Highland Park 12 Year Old

Nose: Honey malt, buttermilk cereal--to put it nicely (could also qualify as baby vomit and oatmeal, depending on your tastes), soft, damp peat smoke... Way in the background you get some fresh crisp fruits but you really have to search for 'em.

Taste: Much nicer, fresher, than the nose suggests. The honey cereal starts off the arrival, then some wood spice (nutmeg cinnamon) and pepper, progressing to stewed dark tea.

Finish: Tea notes and spice evolve into a very mild mannered smokiness. Finish isn't very long, but is very pleasant--warming. The smokiness fades getting sweeter as it leaves. Faint hints of malt come back just before the finish completes.

Summary: It's a shame about the nose on this one because it's really a nice balanced whisky otherwise--particularly the finish. A great evolution from sweet and earthy to smokey spice and back again.

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