Whisky Connosr
Menu
Buy Whisky Online

Highland Park 18 Year Old

Sweet Smoke!

0 490

@jwiseReview by @jwise

17th Jan 2011

0

Highland Park 18 Year Old
  • Nose
    ~
  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
    ~
  • Overall
    90

Show rating data charts

Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

It has been my opinion since tasting this dram last year that it was only slightly better than Highland Park 12yr. However, I never gave it a good tasting, so I picked up another 5cl miniature to give it another go.

This is a 43% ABV bottling, with a nice copper hue to the whisky.

Nose: Sweet -n- salty are the first aromas that hit me. Smoke, and really nice peat notes. The subdued peat is complemented by the sea air on the nose. The sweet smoke is growing. Apples & pears: freshly sliced & sprinkled w/ cinnamon. Slight ginger?

Body: Lively, with a firm mouth feel.

Palate: Warming spice, w/ sweet Honeycrisp apples dipped in caramel. Smokiness. Salt & pepper.

Finish: Sweet smoke! This is a real winner. Smooth w/ spice, lingering on the long finish.

Intensely satisfying. This whisky adds a layer of smokiness to what is otherwise my favorite profile: sweet & spicy. The only way to get this better is to push the ABV north of 50%, maybe 56-58%? Heck, just give it to me at cask strength.

My new mission: find an independent bottling of sherried Highland Park bottled at cask strength.

Enjoying this dram with a cigar just brings out the best of its character.

Related Highland Park reviews

4 comments

@jwise
jwise commented

This is REALLY head-and-shoulders above the 12yr, which is also a great dram.

13 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@jwise, good to hear that in this case the consumer gets added value for twice the money. It is not always so.

13 years ago 0

@jwise
jwise commented

The HP 12yr is good, but it is missing the sweet and the smoke of the 18yr. The predominant flavor in the HP 12yr is the sea spray salt, with the sherry and smoke playing 2nd and 3rd fiddle. The 18yr puts the sweet smoke up front, where it belongs!

13 years ago 0

@Pudge72
Pudge72 commented

@jwise, it might be worth your while to travel to Illinois to continue your quest for a CS version of HP...check out this Chicago area store's listings for HP products... binnys.com/spirits/search/…

13 years ago 0