mithion started a discussion
11 years ago
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Highland park 12 tasting question
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two_bitcowboy replied
I've not experienced what you're describing so can't offer a solution. Here, though, is a link to a recent blog post by Lew Bryson that offers some detailed info about how HP is made:
11 years ago 0
mithion replied
I heard about a common problem with sherry casks. They use some type of sulphur candle to sterilize the wood after having contained sherry wine. But I'm not familiar with sulphur and how it tastes. I always associated it with rotten eggs. What I smelled and tasted in the HP wasn't rotten egg. However, it's entirely possible that sulphur in the context of whisky has a different equality disgreable character. Sulphur or not, the only way I can describe the off character was as burnt rubber. And I don't recall detecting it when the bottle was freshly opened. I remember it having a gentle pleasant smokiness.
11 years ago 0
systemdown replied
Interesting.. wouldn't rule out sulphur. Most recent whisky I've had with clear burnt rubber note is the Ardbeg Galileo, although it is peated way higher than HP 12 and I don't know if that rubber note comes from casks or from the production process. In this case the rubber note was far from bad - it was more complementary and added complexity.
Also had a sulphured Mortlach with flint, matches and "burnt" notes which I could imagine could be interpreted as rubber also - if you ever had the chance to try a known sulphured whisky, I wonder what you'd make of it.
RE: not being present when you first opened the bottle - simple explanation for its development is that as whisky oxidises over time, compounds break down and release tightly held molecules - in your particular case, burnt rubber (perhaps some sulphur compounds in there).
I'm yet to smell "rotten eggs" in whisky, thankfully. That would be a turn off for me.
11 years ago 0
mithion replied
@systemdown Yeah, it seems some intense chemistry has happened in the two months since I opened. I'm aware that whisky changes once it's opened, but I didn't expect to change so dramatically for one, and in so short a period for second. The only way I can determine if there is something wrong with my bottle or if it's a normal development for HP or peated whiskys in general is to wait a year, and buy another bottle from a different retailer. Unless someone with experience with HP steps in and can confirm how HP is suppose to taste two months down the road. At this point, I can't imagine myself enjoying the second half of the bottle very much.
11 years ago 1Who liked this?
mithion replied
I'm thinking of trying an experiment. Instead of purchasing another bottle of HP down the road to see if the first one was bad, I'd like to try a similar whisky from a different distillery. This way, if I still detect the same nasty rubber character in both whiskys, it's probably my palate that is the problem. If the rubber isn't detected in the second bottle, there is a good chance my bottle of HP was bad. With that said, what do you recommend for a whisky similar to HP 12? And probably the key component to needs to be matched the closest between the two whiskys would be the level of peatiness.
11 years ago 0
I have a question about highland park 12. I'm still quite new to the world of single malts but about two months ago, I bought myself my first bottle of single malt scotch, and after doing a lot of research I landed on HP 12. After cracking it open and sampling it for the first time, I felt it was an amazing experience. As many of you know, HP is a great balanced whisky with a little of everything in it. And my first sample reflected that.
About a month ago, I decided to have another glass for my birthday. This time however, I discovered what I could only describe as a burnt rubber note in it. It was both in the aroma and in the taste. The setting was a bit busy and didn't think much of it. However, I can't shake of the sense that the rubber taste/smell wasn't there when I first opened that bottle. Yesterday, I decided to try another glass and this time the character seemed to have grown in presence to the point where it dominates the character of the malt. At the levels where they are now, it's becomed quite unpleasant. And even taking my time and drink my small glass over nearly 45 mins, the character persisted.
I'd hate to think what was one of my favorite whiskey's so far has now turned bad. But is this a normal characteristics for HP 12. It's currently the only whisky I own that has a good deal of peat to it, so is the burnt rubber character a trademark of peated whisky, or is there something wrong with the bottle. It's only about 2 months old and about halfway full.