Highland Park 18 years old

Highland Park 18 years old

A review by Tommy Byrne

Overall rating: 9,2/10 (Single Malt notation)

It’s always fun to receive an unexpected package by priority mail, but it’s always better when the content is an unexpected whisky bottle! As a token of appreciation for personal support, a close friend recently sent me a bottle of the 18 years old expression of Highland Park. Always on the lookout for trying new products, I was quite pleased to receive this particular whisky I never had tasted before. Being a true Islay malt enthusiast, I too often tend to snob non-Islay Scotches and never get to expand my range as I should. Highland Park 18 reminded me that there are many other great products crafted outside of Islay.

Having slept a few years in Sherry casks, Highland Park 18 shows a nice amber blush. Aside from the light peatiness, there are many sweet notes in the nose: vanilla, crême brulée’s custard, Moroccan dates and weathers original candies. I found the palate toasty, leathery, coaly and more vegetal than the nose. The end is sustained and surprising, leaving a strong beer impression. Overall, Highland Park 18 is round, smooth and very well balanced. No flavour overshadows another.

As in any other regional quality products, the key element for the distillery’s success is the genuine understanding of their terroir. Being the most Nordic Scottish distillery (aside from Blackwood whom started operations in 2002), the cool climate plays a decisive role in the aging of the whiskies. Highland Park also uses to traditional method to dry the malt with its own aromatic peat that has quite distinct characteristics from Islay peat, being rich in heather sediments. The coaly feeling from the whisky actually comes from the malting process where heather ashes are mixed to the other ingredients. Having passed the test, I look forward in tasting the rest of Highland Park expressions.

Ardbeg Ten

Ardbeg Ten

A review by Tommy Byrne

Overall rating: 1 L Duty Free Bottle  9/10 (Single Malt notation)
                      750 ml Regular Bottle 8,5/10 (Single Malt notation)

Having struggled for many years and having had to shut down a few times, the Ardbeg distillery is now on a good streak. Since its latest reopening and purchase by Glenmorangie in 1997, it has largely beneficiated from the global boom of single malts. Self-proclaimed “the smokiest and peatiest whisky in the world” and “the ultimate single Islay malt scotch whisky”, Ardbeg Ten has already won many awards, including the “Best Whisky in the World” by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 3 years in a row.

I was surprised to find in this dark bottle such a pale whisky, very similar to a fino sherry. Visually and psychologically, I tend to prefer a deeper and warmer color, but it’s not the end of the world, let’s move on. Behind the first impressions of peat and smoke which are obviously very present in the nose, lays a nice aroma of French brioche and apple cider. Later during the tasting, some bitter chocolate note subtly appears. The palate is oaky, slightly sulphured, pungent (turnip and cabbage) and some aromas from the distillation process are quite present (leather). The finish is medium-long.

This was only the second time I tried Ardbeg Ten, and to my recollection, it was better the first time. When I opened it, the cork slightly popped like champagne bottle, which sounded a little strange. Tasting it, I found that some of its notable essences (medicinal) were missing. I will definitely try to get my hands on another bottle soon to re-evaluate it, but in the meantime, Laphroaig is still the best to me…and 35$ less!

ADDED on 8 april 2013

I have just tasted the same bottle and found my error.  You have to let this whisky breathe and open up for at least 10 minutes until tasting it.  The same whisky fully opened and exploded with all its expected flavours. However, at the same time, I tasted another bottle of the same Ardbeg Ten and proved to be weaker and never opened up even after adding water and leaving it to breathe for over 30 minutes.