Review: Highland Park 15 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Lately, I have been encountering a number of disappointing blended and single malt scotches.  The suspects:  Glenkinchie 12, Auchentoshan 12, Dewar's 12 and Whyte & Mackay.  In addition to being disappointing, they were a waste of money.  I gave away most of the bottles to friends who aren't that picky about what they drink.  I guess that's one of the hazards of operating a whisky blog.  You can waste good money on poor whisky or scotch.  With this review, I needed a scotch that would remind me of the romance between drinker and scotch that can take place when great spirits are involved.  So, I picked up a bottle of Highland Park 15 years.  I am familiar with Highland Park 12 and 18 years and was confident that the 15 would be a delight also.  I had tried it at a scotch tasting that featured a range of Highland Park bottlings.

Nose (undiluted)
Vanilla, rich peat, slight heather, sherry, lawn grass clippings, damp leaves. The aromas convey a clear message: A rich, luxuriant treat awaits!

Palate (undiluted)
Starts sweet. I can taste the sherry flavors imparted as a result of the time this spirit spent in sherry casks. It must have been good sherry in those casks because I do not taste the spoiled sherry flavors that I encounter in cheap blends like Whyte & Mackay or Dewar’s 12 years. This is choice/top shelf single malt scotch.

Besides the sherry, I am detecting spiced honey that would make Winnie the Pooh swoon with delight. Velvety smooth, yet with texture and an aromatic flavor profile that goes on and on and on like the Energizer Bunny. There is also a citrus component to the flavor profile that appears on the finish. Mid-palate is very aromatic.

Finish (undiluted)
Some fresh navel oranges and smoked salmon dry on the palate. Ohh! This is good! These smokey flavors last a long time, like an echo at the Grand Canyon.

Add Water?
Yes, please do!  A teaspoon to 1 and a half ounces will cause the scotch to become more sweet, marzipan and baklava like in terms of flavor.  I prefer this single malt with a little water.  Tasted neat there is a little hint of alcohol that disappears with water.

General Impressions

I asked Gerry Tosh of Highland Park Distillery for basic information on the 15.  Here is the email exchange:

From: Jason Debly
Email: jasondebly@gmail.com
Country: Canada (Eastern)
Comment: I operate a scotch whisky review blog
(http://jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.com/) and I intend to conduct a review of Highland Park 15 year old. Accordingly, I am seeking any information with respect to aging, distillation details and images concerning this bottling. Please note, I am not seeking a sample, as I conduct an independent review of various whiskies that I profile. If you have any information that you could provide, I may use some of it in my review. Certainly, if this is not a request that you wish to entertain, please disregard this email and do not trouble yourself to respond.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.


Sincerely,




Jason Debly

. . .

Here’s the response I received from Highland Park:

Always happy to help a whisky lover.
All you need to know is this.
Youngest whisky is 15 years old
30% of the casks used are first fill sherry cask
70% of the casks used are refill sherry casks
The big flavour difference is that we are using predominantly using
American oak sherry casks in the 15 where the 12,18 we are mainly using
Spanish oak.

Hope this helps.


G


Gerry Tosh
Head of Brand Education
Highland Park single malt scotch whisky
West Kinfauns Perth Scotland PH2 7XZ
Tel: +44 (0)1738 493611
Fax: +44 (0)1738 493838
Email: gtosh@edrington.co.uk
<>
Web: www.highlandpark.co.uk
. . .

So, first fill sherry casks obviously impart a stronger taste of sherry on the spirit in the casks than say a refill cask. Mr. Tosh also attributes the difference in taste from the 12 and 18 yrs bottlings to the different wood used. American oak!  Here's a link to his video tasting of the 15.

On the web, I have read that the Highland Park 12 and 18 yrs are aged in 90% ex-sherry casks and the remaining 10% in ex-bourbon casks. The Highland Park 15yrs is supposedly aged 50/50 in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks.  Judging from Mr. Tosh's email the use of ex-bourbon casks would be inaccurate.  So, in order to clarify this point I posed that question to Mr. Tosh.  Here is his prompt reply:

No worries about the extra question.

Highland park use NO bourbon barrels at all, we only use sherry casks.
We use American oak sherry casks to give it the citrus flavour we are looking for.


Regards


Gerry

Well, just goes to show that you cannot believe everything you read on the web!

In any event, the bottom line is that the 15 year old is less sherried than the 12 and 18 year old editions of this great distillery. And guess what? I like it! For my taste preference, I find the 12 and 18 a little more sherried than I would like. The 15 is more balanced and the vanilla flavor is a delight. It should be noted that most critics would disagree with my opinion. In fact, I think most scotch drinkers prefer the 12 and 18 to the 15.

Value for Money?
I think so. Some may disagree. This is by no means cheap in terms of price. For me, I have no problem paying a steep price if I am getting good quality. I believe that the price is commensurate with the high quality single malt scotch whisky I will taste.

One Problem

I have encountered one ‘problem’ with this single malt scotch. It is incredibly drinkable, so easy to sip that the bottle is disappearing too fast! We all have our crosses to bear, and so I will just steel myself in regards to overcoming this seemingly insurmountable problem!

Bottom Line
Highland Park 15 years is a high quality single malt.  The price is high but reasonable in light of the quality.  This scotch would make an excellent gift for the serious scotch fan.
Cheers!


Jason Debly

Photo credits:  Close up of Highland Park Label by Let Ideas Compete;
Photo of Highland Park Distillery entrance by J_
Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2012. All rights reserved.

A Recent Single Malt Scotch Tasting

My friend George called a couple of weeks ago and told me about a single malt scotch whisky tasting taking place at a local pub.  "Was I interested?"  A rhetorical question if there ever was one.  For $30 we would sample six single malts.  A deal if there ever was one.  Mind you, I can rationalize the price of any whisky tasting.

So, I turned up at the pub, the Lunar Rogue Pub, a tiny, noisy, little bar with beat up, dark stained wooden tables and chairs.  Don't get me wrong, I like the place.  They have about 240 different single malts  and blends by the glass to choose from.  Great way to taste at a reasonable price before pulling the trigger and picking up a bottle.  Here are some pictures to give you an idea of the place.

So, as you can see, not a fancy establishment, but that's fine with me.  You've got your mix of college students knocking back glasses of draft, full of excitement and dreams for the future that they anticipate (upon graduation), sitting next to weary, scotch sippin' civil servants and working stiffs like myself who have met the future and realized the dreams, well . . . they are just dreams.  While you sip your beer or scotch depending upon your stage of life, you can take in the framed pictures, beer ads embossed upon sheets of rusted tin, and other wall-mounted knick-knacks, harkening back to another time when jobs were plentiful, a guy had a regular job, but could afford a house and a two week vacation for his family, and his wife didn't have to work.  A time of lime green Ford sedans, white vinyl car seats and Peter Frampton blaring on the radio, in the hot summer heat. 

In any event, it was a rainy Tuesday night, a week ago,  when I arrived for this scotch tasting.  George was already there, no surprise, chatting with the owner, Frank.  Frank is a guy that stands about six feet tall, of considerable girth, and his knowledge of scotch is commensurate with his size.  I sit down and note there are only about ten other people in an event which hoped to have about thirty.  Clearly, a failure of attendance, which fortunately has no bearing on the tasting.  Bread and water was provided to restore one's palate in between samples.

Glen Scotia 12 year old

This Glen Scotia single malt we sampled was not impressive.  The nose was weak and seemed off.  The taste was not much better.  A medium bodied, oily malt that was creamy but little else.  Glen Scotia has been inconsistent in terms of quality and this was no stunner.  The distillery is located in Campbeltown, Scotland, which at one time had among the most distilleries.  What happened?  Greed.  Initially, Campbeltown single malts were used for blending and enjoyed great sales, but gradually, blenders preferred Speyside single malts and so sales started to dip for Campbeltown distillers.  Prohibition created bigger problems too.  Campbeltown distillers solution was to cut costs, age their scotch shorter periods of time and sell it in higher volume.  The result was a very poor product.  Harsh, strong, oily spirit that caused Americans (a major export market) to associate anything with the name "Campbeltown" with poor quality.  Campbeltown went from a place with the most distillers in Scotland to nearly the least.  Glen Scotia is one of the few remaining.  What I tasted was not harsh, but weak and instantly forgettable.

Auchentoshan 12 year old
As with all scotch tastings, Frank selected lightest to the most robust. Next up was Auchentoshan 12 year old.

I had  heard and read mixed reviews of Auchentoshan.  The serious whisky critics griped that the Auchentoshan distillery produced weak, plain white bread whisky having little to no complexity or substance of flavor.  I have a friend, James, who had purchased this bottle in the past and disliked it intensely.  So, I was not expecting much.  I was delightfully surprised.  The aromas were pleasing but that other than that I can't remember much else.  As for the taste, it was soft, mellow and malty with some lemon and sweet melon.  The finish was a little smokey and there was no peat to speak of.  This is a Lowland malt and probably a very good representation of that region.  There was marshallow, wagon wheel treat with lots of malty flavor that I really appreciated, as did others.  The price for a bottle is also very reasonable.  I am adding this one to my list of single malts to purchase in order to do a proper tasting note.

Dalmore 12 year old

The Dalmore 12 year old single malt scotch enjoys a good reputation and strong following among scotch fans.  Unlike Auchentoshan, everything I have heard or read has been positive in regards to The Dalmore. 

Lots of vanilla on the nose.  It had more weight in the mouth, which made it a logical next step in the tasting event.  Texture was sweet, smooth but drying too.  Taste was sweet fruits, vanilla and some oak, but a tad bitter towards the finish.  I recall there was a good clarity of the flavors.  What I mean it was not rounded as you typically note in a blended scotch whisky.  Actually, The Dalmore is the core single malt of a great economy blended scotch, Whyte & Mackay.  This blended scotch, has rounded, sweet flavors of gentle fruits like melon and peaches.

So, what was the overall impression of The Dalmore?  I found it a little bit of a let-down.  That bitterness I mentioned earlier really stuck with me and couldn't ignored.  However, in all fairness to this single malt, I need to acquire a bottle and taste it under more controlled circumstances, without a palate that had just sampled two previous single malts.  So, the jury is still out, but so far in this tasting, the Auchentoshan is the clear winner.

The Macallan 12 year old

This is very popular in the United States and has steady, dependable sales in Canada.  A lot of people enjoy this single malt.  In fact, it is one of the 'mainstream' malts.  I am not a huge fan.  It's not bad.  There are no flaws, but not much that fascinates me.  For me, this is of course, an over-the-top sherried dram with some orange peel, oak and some smoke.  One dram is fine but it is not one that rings my bell.  Let's move on.

Highland Park 18 year old














We are nearing the end of the scotch tasting.  The second to last single malt is the illustrious Highland Park 18 year old, a wondrous single malt that I always read and hear good things about, not that I need anyone's opinion on this one.  I have studied the magic of this one.  A honey, heather infused explosion upon the palate provides multi-layered flavors to ponder.  One of the longest, smokiest finishes available anywhere.  A previous, more detailed review is available on this blog in the archives (August 2009) or just use the search function in the top left hand corner. 

Lagavulin 16 year old

The final single malt of the evening served up by Frank was Lagavulin 16 year old.  An Islay single malt that needs no introduction.  I have reviewed this malt in detail elswhere on this blog, like the Highland Park, and again would refer you to it. 

At the tasting, I enjoyed the sweet peat and smoke as only Islay can do it.  It was wonderful as always.  For the others present, it was new to them and they were unsure what to make of it.  No one disliked it, but rather were quite fascinated by the peaty architecture of this spirit.
. . .
The favorite of all who attended that evening was the Highland Park.  For me, the big surprise was the Auchentoshan 12.  A very reasonably priced, Lowland single malt which is often over looked or dismissed by critics as a light-weight region because of its more subtle flavors, lacking soaring peat, smoke and pepper that seem to be key to so many highly rated scotches.  There is something to be said for subtlety.  I encourage you to give it a try!
. . .
Whyte & Mackay Special

After the tasting was officially over,  Frank treated George and I to two 50 ml of Whyte & Mackay 'Special' blended scotch whisky.  This is a great economy blend, as I mentioned previously.  Very smooth, rounded flavors, no bite (a prerequisite of most blend fans), packaged in honey, ripe red grapes, sherry and a little hint of smoke.  The finish is short, so short, that it commands another sip!  Dangerous stuff!  I like it a lot.  So, if you are ever looking for a change in a blended scotch whisky, please give consideration to this standard bottling of Whyte & Mackay.

Cheers!

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.
Jason

Highland Park 18 yr old - Single Malt Scotch Review

I like whiskies of all kinds. Scotch, Canadian and American. I like bourbon too. But, of all the whiskies I have tried, Highland Park 18 year old is my all-time favorite. It presents a truly special whisky drinking experience that is best appreciated by someone who has spent plenty of time drinking other whiskies before happening upon this one.

The distillery producing this very fine spirit has been doing so for more than 200 hundred years in Orkney, Scotland. I will not recount the history of the distillery here. Go to the Highland Park website for a full history. After all, the purpose of my review is to describe what this whisky tastes like. So, lets move to the task at hand.

Suggested Serving
This is a fine whisky that should not have ice added to it. Ice will dilute the flavours and the complexity. If you drink all your scotch with ice, then limit the quantity to one or two cubes at the very most. You will still enjoy the complexity of flavors but will naturally be experienced a somewhat watered down version. Mind you, some people need the ice to ease any burn the whisky presents when swallowing. If you are a serious scotch drinker, serve this to yourself with a drop or two of distilled water in order to open up the flavours and scents.

Nose
An awe inspiring bouquet of peat, smoke, and flowers. You can take several sniffs and keep wondering what wonderful dram awaits your palate.

Palate
Rich, luxurious honey/toffee flavors interwoven with nuts, spicy cinnamon, pretzel salt and the perfect hint of peat fill the palate. A chewy dram drying towards the finish. No sharp edges here. No bite, bitterness or burn here. Peat is present but not overwhelming or dominating. It compliments the flavor profile only.

Finish
A big, rounded finish of lingering smoke, spices verging on peppercorns you would associate with a flavored rib eye steak, and more toffee. This lingers for a long time in the mouth long after the dram has been swallowed.

Final Impressions
You know that you are in the presence of greatness when drinking this very fine single malt scotch. It has won countless awards as the best scotch of this year or that. Now, you understand why. Share this with your best friend, your father, your mentor, during a fireside chat about what life means. Not to be served during happy hour or for the Super Bowl.

This is not cheap to purchase. You are looking at paying around $80 a bottle (750ml). But, remember that you are buying a very high end single malt scotch. In that realm, $80 is actually not that expensive. For example The Macallan 18 year old single malt scotch is substantially more and simply not as good. Johnnie Walker Blue (a premium blend) is nearly double in price, but again not as good. Glenfiddich 18yr old single malt is more in price and not better. So, you get the picture. This would be a wonderful gift to the man or woman who loves single malt scotch. If they have never had it before, it will be a treat that they will forever after be grateful. If they have had it before, they will recognize the time and thought you put into choosing this gift for them. Do not buy this for the casual hard liquor consumer. They will not appreciate it.

There is nothing negative to report about this single malt scotch. I would however caution readers that this is 43% alcohol and so drinking this should not be followed by any driving. One can get quickly intoxicated without the intention. It happened to me one night. I kept taking sips and before I knew it, I was certifiably smashed.

Cheers!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.