Orkney 13 Year Old 2007 for Ypres Whisky Friends

The boys of the Ypres Whisky Friends – who already delighted us with a (teaspooned) Laphroaig and an excellent Annandale – presented their third club bottling on 30 June: a Highland Park – even if it's not on the label. You know how that goes. What surprised me was that it got a finish on an ex-Glen Moray barrel. A strange choice that I have been trying to wrap my head around for a few days now. After all, they do not come from the same stable and do not share any history (Glen Moray was owned by Glenmorangie PLC until 2008 and was sold to La Martiniquaise, while Highland Park belongs to the Edrington stable). But anyway, no matter. Just let's taste and see what that meant for this pale Orkney malt. Okay... let me start with a tip. If you have poured it, let it rest for 5 full minutes before inserting your nose into the glass. Do it sooner and HP is barely recognizable. Give it time to catch his breath and you will be very pleasantly surprised. Vanilla, apples, buttercups, heather, cake, white chocolate, but with a clear dash of DNA from the house. The smokiness is completely in the background here. This is quite summery (and that's a good thing with these temperatures). Creamy on the palate. Almost viscous, even. Although Glen Moray's playful white fruit (especially young apples) certainly comes to the fore, it is mainly Highland Park that rules (fortunately!) with maritime notes and a lot of Orkney peat that gives it both a salty edge and a good smokiness. I confess, it takes some getting used to, but it works. In the medium finish, HP’s character slowly fades away, giving me something like applesauce and cardboard on the deathbed. Bold choice, to be honest. But yes, those guys from Ypres are not afraid of that. You pay 85 EUR for a bottle.