Highland Park 18 years old
A review by Tommy Byrne
Overall rating: 9,2/10
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.
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