Highland Park Drakkar (40%, OB, travel retail, 2014)

• Highland Park Distillery – Edrington Group
• 40% ABV,
• RRP £34.99
• Score 79/100

What they say:

Nada, nothing, zip. Nothing on the bottle, pretty though it is, and as for packaging this comes as naked as the day it was bottled.

I suppose this one is for those in the know. Having released the Leif Erikson earlier to the travel retail market Highland Park finished their journey in reverse. The Leif is matured in American oak casks and named after the Viking who got to North America long before Columbus. The Drakkar is named after the famous Viking longships that he would have made that journey in and has [probably] been matured in European Sherry casks. For the full story and tasting watch here:

I bought this from the colour and guessed that it must have been sherry-matured at least somewhere in its life.

The Distillery website http://www.highlandpark.co.uk/ now holds this:

Drakkar

Highland Park Drakkar is inspired by the best known of the spectacular longships used by the Vikings as vessels of war.  Created for kings and adorned with fearsome figureheads, they were symbols of great power and highly valued by their owners.

Rich amber in colour, Highland Park Drakkar is a wonderfully warm and honeyed single malt whisky which has acquired much of its flavour from the casks in which it has lain and the sweet smoke from the peat of Orkney.

Tasting Notes

Appearance:

Rich amber, with a warm glow

Nose:

Drakkar offers notes of dried fruits with a cherry blossom accent. Pine nuts arrive first before an orange citrus kick, then the classic wisps of heather smoke drifts through

Palate:

Orchard fruits come to the front with cherry and orange being the most prominent

Finish:

The finish is long and lingering, perfectly balanced

What I say:

Now this is an expression worthy of Highland Park spirit. The sweetness of the sherry and the spicy smoky peat mingle perfectly

Colour:

Bronze.

Nose:

Sweet peppermint, fruity orange and malt.

Taste:

Toffee, caramel and chewy raisin followed by cherry, orange and smoked sea salt.

Finish:

Sweet and gently smoky, lingers.

Would I buy it again:

Yes even though it is a 1L bottle I expect to get through this quickly and I will always have room in my collection for this, lets hope HP continue to supply/release it…