Category: Highland Park

Whiskies distilled at Highland Park on the isle of Orkney, Scotland

Highland Park Full Volume

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Highland Park, Island, ScotchLeave a comment

Highland Park Full Volume

Price: $100 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Highland Park / Edrington Group

Region: Island

47.2% ABV

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Aged For: 18 years

Cask Type: First-fill bourbon

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

Color: Pale gold

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Honey, malt, white grapes, ash, light peat, citrus, salt, minerals

Mouthfeel: Medium body

Palate/Taste: Pepper, vanilla, cinnamon, smoke, leather, light salt and costal spray

Finish: Medium warmth and length, peat smoke and pepper, ash taste returns with vanilla

Thoughts: So to me this tastes like what I’d image Caol Ila with balls would taste like, still nothing mind blowing and I think the “Full Volume” is a marketing misstep for this bottle.

Score: 80 out of 100

Highland Park 15 Signatory Vintage

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Highland Park, Island, ScotchLeave a comment

Highland Park 15 Signatory

Price: Discontinued

Distilled/Owned by: Highland Park / Signatory Vintage

Region: Island

46% ABV

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Aged For: 15 years

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Gold

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Honey, smoke, vanilla, oak, heather, salt, and spice

Mouthfeel: Medium body

Palate/Taste: Vanilla, smoke, heather, grass, sea spray, gentle peat, and caramel

Finish: Medium, slight warmth, vanilla smoke, and earthy undertones.

Thoughts: Less fruity than the OBs I’ve had, has a sort of salty, earthy vanilla going on.

Score: 83 out of 100

Highland Park Dark Origins

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Highland Park, Island, ScotchLeave a comment

Highland Park Dark Origins

Price: Discontinued

Distilled/Owned by: Highland Park / Edrington Group

Region: Island

46.8% ABV

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Aged For: NAS

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and sherry casks (2x more sherry than the 12)

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Dark Auburn

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Smokey fruit, oak, raisin, Sulphur ,barley, sugar, citrus, rotted wood

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied

Palate/Taste: Raisin and dried fruits, followed by smoke, and young barley. Cinnamon and ginger.

Finish: Medium length and warmth with fruits, smoke, and cinnamon oak.

Thoughts: The nose was a bit unpleasant, but the body and finish had good flavors. Younger and more fruity than the regular HP12.

Score: 82 out of 100

Highland Park 18

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Highland Park, Island, ScotchLeave a comment

Highland park 18

I enjoyed the 12 as a solid all around scotch that covered the bases, so I made the assumption the 18 must be better right?

Price: $180 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Highland Park / Edrington Group

Region: Islands

43% ABV

Aged For: 18 Years

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

 

 

Color: Tarnished Gold

Nose: Smokey and fruity at the same time. Light mossy peat, with figs and ginger. Citrus and barley.

Taste: The peat disappears, now it just tastes of smokey cherry, blackberry, very malty and oak brings things together. Thinner and more watery than I’d like.

Finish: Tart fruits, cinnamon, and white pepper smoke. Medium length and average warmth.

Thoughts: There is less peat and more cask influence than the 12 year, but I don’t find it that much better than the 12 in my opinion, and certainly not for the price.

Score: 86 out of 100

 

Highland Park 12

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Highland Park, Island, ScotchLeave a comment

Highland Park 12

Paid: $45 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Highland Park / Edrington Group

Region: Orkney Island

43% ABV

Aged For: 12 Years

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

 

 

Color: Burnished Yellow

Nose: Yeasty malted barley, gentle smoke (extra lite peat), cedar wood, and a slight citrus and sherry fruit.

Taste: Starts out fruity with cherry, raisin and lemon being at the forefront. Smoke builds into a briny taste with just a bit of Sulphur, a bit of oak.

Finish: Medium, of slight warmth. Fruity with bits of barley and honey. Yeasty ginger.

Thoughts: On the malt map I would put this right in the center. It seems to do a little bit of everything. I enjoyed the mix of flavors and if you are looking to branch out into different styles of scotch, HP 12 would be a good center ground.

Score: 85 out of 100