Highland Park 23 Year Old 1982 Signatory Vintage

This Highland Park from Signatory Vintage is kept prisoner in an ugly bottle with an even uglier tube, but obviously that is besides the point. It is what is inside that matters. It is a very pale 23 year old single cask HP.

The nose starts very closed. Give it time and you will get mostly heather and lemon. Woodspice makes it a bit prickly. Drop of bergamot oil. But all very light. After about five minutes it begins to gain some character. Pineapple cubes, almond paste and freshly cut grass.

It is slightly oily in the mouth, but very soft (rather flat, actually). It cannot fulfil the (not very big) promise of the nose. Slightly metallic. Ginger and white pepper. Citrus and something cardboardy. Or jute. Nee, it is chalk! I am somewhat underwhelmed.

The finish is pretty long on citrus and hay, with a nice whiff of smoke.

Mediocre HP with a twist.

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