and enjoyed springbank 10, talisker 10, and laphroaig cask strength (3 20-ml junior drams for 1000 yen, or about $12.50). to be honest, the springbank didn’t knock me out, but the talisker caught my attention, and the laphroaig was suitably laphroaig (but not sufficiently overwhelming to knock cask strength out of the top spot on my “so-far favorite” laphroaig expression list)…
wow, i’d love to have at that uigedail again, if the chance comes…
Brian, sounds like some great tastes.
You might also enjoy Ardbeg Corryvreckan, if it’s available there. It’s an interestingly different take on Ardbeg’s style – it’s cask-strength (and powerful!), but has a lot more fruit and citrus than you’d expect.
thanks for the (corryv)reckan-mendation! i’ll check it out: there’s a decent chance that i can find it where i found the uigedail!
comments on net say it Succulent, but then there thin comments. how is it Succulent. is this like i chewy, or big flavorsome malt on that mouth. can’t stand thin, light,subtitly there. looking to buy somethink in low price malts.
@J I would say that the Highland Park 18 is indeed thin-bodied in terms of texture (not chewy or oily), but it’s definitely not subtle on flavor. Lots of tart/sour fruit and light smoke (not heavy smoke like Islay malts, but the peat is certainly present).
If I had to select only one “desert island” expression, Highland Park 18 YO would be it for me. Crafted to a level of elegance like few other single malts, it possess amazing depth, complexity, and balance. Remarkable consistency from year to year as well. A near perfect dram in my book.
Cato,
Also, I think, a better use of the money when compared to The Macallan 18, which is excellent but a bit variable and a bit oversold. If I had to pick only one 18 year-old, it would be a hard choice between this one and Talisker 18.
I’ve read a number of your reviews Noob. It would appear we have similar preferences. I cannot say I have a favorite, but I do always have the following on my bar.
Highland Park – 18 yo (perfect balance)
Ardbeg Uigeadail (complex and delicious)
GlenDronach 12 or 15 yo – depth and richness
Glenmorangie – Original – simple and sweet
McAulay, Those are some great choices! I particularly love GlenDronach 12. I wasn’t crazy about the Uigeadail when I tried it, but it wasn’t in isolation (it was at an Ardbeg tasting), and I think it deserves another shot. Cheers!
This was the first scotch I bought. I just recently started drinking scotch. My favorite has been Macallan’s 18. I found the Highland Park tasty, but a lot more smoked than the few other scotch brands I’ve tried.
I got the impression that Highland Park did use chill filtration on all their whiskies except the 30 and 40 year old. See the video on their website where Gerry Tosh talks to Gordon Motion about it (and were they mis-spell “chilll” in the description). They do seem to take some care to minimize the effects of the chill filtration, however.
Thanks for the update, Brother Juniper, it looks like Highland Park has redone their website, and now the only mention of filtration is in the video you describe. I will update my post. I appreciate the fact-checking, thanks!