Highland Park - For ladies only!

[Deactivated Member]

I've heard it said the Highland Park is a "girls" whisky because it is so smooth and "non-challenging" unlike a full bodied Talisker or 'phroig!

Personally I have never encountered such tosh (no offence Toshie ) in my entire whisky drinking career. To my mind it will take on all comers - one at a time, or all at once - it's all the same. However, it got me thinking as to the general perception that folk have of whisky.

So the question is, is Highland Park a lassies drink or one for everyone.

[les taylor]

I don't think the good people at Highland Park had a profile in mind when they started distilling. Surely they just wanted to produce the best product they could. Its a drink for everyone, just depends on your mood when you drink it.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Obviously the person that said that has not tried a single cask, cask strength version of HP. The only way it's girlie is it'd take the hair off your chest

But I think the 12, 18 & 25yo are also grand drams and not in any way light weight. For me just because a whiskey does not have the peat explosion of some of the Islays does not mean it does not have a great flavour.

[Ize]

I almost literally laughed my ass off when I saw this poll. There are a lot flavours in HPs and separating them into pieces is not for novices. And in my opinion, it has peat in it, but it lacks the bitter sharp smoke part of it but it does have that nicely rounded tar aroma in it.

[Deactivated Member]

I'm not sure lassies should be drinking whisky at all. Surely they should be sticking to the Vermouth or Lambrini.

In the saloon bar.

[Bullie]

Eh... With a risk of offending someone;

That was the most stupid thing I've ever heard about Highland Park. Were does this derive from??? Who came up with it?

I can only agree with irishwhiskeychaser and Ize. It's complex, wonderful in taste, peaty and smokey. The harmony in it is hard to beat...

Of course I voted NO.

[Aidan]

girls probably know a lot more about whisky than boys.

[Drrich1965]

Regardless of gender issues (and my wife happens to like Lagavulin and totally dislikes more gentle drams), HP 18 is one of my favorite every day malts. It is wonderfully complelx and rich.

[Wendy]

Rumour has it that HP 30 is particularly scarring on a man's masculinity...please send all bottlings to...

[Aidan]

Maybe that's why a lot of scotsmen wear skirts.

[Deactivated Member]

This has long been said of Cardhu--the bottle is supposed to resemble a perfume bottle. I don't understand why anyone would want to think of consumable items like whisky as masculine or feminine, but then again I don't understand a lot of things that women do, or men either. It's easy to look at Wendy (yes, it is) as an example of a woman who appreciates whisky as well as any man, and better than most, but it takes only a quick look around this forum to realize that she is the exception. Women and men like different things, and I am amazed at the silly things I see women, with their presumed superior palates, ordering in bars (just as they are amazed that I prefer the bitterest beer available; just as I am amazed that anyone, male or female, can stand to drink light beer). Are there inherent taste differences, or is it all down to culture, learned gender roles, and marketing? At least a bit of all, I suppose, and we can argue about how much of what until the end of time. And we will.

HP a girlie whisky? Crieftan, you need to stop hanging out with the rugby lads all the time!

[lexvo]

Well, my wife likes Laphroiag 10 so there you go She doesn't like Ardbeg however.

[Lawrence]

My other half drank all her Ardbeg samples straight from the cask with gusto, her 1979 & 1980 Lagavulin also, right along with all the other men on our recent tour.

There may be a perception by some people that women like lighter spirits but it's not case. It's pretty difficult to pigeon hole people when it comes to such a broad range of tastes.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

If anybody was brave enough to tell me my HP was girlie to my face they'd quickly get a clatter of my hand bag

[Lawrence]

If anybody was brave enough to tell me my HP was girlie to my face they'd quickly get a clatter of my hand bag

Excellent!

[Drrich1965]

Also, I had a recent HP 34 yo single cask form Binnys (at the Dundee Dell in Omaha) that easily made my all time top ten. Amazing malt...

[Dubois]

"Is Highland Park a lassies drink?"

You must be kidding...

[pouranother]

I suppose Laphroaig CS or Ardbeg Uigeadial is only for wife-beaters?
I cant'believe this is even being dicussed.

[Deactivated Member]

HP a girlie whisky? Crieftan, you need to stop hanging out with the rugby lads all the time!

Never said it was and I hung up my boots ..........crikey 20 years ago

I read it in an article - I think the Herald a few days/weeks ago and it stuck with me for some reason. Apparently HP, in some circles, is viewed as whisky drunk really by the female of our species. As you'll see from my comments, I think this is absolute nonsense.

Whilst I handn't intended the thread to go down a "Whisky is a male drink" route, it does perhaps still highlight an image problem that the whisky industry has. Too many see it as the "hard man's"drink, but few seem to realise that women generally have better noses than men - Mrs C is way ahead of me and it matters not a jot who drinks it!

The poll is a bit tongue in cheek but does appear to have kicked something off a bit.

[Deactivated Member]

I wonder how much of the response is along the lines of "It's not a ladies' drink--I wouldn't drink it if it was!" But I think most of us feel that HP, and any whisky, is just peachy for anyone to drink. On the occasions when some marketing genius tries to think of some way to make whisky more appealing to women, it almost always comes across as patronizing. Quality drink is quality drink. Well, that's the theory. The real world is a confusing place.

[Deactivated Member]

Ain't that the truth - and my my, doesn't HP 18 just hit the spot

[toshie]

Personally I have never encountered such tosh (no offence Toshie ) in my entire whisky drinking career

None taken. And I'm sure the other tosh, gerry of that ilk, would disagree that his HP is a lassie's drink. Although I have giggled like a lassie after a session with his 18 and 25

[Deactivated Member]

And I'm sure the other tosh, gerry of that ilk, would disagree that his HP is a lassie's drink. Although I have giggled like a lassie after a session with his 18 and 25

I have tracked down the offending article. It was in the (Glasgow) Herald's "Whisky Galore" supplement issued earlier this month. In an article written by Kate Rafferty entitled "Fair sex and the cartur", the corrsepondent refers to an interview with Scottish comedian Craig Ferguson, as reported in an American magazine, in which he confesses that HP is his favourite whisky, though he knows that it is regarded as "a woman's whisky".
Perhaps the esrtwhile jester should visit Whisky Live in Glasgow this year and discuss the matter with Gerry. I'd buty a ticket - the clever money is on the ambassador!!

[Muskrat Portage]

Creiftan:
You really have to get your spell check upgraded.
The post should read: "Highland Park - For Laddies only!"
(Aside: Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low, through the streets in my kilt I'll go! All the Lassies say hello...)

In my experience with whisky and ladies, I find that they are very discerning and appreciate the more complex whisky sooner than we frail males do. One lady at the local LC loved Laggie the first time she tried it while I had to slowly acquire my love for it.
The Muskrat

[Aidan]

Creiftan:
You really have to get your spell check upgraded.
The post should read: "Highland Park - For Laddies only!"
(Aside: Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low, through the streets in my kilt I'll go! All the Lassies say hello...)

In my experience with whisky and ladies, I find that they are very discerning and appreciate the more complex whisky sooner than we frail males do. One lady at the local LC loved Laggie the first time she tried it while I had to slowly acquire my love for it.
The Muskrat

I don't know how many times I went into the wrong toilets because I misread "Ladies" as "Laddies".

[Deactivated Member]

I don't know how many times I went into the wrong toilets because I misread "Ladies" as "Laddies".

Uh huh! That's your side of the story is it?

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I don't know how many times I went into the wrong toilets because I misread "Ladies" as "Laddies".

And I suppose you think this sign is for Kilted brethern

[Deactivated Member]

Must be--not too many ladies dress like that these days.

[zarb]

http://www.strawberrykiss.co.uk/

[bamber]

http://www.strawberrykiss.co.uk/

That stuff looks wrong to me !

[Deactivated Member]

Whisky from beyond the grave - if you follow the links through to the Scotsman story, you find:

A spokesman for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, which has branches in Queen Street and in Leith, said: "We have done pink whisky before, so the colour is nothing new. But our whisky is still normal whisky, but is coloured by leaving it in a different casket for a couple of years rather than any kind of liqueur.

[Deactivated Member]

This one will do.

[Scotchio]

Don't girls live on Babysham and alcopops ? My wife certainly finds the aroma of whisky somewhat overbearing which frequently leads to a rather vexing late night conundrum regarding choices of indulgence. Perhaps if I sup HP sauce I could have my cake and eat it.

[TheLaddie]

The post should read: "Highland Park - For Laddies only!"

For Laddies only! I'd never get through it all... I'm up to give it a go though...

[Di Blasi]

I no longer believe in the "ladies whisky/man's whisky" discussion. This is after serving women, young ones too, Ardbeg and other heavily smoked whiskies. And serving grown men Dalwhinnie. This is similar to the whisky is an old man's drink discussion. Rubbish. To each his/her own. Young, old, whatever.