90
- Nose
- Warm, notably flowery. Heather-honey, fresh oak, sap, peat, smoky fragrance. Very aromatic and appetising.
- Palate
- Remarkably smooth, firm, rounded. Lightly salty. Leafy (vine leaves?), pine nuts. Lots of flavour development: nuts, honey, cinnamon, dryish ginger.
- Finish
- Spicy, very dry, oaky, smoky, hot.
- Comment
- If I smoked I would have a cigar with this one.
95
- Nose
- An empty honey jar which once held peaty embers. An enormous nose which seems to improve with each bottle I sample, though the characteristic salted butter is always present. Fabulous.
- Palate
- Beautifully sweet: even sweeter than the 12 Years Old with peat on the back of the palate. Beautifully chewy, oily and substantial.
- Finish
- Still peaty and now a little oaky. Cocoa and toffee cream compexity.
- Comment
- This has to be my favourite Highland Park of them all, and each new bottle I taste (this was my sixth sample) seems to underline the overall class and consistency of this distillery. Brilliant.
Class of their own
We showcase the results from this year's Independent Bottlers' Challenge.
September 2009, Issue 82, page 8
New Classics
The autumn is always an exciting time for whisky collectors and connoisseurs. There are generally a number of exciting limited edition releases,targeted at the gift market,and this year is no exceptio...
November 2006, Issue 60, page 18
Norwegian whisky paradise
Joe Bates Gardermoen shops offer taxed locals whisky paradise
January 2007, Issue 61, page 55
On the spice trail
Martine Nouet takes a walk on the spiced side of life.
October 2009, Issue 83, page 52
The Miller's Tale
Another fascinating 12 months in the world of whisky, then. The trend for small independents buying distilleries from large multinationals goes on. Announcements of new smaller-scale distilling projec...
March 2003, Issue 29, page 5
Winter Warmers
Martine Nouet meets a chef with a passion for peat.
January 2010, Issue 85, page 54