Highland Park Dragon Legend

Highland Park loves to profile itself with the slogan ‘best spirit in the world’, but many aficionados were somewhat disappointed with the distillery of late. The official releases are too many too fast and much too expensive. ‘Is it still about quality or is it all about quantity?’, I often hear. And still. From time to time a lovely HP is released at a normal price, like this Dragon Legend that costs less than 50 EUR. Let’s give it a chance, I say.

It offers a very sweet nose on caramel and toffee, joined by apples, cherries, citrus and some dark plums. Somewhat waxy. Hint of white chocolate. Just a bit of Orkney peat offers some soft smoke and notes of heather. But all in all, this is a quite pleasant nose.

The body is crap. Almost watery. Pity. But the taste is ok. It starts on salted caramel and toffee apples with a lovely spiciness from the oak, before the woodsmoke and peat kick in. It becomes syrupy sweet and creamy, which is a pleasant surprise.

The finish is the trump card, for that is truly good. Medium long, a touch smoky and warm with some hazelnuts and toffee at the death.

Dragon Legend refers to the legend of Sigurd, a folk hero who received wisdom by drinking the blood of the defeated dragon Fafnir. Oh, well. Nice, typical HP that certainly does what it should as entry level malt. Thanks, Manny!

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