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Highland Park 16
Island Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£35
Twenty (20!) days since my last Dr. Whisky post and it is not for lack of dramming. Been crazy busy with work and the whiskevangelism has taken me west to Chicago, further to San Francisco and LA, south to Tampa and Miami with roadtrips to Boston, Washington and Philadelphia in between. And yes, a few drams have been had. Have been very fortunate to meet many amazing folks and to see the best and worst bits of this disparate and expansive land. Stories to come in my published chronicles, "Dr. Whisky's Casebook"... heheh.
I recently met Martin Daraz, Highland Park's Ambassador here in the USA. Martin is infected with a sharp wit and the only remedy is, you guessed it, uisge. He insisted on calling me DOCTOR so I insist on featuring some HP sauce on my return to the mission. This expression is only available at Duty Free in the UK (elsewhere?)
Tasted with PK. His notes appear in quotes. For all Highland Parks had on the mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Cocktail orange. "Bright notes, a lot of candy, fresh, open feeling as well. Candy floss" Slightly winey, honeyed. Woody, "yeah, like fresh construction." This oaky element develops over time, with malty sweetness, opening up to melon and green strawberries. "A light hint of darkness, not ebony, but mahogany. Goes towards the dark."
Dry at first with a candied plum, and a flambéed sugar toastiness. "It's got a bite. Definitely." Floral and sweet like white port ("yeah, vin santo"), some sherry spiciness, but dry and quite oaky. Grapefruit. Lavender candies. And again, oak.
SUMMARY:
Patience is this dram's friend. With time and air "it suits a spring-feel, bright notes and playfulness. Warm sunlight in cool air, blossoms and, I don't want to go over the top here, but sort of free (hand genstures), you know what I mean?" It must be said, Paul is expressive in art and music as well as whisky-soaked verbiage.
I loved taking my time with this and each nosing or tasting brought new impressions. Distinctly different from the 12 or 18 year olds, and endlessly fascinating. Just enough dry edge to to be puckering and encourage another sip. Might match very well with creamy sweetness like creme brulée or certain cheeses. And the Scotch Chix dug it.
Malt Mission #316
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Malt Mission #320
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Highland Park 1990 16 yo
The Single Malts of Scotland
Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
46% abv
£35
Highland Park was built in the same year as Tobermory (tasted Tuesday), 1798. Sometimes lovingly refered to as HP sauce, Highland Park is well known for adding depth of flavour to blended whiskies. But Highland Park is a respected brand as a single malt, winning awards and accolades the world over. Michael Jackson has called it 'the greatest all-rounder in the world of whisky" and F. Paul Pacult decided the 18yo was "The Best Spirit in the World" in 2005.
Highland Park shares at least one unique feature with Glenmorangie and Bunnahabhain (among others), and that is the use of hard, mineral-rich water in the production of its whisky. Most distilleries source their water from springs or burns with soft water, water with little or no calcium or magnesium ions and the old rule of thumb for distilling was "soft water, through peat, over granite."
Orcadians, the people who live in the Orkney islands, have a special history quite separate from that of the rest of Scotland. Neolithic tribes inhabited the islands before the Picts, and Orcadians also have heritage ties to the Norse who annexed the islands in 875 and ruled until 1472. The flag of Orkney is exactly like that of Norway, with yellow replacing white around the cross.
This is another bottling from The Single Malts of Scotland range from The Whisky Exchange/Speciality Drinks. For more info, or to read about other Highland Parks tasted on the Malt Mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Perfumy, but in an odd way; like scented candles or fake plastic fruit. Some pear, shortbread, and vanilla. The processed impressions remain: newspaper, CD cases, pomade. Really interesting and unusual. After some minutes tropical impressions come to the fore. Islands irie, Jamaica no problem.
Big malty impact, nutty and very spicy, with cumin and sumac. Bubblegum underneath a spicy herbal concoction, like some European homeopathic extract that is supposed to prevent against illness/remedy baldness/cure cancer. Finish, or the lingering flavours, have been different with every sip so I really have no note that would be fair to share. Medium-long, in any event.
SUMMARY:
Not for the casual drinker, this is an experience. Changes a great deal with time in the glass and with water, but remains a odd-ball. To be enjoyed among friends and discussion. Tried all the standard bottlings from Highland Park? Interested in what else goes on in the dark corners of their warehouses? This is for you.
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Highland Park 15 yo (1990)
Island Single Malt
The Alchemist (Gordon Wright)
46% abv
£37
We will end the Edinburgh-themed week with two other drops I was allowed to enjoy while in Edinbugh. This one I tried at Matt and Mariah's flat in Leith after Malt Mission 61. Big thanks guys. And yummy mashed potatoes!!!
This is an Achemist bottling from Gordon Wright who used to work at the distillery his family owns, Springbank, as well as being a co-founder of the reborn Bruichladdich distillery. He is a passionate man when it comes to whisky, but his Alchemist label brings attention to other spirits, calvados, and armagnac (so far). He is, I gather, quite involved in the The Whisky School, the very website/organisation that held a video competition (we entered this video) with a desirable prize and never, to my knowledge awarded any contributor. Further, my emails about this have gone unanswered. Weak.
If you want more info about Highland Park please see these posts.
Written on the side of the bottle is the following, "I created Alchemist to bring together the world's most carefully crafted aged spirits. The selection of this fine example was made with expertise born of many years in Single Malt Scotch Whisky, firstly at my family's distillery-Springbank- and latterly at Bruichladdich. You will value its magical properties and purity." Despite the awkward second sentence, we venture to see if the third is true.
Matt's impressions are in quotes.
TASTING NOTES:
"Fresh sea air, then thickening with leather and pepper," or peppery leather like beef jerky... without the beef? Ice cubes, some kind of candy, fake fruit essence, "Malibu rum and pineapple." Floral, like the heathery stuff on Arthur's Seat. Raw almonds.
"That's amazing."
Did you just say that?
"Yeah, I really enjoy that."
Great movement between bourbony oak, truffles and earth to the synthetic fruits and tropical sun creams/suntan lotion, ending with dry oak, "a little bit of nuttiness," and dust in a cold basement.
SUMMARY:
Revisted after some time, "more malt. fruit becomes less tropical, more citrus-y". Clouds immediately in the glass so you know all the tasty oils are in there waiting to be enjoyed. Overall, we quite enjoyed this Highland Park, but figure it would take more than one dram to notice its "magical properties"
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Highland Park 1976
Single Cask Single Malt Whisky
Bourbon Cask, #4508
52.7%abv
£195.00
The third Highland Park to be enjoyed in this malt mission, creating Highland Park bookends to week 8. EIGHT!!! I can't believe this is still going... and currently, I have at least two more weeks lined up, with more in the works. THANK YOU!
I have already told you about the distillery and some of the notable facts in its history. But what I think is just amazing, and puts this whole single malt craze in perspective, is to realise that in 1989, when Michael Jackson published his first "Malt Whisky Companion" (currently in 5th edition) he had only a Gordon&Macphail 8yo(cask sample), a distillery bottling 12yo, and 24you cask sample from Cadenhead's. It wasn't until 1997 that the 18yo and the 25yo were launched and 2005 that the 30yo came into the market. Additionally, please note the pic to the right is not the exact vintage tasted, but of the same design.
I think it is important to note these facts because from the current perspective of a whisky market that is spilling open with new releases, finishes, single cask bottlings, new independent bottlers, etc., it is easy to take it all for granted as the way things have always been. In fact, the last time things were so good for the whisky industry, a crash followed, and the time before that, led to an even bigger one. If I have time this weekend(my Unc is in town) I will write more about this fragility and the future of whisky in part 3 of my blends series.
For now, let's drink this baby, distilled in my year of birth... Happy 40th, malt mission!
TASTING NOTES:
Very hidden, closed nose. Will need water as trying to dig deeper with my nose leads to a pretty big prickle(53%!). I wait and it does start to open up: vanilla and cinnamon, but in an artificial scent, like cleaning agents, or scented candles. Saffron and clove infused basmati rice. Quite complex, but a struggle to pull each piece out. Time helps this beauty open up, glad I didnt add water. Finally, I get banana bread, waffles, sweet baked goods. Maple and smoke. Vinegar and salt. Musty leather, wood, and polished brass, like an antique market.
Gorgeous mouth feel with flavours that go from grainy like rye to smoky to salty to licorice to fresh churned butter with smoked salmon... There's more, I just can't type fast enough. Great chewiness, pipe tobacco, an almost bitter edge like raw grains or good Danish rye bread (I already said that...) Weaving, always moving, quite exhilarating in the way the flavours are active and swirling to the senses. Finish alternates between smoke from doused fire on one hand and a lovely vanilla, bourbony sweetness with some burnt edge, like creme brulée. Anise at the dryest end of the finish. And that is only based on two sips! This stuff delivers.
SUMMARY:
Stellar. Tastes expensive. I couldnt keep up with all the impressions I was getting, which is fantastic. I can see one serving lasting me a long time. At the price, it would have to. Worth every penny, tho, if you have that many pennies.
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Highland Park 12yo
Orkney Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£24
$52.15(CAD)
$48.00(USD)
KAY'S DRAM
Week EIGHT(8) of this Malt Mission, and we are going to start things a little differently.
Our local pub, The Brownswood Park Tavern, has welcomed us like family since we moved from Edinburgh to our peaceful little corner of Hackney in September. Sadly, the beautiful publicans from Northern Ireland, Billy and Kay, have suffered a few tragedies since we have known them.
First, their 14 year old German Shepherd, appropriately named 'Whisky', passed away in October. Then a month later, Billy's mother passed away back in Ireland. Time passed and we had many great nights locked-in with Billy, Kay, and a few bottles of whisky. We were very lucky to have our guests and visitors meet them and be so welcomed by them. No visitor left without wishing they could have spent more nights at the Brownswood. We were so happy to have been able to spend New Years in our neighbourhood and countdown to midnight at the Brownswood. Yes, the champagne was probably something a Frenchman would have frowned at, but the warmth of the place was something we will never forget.
Most recently, Kay, Billy's wife* of 20 years, passed away. Her funeral is tomorrow.
On Thursday, I bumped into Billy on the street and he looked awful. Naturally. Tired and pale, unkempt, and full of sorrow. I hugged him, said very little, and walked away wishing I had said more, offered any help I could, asked him how he is keeping, etc.
At 11.50am on Sunday, with Kristin's brother Espen and his girlfriend Hanne with us, we walked past the pub and saw Billy inside. His face absolutely lit up. He quickly unlocked the doors and invited us in. We introduced our guests to Billy as we always do and in all the fragility of a mourner he was as kind and warm as ever. He asked us to join him for a drink and we couldnt refuse.
He poured us typically huge drams of Highland Park 12 and with the pain and sadness lurking beneath the surface of every happy story he told, the spirit could not have been more satisfying and each of ours could not have been more lifted.
So for us, Highland Park 12yo will now always be Kay's Dram, a warming, gentle, complicated, interesting and satisfying spirit, one that sometimes needs to be taken to bed, and we look forward to enjoying many more with Billy... and any other spirits that may be lurking in the Brownswood.
*- they were never legally married, as they are both married to other people, but were wed by a ships captain on a ferry 20 years ago.
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Highland Park 18yo
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
43% abv
£50
$117.95(CAD)
$76.00(USD)
NOMINATED in the 2008 DRAMMIES
*Bang for Buck
Vote HERE (before Mar 6, 2009)
This cold can't win!!! Week 5 of this malt mission is in the bag.
The 8th oldest (producing) distillery located WAY north on the Orkney Islands, it's time for some HP sauce. For now, Highland Park is the northernmost whisky distillery in Scotland as Blackwood distillery on the Shetlands is not yet producing whisky. Famously dubbed "the greatest all rounder in the world of whisky," (MJ) Highland Park is positioning itself to enter the top 10 selling single malts over the next 5 years and have launched their line in new, award winning, packaging.
Unusual for distilleries, HP's water is hard and many feel that this has a great influence on the unique character of its whisky. Only 4 other distilleries have hard water, and there is a myth that soft water is necessary for the production of good whisky. Highland Park is one of the few remaining distilleries that malt part(20%) of their own barley needs. The peat is cut locally and used to add flavour to the barley. Orkney played an important role in the two world wars (more on Scapa Flow). During WWII, the distillery's washbacks (10 Oregon pine, 2 Siberian larch) were used as bathtubs by many of the Canadian forces stationed nearby.
TASTING NOTES:
Spicy and sweet, honey, citrus, flowers, salt, cream. Slight smoke and charred wood. Cloves. Sweet and sour chinese food smell, vinegar, lemon, sugar and soy saltiness.
Smoke up front, which i didnt expect. Cocoa and ground coffee. Flavours change substantially in the mouth, very exciting. Sweet, salty and oily, like salted butter. Big flavours. I have left the chinese restaurant and am now getting a Greek restaurant. Seasoned rice, coal grill, herbs and vine leaves, olive oil. Finish is long and firm, active in all parts of the mouth, esp back corners by molar teeth, quite unusual. Sexy stuff.
SUMMARY:
I have two bottlings of this stuff on my shelf, one the old(er) packaging and the newest packaging(pictured right, above and below respectively). There are slight differences in taste and whether or not it is only incidental, it is still worth notin (The newer one is oilier and much sweeter, for example). Raises the question whether or not whisky distillers should cherish consistency so much, or rather celebrate the variety. They could start vintage statements on standard bottlings(like Macallan does?). I dunno. Anyways, have some if you can. It is not easily accessible at the price tag, but well worth the price in my mind. Especially as Macallan 18, for example, is at least £10 more expensive here and more than twice as expensive in Canada and the US(!)
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