Highland Park 16

[The Scotch Chix]

Hey all,

Just returned from Oslo and picked up a bottle of the Highland Park 16 on my way through Amsterdam Schiphol. We think it is really awesome - silky and fruity with a touch of honey and smoke. Noticed Mr. Tattieheid reported a flat experience with it earlier, but we really liked it. Anybody else tried it yet? It is only available in Duty Free.

CA Scotch Chick
http://www.scotchchix.com

[SoMK]

Nope not yet.. How does it compare with the 15 ? I thought this one was a tad too sweet for my taste and I still lean toward 12 or 18 for regulars
Can't have too many HP anyway...

[The Scotch Chix]

It is a fruity whisky. The hint of honey is just barely there, so it isn't overly sweet like a Glenmorangie Nectar D'or. It is closest to a Glenlivet 18 in our experience, although that isn't a fair comparison either because the Glenlivet 18 is a lot fruitier/sweeter. Still, they share a common flavor in there.

Funny, we tried a Highland Park 15, and it was not sweet at all - it was almost all smoke. Guess we'll have to try it again. Ah the beauty of single malts and their variations.

[Deactivated Member]

I think I recall reading that the first issue of HP16 was pretty much as I described, but later vattings were better--I'm quite sure mine was the first release. This is contrary to what usually happens, when a new OB gets pick of the barrels--one presumes that in formulating such, the master blender tries to assure that suitable stock will be available for the indefinite future; he is obviously confounded now and then. Sorry I can't document my recall on the 16--I'm trusting my memory here, which could use an upgrade if only I knew how--so take it as hearsay, absent any corroboration from anyone else. I'd certainly be curious to try it again, but I think I'd be leery of a whole bottle's worth at this point. I love HP, and would generally echo SoMK's sentiment, but they've had me scratching my head at times recently.

[The Scotch Chix]

Makes sense. I read your old post, and you reported that the Highland Park 16 was flat and flavorless (you had actually mixed it to save it). This stuff isn't very round - more silky, but it is full flavored and fruity. Sounds like they had some problems at the start.

CA Scotch Chick
http://www.scotchchix.com

[SoMK]

That's the funny thing with HP recently, I agree with Mr T.. When I buy HP, I'm always looking for the honey, heather and slight smoke.. The all round HP flavours. And the 15 seemed a tad bidimensionnal to me.
Thanks to SherriedMalt, I have been able to taste the Maxximum 19 yo CS 55.3% and what striked me the most was the sulfur ! That's certainly not something I was used to in HP ! but not overwhelming and quite interesting actually as honey was in there too along with a distinct salty coating.
Now I just have to get me hands on that 16

[Deactivated Member]

I'm pretty sure the duty-free at Rock Island has it, SoMK. You can pick it up on a jaunt south of the border, and smuggle it back into Canada. But I'm sure you would never do anything like that. The other option would be to buy there, pull a u-turn without crossing, and declare it; but I'll bet the duty is punitive. In any case, I'd call them if I were you before making a special trip--my memory has been known to fail on occasion. If they do have it, it occurs to me that it's probably still the first bottling--their stock seems to sit around for a long time. I just picked up a bottle of HP 25 there ($227, if you're wondering, but I get store credits through my job), and it's the 50.7%abv in the black wooden box, which I think is a couple years out-of-date. Great stuff! The all-time bargain, though, is long gone--the box of 3 x 333ml HP 12/18/25 for something like $66. Based on the price of the full bottle, the 333 of the 25 was worth $100 by itself!

[tmaufer]

Next time you are in an international duty free shop, look for Highland Park 21 -- it's sublime. You won't regret parting with $105 (at SFO; it's 60 pounds sterling at Heathrow...a bit of a ripoff).

[shoganai]

I just picked up a bottle of this today at YYZ Duty Free and am having a litte sample right now. My first impression is very much in line with Mr. T's. It's the most unremarkable Highland Park I've had in a while (although admitedly, I've been extremely spoiled this year as far as HP goes). It's pleasant enough, just not particularly interesting. On the nose and palate I get honey, lemon and oak. Feel is smooth enough, although I wouldn't call it silky. Finish is satisfying but a little dry with some smoke/pepper creeping in at the very end. Probably would be better at 46% (but isn't that true for all 40%abv?).

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

the HP 16 gets beaten by the 18 and the 15 with about two length.

Wonder what they thought they were doing.

Greetings
kallaskander

[Sherried Malt]

The all-time bargain, though, is long gone--the box of 3 x 333ml HP 12/18/25 for something like $66. Based on the price of the full bottle, the 333 of the 25 was worth $100 by itself!

TWE had lots of these 3-packs a few months ago for $100. Still a bargain!

Found a good home for a couple of them...

[Sherried Malt]

Next time you are in an international duty free shop, look for Highland Park 21 -- it's sublime. You won't regret parting with $105 (at SFO; it's 60 pounds sterling at Heathrow...a bit of a ripoff).

The HP 21 is amazing stuff and a very worthwhile addition to the HP range. Different enough from the others to make it a great alternative. Well done, HP!

SoMK, time for some more perfume??

Btw, the dollar has strengthened against the pound, so the prices between the two airports are right on top of each other now. That said, I wonder if the bottles are the same size or is the one at SFO is 75 cl? Having another 5cl would be nice...

[The Scotch Chix]

Sorry for the delay in keeping up with the thread. Been in Prague. I am still thinking that the 16 in Europe may be different from what we are able to get in North America. Here is why.

I just picked up the 21 on the way to Prague. It is very very similar to the 16, so I brought home a sample and did a head to head comparison. The 21 is, as expected, smoother and it does have more body, but it is the same general flavor - just an older sibling. Maybe more cherry than raspberry, but they are definitely variations on a theme.

Neither tastes like a Highland Park. They are both much more fruity, and they don't have the distinctive Highland Park butter taste. Again, closest thing to them I had tasted before was the Glenlivet 18. I'll back off on silky and sublime after tasting the 21 and call the 16 light and wonderful, but I'll stand by my opinion that it is good stuff. Anybody in Europe want to pick up a sample and weigh in?

And ... of course I need to pick up some Highland Park 15 and 18 for more taste comparisons. It is all in the name of science.

Cheers,
CA Scotch Chick
http://www.scotchchix.com

[shoganai]

I've made a decent dent in my bottle over the past week and it's actually growing on me. I don't find the oloroso as dominant on the nose as I did at first. The lemon and oak have given way to some nice chocolate notes. Smooth, fruity palate, and a dry slightly smokey finish.

I would still call it an unremarkable Highland Park, in fact I agree with the chix that it doesn't really seem like HP at all. But I have been enjoying it after work while watching TV and surfing the net.

[lincoln imp]

I love Highland Park usually. I had only one dram of this but my first impression was not positive.

[whiskeyman5]

HP tastes like butt.

[woodhill]

HP tastes like butt.

Yeah..... funny that ............I never got that................

[lincoln imp]

As i was not too impressed with the solitary dram i had, which is the closest other HP bottling to this one?
To be honest as an avid Highland Park lover i am sure that i would grow to like it, i would just need to work at it.

[talisker10]

Butter taste..THAT's the taste in HP that I don't care for could not put my finger on it. I know I am SUPPOSED to like HP but I just don't.

Thanks scotchchix

"Neither tastes like a Highland Park. They are both much more fruity, and they don't have the distinctive Highland Park butter taste. Again, closest thing to.."

[The Scotch Chix]

Just found this on the Highland Park web site. Could explain the difference in character between the two "lines." They use both types of casks. Could also explain where the buttery taste comes from.

The oak source (American or Spanish) is of greater importance than the wine type. Spanish oak sherry casks give colour and dried fruit character whereas American oak sherry casks give vanilla and butterscotch flavours.