
September 13, 2016

Little duets, today sharp Highland Park

We’re still doing it ‘slow’ sometimes. We're still having 30°C in Alsace, not ideal... BTW don't distilleries contribute a lot to global warming?

Highland Park 16 yo 1999/2016 (56.6%, Gordon & MacPhail, The Whisky Exchange, first fill bourbon barrel, cask #4260)

I just cannot see what could go wrong here. Colour: white wine (indeed). Nose: it’s the austere, straight, rather grassy/mineral side of HP that’s showcased here, at first nosing at least. A very minimal smokiness, then rather quite some hay, with only faint touches of greengages and other plums. Not a very extravagant HP so far. With water: gets even a little shy. Hello? Mouth (neat): oh this is very funny! Rhubarb and gooseberries, smoked. So there’s an acidic side, but there’s some green pepper as well, so you could almost use this baby to season your salads. Yes, that’s meant as a compliment. With water: the lemon comes out, and it would come with a little honey and orange blossom water. Still not a wham-bam HP, having said that. Finish: medium, quite zesty, lemony, ‘narrow’. Sauvignony. Comments: good and even very good, just not very demonstrative. Not sure it benefits from water. SGP:451 - 85 points.

Highland Park 21 yo 1994/2015 (52.6%, Douglas Laing, Extra Old Particular, refill hogshead, 228 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: feels a bit first fill, especially after the 1999, with much more vanilla and tinned fruits, peaches, pears, whatever, but there’s also a coastal meloniness (S.!) ala Bruichladdich. No, really. Hints of ‘green’ earth and hay as well. Very nice indeed, easier and more joyful than the excellent, but austere 1999. With water, with much viscimetry: light honeys and ripe plums. Custard. Really gentle, and very attractive. Mouth (neat): did you know that Haribo owned Highland Park? They do make their grapefruit and lemon-flavoured babies and beans and crocodiles up there, serious. This is proof! With water: really good, easy, zesty, fresh… Finish: same. Medium length. Comments: faultless fresh and clean zesty HP from a fairly active yet not dominating cask. One could quaff litres of this kind… Now it’s rather less ‘old Highlands’ than others, the spirit’s cleaner and ‘easier’. SGP:551 - 87 points.

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