I and the wife invited over a friend of mine and his fair wife for drinks. She drank Italian soda, while I pushed on her hubby, Mount Gay rum & coke, followed by Power's Gold and finally Highland Park 15 years. She watched with some consternation as I delivered my praise for Highland Park 15 with reverence that most people only see on Sunday mornings at their place of worship. In my case, my place of worship is wherever a bottle of HP 15 happens to be.
As my sermon proceeded, my friend's wife seemed to grow more worried . . . "Mike! We are in the presence of greatness!"
or how about:
"God has smiled upon our glasses!"
or
"I declare jihad on bad whisky!"
With that last comment, our respective wives gave stares that cooled us down, in spite of the balmy weather.
Highland Park is a distillery that is incapable of producing a disappointing dram. HP15 is no exception. And! HP15 really is the summer dram of the Highland Park line-up. It is lighter than the 12 and 18 years old, less popular, but great. Highland Park can't make a bad scotch. HP 15 is simply a magnificent single malt. It screams quality and refinement. It tastes of the signature 'heather' that is unique to the distillery. I always marvel at the quality of this dram. Not for casual drinking as it is quite expensive and simply too elegant for barbecues and ball games. Save this for very good friends and special occasions!
A detailed tasting note of Highland Park 15yrs, which I wrote last year is available by clicking here. Too tired to read a lengthy tasting note? That's ok too. How about the following one sentence tasting note I have just composed?
"Butterscotch, honey with a nice zing of spice. Put simply this is a Coffee Crisp bar, enveloped in fine cigar smoke, in your glass!"
The hang time of these flavors is huge! A finish that goes on forever. Ok, ok, I tricked you. This tasting note is more than a sentence.
Cheers!
Jason Debly
Jason,
ReplyDeleteGreat reviews and I'm enjoying the summer read.. Just a quick correction. Glocks don't have safeties except for the trigger..
David, thanks for pointing out the mistake about the Glock.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
I agree that HP is a great scotch, first tasted it in Rome some 3 years ago.
ReplyDeletevery inspiring post!
ReplyDeleteCannot go wrong with Highland Park, I think they are changing the bottle sizes and upping the prices. I'd still pay a little more for such quality.
ReplyDeleteThis Friday I worked hard over 12 hours....When I was driving home I calculated quickly, how much money I made and I thought I can afford, just today, to buy most expansive scotch in my life.I stop in my local mama-and-papa liqueur store and I bought HP 15 for $72. I could pay more, I could pay less, but these people very often order for their store, whatever I suggest. Like Black Bottle. $20 there and only 2 miles from my home( thanks Jason for this greatest, cheapest, uniquest((sic!)) discovery. I would never try it without Your blog)
ReplyDeleteWell.....I am siting in my computer room, reading, one more time, Your blog about HP 15, drinking the Nectar and I am in Heaven.
I agree with You. This is very dangerous liquid.I take small sips, slowly enjoy them, but I am already in 3 dram.I have ability to discover quality, different tastes and smells of whiskey, but I have problem to name them, then when I just read Your short sentence above, I felt like this is mine. You wrote exactly what I experienced with this incredible whiskey. I could name honey and some fragrances and little bit of smoke, but Your description with butterscotch, spice, coffee bar and cigar smoke is simply amazing. It is like You wrote.
I also tried HP 12. I would compare them like brother and sister. HP 12 has more muscle,more texture, more smoke. HP 15 is like velvet in the wind,more delicate, more fragile, more subtle with more secrets to discover(pure women).
Keep blogging Jason. I saved money with Your reviews, but I also spent my money because of You :) Anyway, when my wife complain about my habit I always point to Your blog. It is nice to have someone to blame.....
Greetings.......Your steady reader Marek
Hello Marek!
DeleteHighland Park 15 is expensive, but you know, I have tried other scotch whiskies that cost twice as much and they were never as good. So, in that sense, Highland Park 15 is a bargain!
Besides anybody who works over 12 hours on a Friday deserves a very good dram! And Highland Park 15 is the very best you could have!