Highland Park 21 Years Old (47.5%, OB, 2016)

• Category: Island single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Highland Park Distillery
• Bottling: Edrington
• ABV: 47.5%
• Cost: £142.72

What they say:

Drawing its incredible character from predominantly American oak casks which have been seasoned with sherry, our 21 year old is a truly dynamic whisky, with an intensely fruity and spicy centre, surrounded by complex layers of candied orange peel, dark chocolate and rich, slightly drier smoke. It is a malt whisky that rewards patience and delivers an experience like no other.

Tasting Notes

Colour:

Natural colour, reddish gold Orkney sunset

Nose:

Butterscotch, dark chocolate and orange

Palate:

Full flavour, candied orange peel with spicy dark chocolate leading to a rich smoky sensation

Finish:

Rich, complex, sweet smoky sensation then soft medium dry

What I say:

The final ‘special’ dram from the #TheDramTeam twitter tasting was this Highland Park 21 Years Old. Drawn from a bottle at £150+ a small shot of this ultra-special liquid represents the finishing flurry from The Dram Team’s inaugural tasting pack based around the scotch malt whisky regions and it is well worth the wait I can assure you!

Colour:

Copper amber (7/20) quick but well-defined medium-to-fine tapered legs

Nose:

Sweet apples, crisp green apple, rosey apple sweeties, brut Normandy cider, flock, chamois leather, heather honey, vanilla essence, cocoa, toffee, butterscotch

Taste:

Smooth toffee and honey, subtle chocolate sauce, heather honey, malty cereal barley, apple crumble, wisp of peat smoke

Finish:

Medium-long, heather honey, wispy peat smoke, vanilla essence, drying and moreish

Overall:

Reserved and very classy, this has a graceful refined nature which rewards teasing out the subtleties across the palate. Tastes well-made, superbly structured in body and characteristics, there are just the faintest hints of smoke and heather which make this unmistakably Highland Park at its finest.

Score: 89/100

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