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Highland Park 12 Year Old

A Smooth Orkadian

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@DaveWorthingtonReview by @DaveWorthington

4th Jan 2012

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Highland Park 12 Year Old
  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Overall
    90

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

I bought this bottle of Highland Park in September as my 'official' monthly bottle. It came highly recommended and had been on my wish list since starting my whisky journey at the end of 2010. It was #19 in whisky discovery(my blog explains it all). I’m coming to the end of this bottle and thought I should write it a glowing reference, although I’m sure it doesn’t need one from me.

All the way from the Orkney’s, The Highland Park 12 is rich and smoky.

Made from barley malted over burning peat, this Highland malt has a smoky sweetness and a glowing amber colour.

Smoothly luxurious and tingling with spices and hints of lemon and orange peel through to a subtle finish of peatiness. I even love the nose of the empty glass (and it’s only empty if I have to go to bed).

With a delicious sweetness (heather-honey is their preferred description) and a warming, silky mouth feel, this is a whisky that that has really impressed me.

I have just a few drams left, which I’m looking forward to finishing this evening. It will be on my wish list immediately and I’m very keen to try other expressions from this distillery.

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4 comments

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Toastbongo commented

I agree with your review entirely - I gave it 90 too! I also like your Whisky blog. It's very cheerful and I thought I'd say that I also use Ian Buxton's 101 whiskies to try before you die as a sort of wishlist!

12 years ago 0

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Toastbongo commented

I also have to ask - where did you get Macallan Fine Oak for under £20?! I have a friend who ran a bar and used to get fairly unbelievable deals when he bought in bulk from suppliers, but to get such a deal from a supermarket is fantastic!

12 years ago 0

@DaveWorthington
DaveWorthington commented

Toastbongo The Macallan Fine Oak I picked up at Costco, and with VAT added came to just under £20. I saw it in Tescos at the weekend and it was around £25. Saw Macallan 10 Year Old Sherry Finish for under £17 in the same store - though no bottles left on Sunday. I got one of those for Christmas too and looking forward to opening that later.

12 years ago 0

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Toastbongo commented

Ah - I have a Booker one, so I'll have to wait on that one! Personally I rate the Fine Oak as much better than the Sherry, which I found to be a bit too soft - it goes down like a dream, but I'm not sure I found much else to rate about it (admittedly I was at my friend's bar and had probably tasted about 10 whiskies beforehand, so my judgment was not at its best!)

Oh, next time you get a bottle of HP, see what you think of it after leaving it open for a couple of months. @Victor has an excellent review of it on here as a comparative tasting and I've left a half-drunk bottle open for a couple of months to try it myself!

12 years ago 0

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