March 2, 2016

Highland Park, the sequel to the sequel

Because three sessions are better than just two, given Highland Park’s importance, and the results of the two previous sessions. But I promise there won’t be a fourth HP session this week.

Highland Park 20 yo 1995/2015 (50%, Gordon & MacPhail, Exclusive for The Whisky Mercenary, refill hogshead, cask #1485, 325 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: starts bone dry, grassy and barleyish, with an obvious lemony side. It’s only after a good thirty seconds that rounder and sweeter fruity notes come through, such as ripe gooseberries. Quite some acacia honey too, which makes it pleasantly nectary. With water: even grassier and chalkier. Touches of hay and porridge. Mouth: sharpish, starting zesty and grassy, just like on the nose, with lemons and cider apples everywhere, and a slightly acrid smokiness that goes well with this context. It’s also quite ashy and mineral. With water: it’s the coastal saltiness that comes out, together with even more smoke, you’d almost believe we’re on Skye. Finish: long, salty, ashy, smoky. The barley’s returning in the aftertaste, and it would come with touches of bitter oranges. Comments: probably one of the smokiest and driest HPs I could try. Some kind of bespoke batches? I find it very good, if really unusual. SGP:363 - 87 points.

While we’re at G&M’s…

Highland Park 19 yo 1970/1989 (52.9%, Gordon & MacPhail, 75cl)

How many glorious HPs under this unassuming label? I’m not sure I ever tried one that’s been even marginally disappointing. Colour: gold. Nose: funny, this noses exactly like a 40yo Alsatian riesling that would have become a tad ‘Madeirised’. Soft mustard, walnut wine, old books, retsina, chocolate, perhaps grapefruits, wet gravel, humus, wee whiffs of black truffle, something slightly sour (some kind of cheese, perhaps)… As we often say, the jury’s still out, hasn’t it gone off? With water: oh no, this is pure, peaty, earthy, and leafy HP. Absolutely adore the touches of camphor. Mouth (neat): oh no no no. I mean, yes yes yes. It is an extremely big beast, extremely punchy, almost aggressive, and very dry and ashy. More mushrooms, cocoa, bitter herbs, some tobacco, walnuts… This baby really hits you behind your ears, and yet, the strength not that high! A little un-HP so far. With water: as often, you have to add the right amount of water, that is to say enough to make it easier, but too much or it’ll get cardboardy. Anyway, we managed, and got a wonderful citrusy, earthy, and rather smoky combination. Some marmalade too. Finish: very long, rather on green tea this time, with a waxy side and more bitter oranges. Comments: this one was hard to tame, but then it’s very rewarding. A bit like Coltrane’s last records, if I may. SGP:453 - 92 points.

Good, after two very dry ones, let’s try to find a rounder HP and we’ll be done.

Highland Park 1996/2014 (56.8%, Malts of Scotland, for Rome Whisky Festival, bourbon hogshead, cask #MoS 15004, 245 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: it’s more bourbony, for sure, with much more vanilla and maple syrup than in the others, but there are also lovely floral notes (dandelions), plus quinces and perhaps williams pears. It seems that this is a rounder one, but let’s see… With water: not at all. Grass, earth, mint, hay… Mouth (neat): starts rounded and even honeyed, but a grassy cavalry is soon to arrive. Bitter herbs, eating grass (when you’re playing rugby – or if you’re Christiano Ronaldo), green pepper… This is getting really pungent and fierce, quick, water… With water: again one that we tamed, but more oaky tones came out. Walnut skins, strong black tea… Finish: rather long but quite ‘sawdusty’. Comments: this baby’s got two sides. One’s quite perfect, but the other one’s a little too drying/oaky for my taste. SGP:361 - 80 points.

(And merci Jean-Michel)

Check the index of all Highland Park I've tasted so far