Palate: Absolutely one of the most succulent drops I've ever had! The smoke was underlying but kept peaking it's head out and was balanced so well by the sweetness. Sherry notes but thankfully not overly so. The age come out a bit long vanilla oak notes and more sweet smoke. G-d damn, I'm in heaven! Without prejudice to the section Liability below, the Service may be temporarily unavailable during maintenance, updates, etc. We shall make reasonable efforts to inform you of any unavailability due to maintenance or updates. Well, I took that advice, even shook it up a bit before putting it aside. I am so glad I did! What a difference a shake and a fortnight make! Our Service is an online platform which provides Members with information (e.g. bottle facts, market-indices, market values and prices) on (mostly) whisky and allows Members to add information to the platform. We do not sell, nor does the Service provide any option to buy, any alcoholic products. Whiskybase B.V. (“Whiskybase”, “we” or “us”, company details below) offers a whisky enthusiasts online platform that provides its members access to the most comprehensive, transparent and trusted resource of whisky bottles and allows and stimulates its members to contribute information about whisky bottles to the platform (“Service”).

P: first you get acid and fruity notes, mostly on sherry and dried fruits again. Then a delicious woody taste comes out, together with a gentle smokiness and a very delicate peat. We must say that on the palate it seems to be less sweet than expected judging from the nose, even if a gentle note of honey stands out. This Higland Park tends to dry your mouth towards the finish, and all the flavours tend to exhaust, leaving room to some woodiness and peat that rarely are so harmonious and enjoyable. Nose: Not as smokey as I had anticipated. Very sweet smelling, almost juicy with an underlying smokiness to it. Second whiff: More of the same, this time a little more smoke but now the oak came out a bit and something almost tropical - overripe banana perhaps? I couldn't wait for the 3rd whiff... Nose: The aromas take you on a trip around all of the whisky regions of Scotland. Speyside and the Lowland region were represented by a wide variety of fruit notes including peaches, apricots, and a candied aroma similar to maraschino cherries. These notes were gradually replaced by the Islands trademark notes of salt, pepper and brine, which were also mixed with a very slight note of smoke and peat, which is normally associated with Islay. The mixing of these heavier notes, albeit in lighter quantities, is something that I find common in Highland malts. A last minute emergence of apple cinnamon pie filling combined the fruit notes with the earthier components of the nose. A very complex nose that I spent over 15 minutes analyzing and enjoying. Palate: Acidic lemon on entrance, with thyme. Then vanilla coming in with some ginger heat. These are joined with smidgen of oak and ash, as the sour citrus becomes just a touch sweeter into orange. Nothing in the Terms shall exclude or limit our liability for fraudulent misrepresentation or for death or personal injury resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct by us.Finish: The flavors follow thru into the long well balanced end, tightly complimenting are the malty, oaky, smokey statements.

Taste tested and reviewed hand warmed in a 12 oz. snifter, neat over the course of at least 30 mins. Weather: chill in the air, rainy.This is a fantastic whisky. Of all my bottles of whisky, this is definitely my favorite. The character of this whisky is not at all one-note and it is extremely well balanced. The transformation of flavors sets this whisky apart from others. I'm on my third bottle of this stuff and I have realized that this whisky seems to peak when the bottle is 3/4 full and it stays relatively consistent from there. Upon opening a bottle, I've noted that it is a lot spicier and oaky. I will see if future bottles behave similarly. On the nose, I am welcomed by orange blossom, lychee, cedar, and vanilla. The palette does not disappoint, with a full rich mouth feel complimented by sea salt caramel, white chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon, peppercorn, and baked red apples. The brand with 225 years of history distilled the scotch in 2002, and Master Whisky Maker Gordon Motion drew it from hand-chosen casks in 2021. So my point is - that "crappy" HP18 that I referenced is indeed changing literally in every respect - almost as a living being is coming alive. Now if the HP12 could hurry up and do likewise...

Finish: The drying effect is almost uncanny and quite famous amongst admirers. I have few words. Wonderful. Palate: Buttery guava (or maybe papaya) enters with a touch of salty lemon. Transitions through a hay and cinders phase mid-palate, not excellent but interesting. Settles into a wonderful peach, as found in the nose. Ginger tingles with cashew and the peach, into the finish.However . . . the bottle in my house at the moment is absolute SWILL and not even as good as some HP Twelves that I've tasted. As for the Single Cask Series, Motion claims the 18-year-old expression has “an outstanding character or simply a superb example of Highland Park’s uniquely complex balance of flavors.”

The 18 year old is, in some ways, an embodiment of what Highland Park does. The Scotch industry doesn’t have too many distilleries that plant their feet squarely on both peated malt and Sherry cask aging, but Highland Park does, and what the now call Viking Pride is an aged example. The malt is lightly peated with Hobbister Moor peat, and the the recipe uses mostly Sherry seasoned, European oak cask-aged whisky. Viking Pride is bottled at 43% ABV.

There is also some clover honey that helps to form a bridge into the finish, which is long, and generously sweet, yet also a bit smoky, with echoes of the white chocolate, spices, and macadamia nut. Highland Park 18 is also highly appreciated and awarded which literally makes it The International. Surely a dram enjoyed very well all over the world, no matter what the situation is or where you come from. I'm sure it's a whisky for everyone. Finish: Peachy and nutty on the tongue; also buttery but more so in the throat; and gingery in the cheeks. The nose is a restrained, moderate one. It’s light, but not actually subtle. A Sherry-driven fruity sweetness of plums, raisins, apricots and peaches is accented by a hint of lavender and a touch of smoke that is more burning moss than heavy vegetal peat.