Highland Park from 1970 to the 30s

December 24, 2014

... And from Whiskyfun too!

Xmas

Our Christmas tasting,
Highland Park from 1970 to the 30s

All right, I’ve been toying with several ideas for this year’s Christmas tasting. Various old malts, a best of malternatives, or our ‘traditional’ Clynelish or Brora session, but in the end, my good old friend Olivier won. I mean, Highland Park won. And these are not going to be just any Highland Parks, mind you, because I really wanted to celebrate, an to go a little crazier than usual. Ready?...

Highland Park 8 yo 1970/1978 (86.8° US proof, Averys for Corti Brothers)

One of the earlier independent bottlers, Bristol-located Averys’ whiskies are rarely to be seen these days. It’s really a thrill to be able to try ‘old young unsherried’ Highland Park, this baby should be pretty smoky… Colour: white wine (all natural, hurray!) Nose: indeed it’s smoky, and extremely mineral and herbal. As flinty as a wine by Didier Dagueneau, as inky as the Sunday Times, and as grassy as a freshly mown Murrayfield under the rain. The smoke is rather of the medicinal kind, so rather Laphroaiggy, I’d say. The palate should as sharp as a blade… Mouth: a little sweeter than expected, so rather towards demi-sec chenin (like), but indeed very peaty, almost acrid. Burnt herbs, a drop of heather honey, some green pepper, something oily (grape pips oil?) - and, guess what, much less citrus than in other relatively big peaters from that time. Very little fruitiness actually. Good solid body. Finish: long, acrid, ashy and grassy. This feeling of ink and pepper again in the aftertaste. Comments: this baby’s really austere, I can see why sherry casks could have made this more… sexy? SGP:273 - 85 points.

Highland Park 12 yo 1966/1978 (86.8° US proof, Averys for Corti Brothers)

I had tried a 1966 by Duthie for Corti Bros back in 2006, that one had been very unusual. But this one’s younger… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: this one feels even younger than the 1966, while it’s certainly got a less smoke and mineral notes. Having said that there are more fruits, rather around not-too-ripe white ones, apples, rhubarb, green apples… Then these whiffs of ‘old tin box full of old coins’ – so yes it’s pretty metallic – and then a few farmy notes, hay… It’s certainly a little steely, and with this profile it could well be a blade indeed (diving to new lows, Serge!) Mouth: superb! Very clean yet fatty/oily arrival, with notes of engine oil and lemon oil, that ink again, many aromatic herbs (dried parsley for sure – which I usually rather get in heavy sherry), then fantastic touches of grapefruits and limes. Well the parts aren’t that stupendous, but the whole is. Perfect fullness and oneness. Finish: long, very narrow, precise, smoky and mineral. The aftertaste is rather earthier, and smokier as well. A feeling of coal. Comments: perfect Old-Highland style, uncompromisingly austere yet again. What a spirit! SGP:373 - 91 points.

The Dragon (Highland Park) 20 yo (no ABV, Robertson, Kirkwall, +/-1986)

Another of these famous Dragons that all HP lovers… well, love. The label wouldn’t tell us much but the original buyer wrote on a back label that it was purchased from John Currie in August, 1986. So it’s a 1966 or from an older vintage. It’s “from a batch of 200 barrels, one of which is opened and bottled every so often”. The good old days… My favourite Dragon so far was a 1973 at 56.6% (WF 93). Colour: gold. Nose: wham. Instant complexity (how’s that possible?) with just anything a whisky lover would desire. Waxes, oils, dried fruits, antique aromatic mixtures, jams, chutneys and one olive. Ha. Really, the complexity is astounding, and it’s another ‘movie-malt’ rather than just a picture (like many modern whiskies). Should I have to pick only five aromas, I’d say old walnut liqueur, I’d say sweet mustard, I’d say Barbour grease, I’d say pitch and I’d add ‘a new box of cigars’. A-m-a-z-i-n-g. Mouth: oh sweet Vishnu! It’s huge (like 50% vol., I’d say), it’s powerful, it’s shock-full of old liqueurs and herbal teas, it’s phenolic, it’s smoky, it’s got dried bananas (nothing odd here), tobacco, leather, walnuts, marzipan, bitter oranges, mustard again, caraway… It’s just a wee bit drying towards the finish. Finish: indeed, this is very long, a tad acrid and even astringent, but otherwise absolutely marvellously astoundingly complex (that was three adverbs, S.) Eucalyptus drops in the aftertaste. Comments: thank you John Currie, you sold a stunning bottle back in 1986. SGP:562 - 94 points.

Highland Park 15 yo 1963/1978 (86.8° US proof, Averys for Corti Brothers)

Another one that was bottled in the summer of 1978, from two casks. That was another summer of love in California! Colour: gold. Nose: it’s a lady. How delicate, how complex, how subtle after the 1970 and 1966 by the same bottler. This 1963 has got more dried fruits, camphor, menthol, quince jelly, some stunning floral notes (elderflowers), whiffs of old oils and greases and waxes, some walnuts again, then delicate touches of damp earth and our beloved mushrooms. In a way, it’s a lighter version of the Dragon. A little fresh butter as well. Mouth: amen. Bigger than the nose suggested, and pretty unusual. There are flavours that are rarely to be seen in whisky, such as various vegetable soups (really), some lovely bitter nuts, or the insides of fruit stones, some kind of salty and maritime things… Could that be caviar? More classic tobacco after that, leather, smoked almonds, some polished wood (rather liquorice wood), mustard, even a little horseradish… It’s a little challenging at times, but don’t we like challenges? Finish: long, and unexpectedly salty and leafy. There’s a feeling of heavily smoked and salted fish. Comments: it’s fabulously unusual, and it even loses you sometimes. SGP:462 - 92 points.

Highland Park 15 yo 1963/1978 (70° UK proof, Averys, UK bottling)

This is the ‘British’ counterpart of the previous one. I know what you’re going to say, I should have had it before that one, because of its slightly lower strength. You’re right. Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s not the same batch, this one’s rather closer to the 1966 by the same excellent Averys. It’s got a little more smoke, though, but it’s also got sour notes that are a little less.. thrilling. Such as fresh rhubarbs and cider apples. Maybe also a little too much plasticine? Mouth: no, not really. It’s rather too metallic, sour, with notes of rooting fruits, especially oranges. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still great whisky, but the others just overshadow it. Finish: rather long but strangely bittersweet and sour. Sucking silverware while drinking lemon and pear juice. Comments: a bit of metal contamination may have happened here. It’s still very drinkable, and even kind of bright, so worth a more than decent score, but yeah, this can happen with very old bottles. SGP:362 - 75 points.

Now, how about the craziest head-to-head ever? Kind of? Drum roll…

Highland Park 40 yo

Highland Park 40 yo (43%, OB, black ceramic, rotation 1974, Aosta valley, Italy, good level)

Indeed this baby bears a tax seal from the Aosta valley in northern Italy. The rotation years are printed on an horizontal strip that’s on top of the necks. The fact that this was sold in 1974 goes to prove that these famous babies had been distilled way before WWII. Colour: very dark amber. Nose: oh this baby tells us many stories. It’s got cured ham, old liqueurs, embrocations, pinesap, cigars, polished wood, chestnut honey, roasted nuts, chartreuse, leather, even a little absinth… I agree, that’s pretty much everything whisky can have. I’d say its typical ‘old+old’ whisky, with some aromas tending to transform into something probably sappier. Let’s see…

Mouth: I say quite. Bottle ageing took its toll and while this has power and determination (what?), several transformations seem to have taken place in the decanter. The waxy and oily sides grew a little too big – yes that’s possible – while a slightly unpleasant meatiness took over at the fruit department. A curious feeling of mutton with mint sauce. All the rest remained rather impeccable, with some kind of salted honey and a peatiness that never gave up. So it’s all a little strange, but you wouldn’t expect such an old glory to taste like a modern NAS Scotch straight from Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Would you? Finish: rather long but the excessive sappy tones are too dominating. Comments: What can I say? It’s got flaws, but it would still beat many a modern bottle. Ah yes, this: careful with old stone decanters. SGP:382 - 78 points.

And now, one compadre that was sold one year earlier and on the other side of lovely Italy…

Highland Park 40 yo (43%, OB, black ceramic, rotation 1973, Adriatic import, Venezia, Italy, good level) By the way, I’ve added ‘good level’ because many old ceramics tend to be ¼ empty or more, even when unopened, which will change the whiskies, obviously. Colour: very dark amber. Nose: it may well be the same whisky as the previous one, but it’s actually very different, which may come from bottle ageing. In short, it’s got less sappy and resinous tones, and rather more straight fruits, around overripe apples, dried figs and dates, quinces, bergamots… Then more earth and cigars. It’s all a little more discreet, but let’s check the palate… Mouth: a monster! Well, not quite. ODE (Old Decanter Ageing, not the same thing as Old Bottle Ageing) took its toll once again, but this one is still vivid, clear, rather pure old Highland Park. Many teas, tobaccos, dried fruits, some smoke, a complex spice mix, red apples (isn’t it amazing that notes of fresh apples remained there after 40 years in wood plus 40 years in a decanter?) and then a growing leafiness. And quite a lot of leather. And it’s even tannic after all these years. Finish: long, a little sappy indeed, a little drying as well, and very tea-ish. Over-infused eucalyptus tea, perhaps. Comments: this baby’s still standing on its two feet, even if it’s about to lose one arm and a few teeth. My score will probably be a little too high, but who cares? SGP:472 - 85 points.

You see, tasting very old bottles can be akin to playing Russian roulette. It’s fun, but it’s dangerous. That’s why we’ll have only one more before we’re done. But as you may have guessed, this won’t be just any old Highland Park…

Highland Park 10 yo (20 U.P., OB, 1950s)

Or maybe late 1940s… Definitely pre-war distillation, bottled at 20 under proof, so 100-20=80 proof, that is to say 46% vol. To think that several contemporary bottlers are claiming that they have kind of ‘invented’ the glorious strength of 46% vol. ;-). It’s advertised as being ‘pot still pure malt’. No need to tell you that this ancient ‘St Magnus’ label is fantastic, no wonder the owners have replica-ed it on some of their recent bottlings. Well done! Colour: amber. Nose: oh no! I mean, yes! It’s a whole, it’s not a collection of aromas, just like the greatest wines. It’s actually hard to break it down into descriptors, but I could try. What’s striking me first is the earthiness that’s in this. Imagine you’re wandering in a long-forgotten mine or something… or a cave. There’s a mustiness, some saltpetre for sure, some mushrooms… Then you’re in an old garage, full of old cars (I could quote prestige makers but I won’t – or maybe Delahaye?), with scents of old leather, Bakelite, natural rubber, cardboard, used oil, concrete… Wait, how much time do we have? Yeah, so I’ll only add beeswax, old chartreuse and dried figs. There. Mouth: is there a language for this? Semantics? A vocabulary? Shall we even dare commenting on this? First, once again, it’s a whole. It’s not a jigsaw, it’s a Turner. Listen, I may have tried ten whiskies that were as ‘high’ as this in my whole tasting life, or maybe even less, and each and every time I couldn’t not think of Duke Ellington. That must be some kind of disease. The great Dave Broom has just written, in a great article in Whisky Advocate about the Islay Jazz Festival, that yours truly ‘can’t listen to jazz and taste whisky’. That is true. Because jazz already is in the greatest whiskies. And in this one there’s Duke Ellington. Oh and the whole Duke Ellington Orchestra, with Juan Tizol and all those guys. Oh hell, please call the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade before it’s too late. Finish: no comments. Comments (still): hasn’t this art been lost forever? SGP:463 - 96 points.

Merry Christmas, friends!

(with heartfelt thanks to Duke E., Olivier H., Max R. and Diego S.)

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback



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