
November 12, 2019

Little duos, today two 15 yo HPs

I know, HP, always HP… But not my fault if I like them!

Highland Park 15 yo 2003/2018 (50.3%, The Whisky Agency and Liquor Library, barrel)

More crazy Mad Max stuff by the Liquor Library in Melbourne. Colour: white wine. Nose: bang, it’s Mad-Maxesque indeed, starting a little spirity, getting then supremely coastal and chalky, with almost no wood in the way (not to mention wine) and bags of lemons, green apples, and even oysters. Pretty prototypical Highland Park totally au naturel. With water: earth, leaven and porridge up. Sour bread, and just a touch of latte. Mouth (neat): but what a distillate! Sharp, lemony, chalky, sooty, slightly smoky, salty, and marginally bready/yeasty. A touch of chocolate, perhaps, and a good maltiness. Roasted malt. With water: bingo! Lemons, citrons, brine, chalk, some kind of mineral smokiness… What more does the people want? Finish: rather long, very clean, precise, refreshing, and calling for more. Comments: there’s no shortage of great natural HPs these days, I think we should take advantage of that situation.
SGP:462 - 91 points.

Highland Park 15 yo 2003/2019 (58.2%, OB for Wu Dram Clan Whisky Society, 1st fill sherry, cask #6162, 628 bottles)

Highland Park 15 yo 2003/2019 (58.2%, OB for Wu Dram Clan Whisky Society, 1st fill sherry, cask #6162, 628 bottles)
One little question, is it mandatory to like Wu Tan Clan and hip-hop to enjoy this little HP? I hope not!... Colour: brown amber. Nose: this is completely different, and you would be forgiven for thinking this is chocolate sauce, had you nosed this blind. You could add that you’re also finding leather and tobacco, as well as notes of tomato sauce and roast jus. And oloroso. With water: a wonderful sherry-y sourness, probably a little challenging to the beginner, but we both aren’t beginners, are we? Mouth (neat): not as thick as I had thought, but certainly very spicy, hinting at some new oak seasoned with sherry. Big pepper, oloroso-y notes, old walnuts, caraway and cloves, and even more pepper – and chilli. Arrabiata sauce, perhaps? With water: expands and relaxes, that’s cool. More on chocolate, raisins, walnut and coffee liqueur, Xmas cake, sloe, juniper, aquavit… Finish: long, spicy, peppery. Bitter chocolate and myrtle liqueur in the aftertaste. Comments: it was a little challenging at times, but we like a challenge, especially a very spicy one. Because spices are life, as they say in India (while cooking vindaloo) or Mexico (while preparing suicide burritos)…
SGP:471 - 89 points.

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