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Highland Park 12 Years Old Reviews
- Distillery
- Highland Park
- Style
- Single Malt
- Release
- Unspecified
- Age
- 12 Years
- Alcohol
- 40% abv.
- Region
- Scotland, Highlands
- Bottled For
- Distillery
- Buy Now $40.09 WineChateau.com
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The first proprietary bottling of Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky was as a 12 year old in 1979. It remains the core expression of the Highland Park range and is a smooth, balanced single malt, with a rich full flavour and a gentle smokey finish.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Red Hare
- Color
- Dark gold
- Nose
- Oranges, grapes, chocolate, leather and heather. Slight hint of peat.
- Body
- A little oily. Smooth. Slips down in little slugs
- Palate
- A little sour. Oranges, melons, chocolate milkshake. Hints of butter and white chocolate.
- Finish
- Short finish. Bitter, then quickly becomes sherry sweet and peaty. Heather honey.
Chocolate milkshake with orange Kit Kat.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Spike
- Color
- Medium amber
- Nose
- Smooth, medium flavor rofile. The ideal beginner's single malt.
- Body
- Smooth, easy on the palate.
- Palate
- No big flavors, some vanilla, eather, peat.
- Finish
- Nice smooth finish.
Highly recommended for those in search of a no-fault single-malt scotch.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Mishima
- Color
- Light Staw, A June Sunrise
- Nose
- Floral, a breath of apple blossoms. The lapping brine of the sea. Peat, neither too much to overwhelm the other aromas, nor too little to ignore. Sherry, and its promise of choclate and oranges.
- Body
- Medium thick, a swelling ocean oily rolicking in your mouth
- Palate
- Sweet, a deep honeyed flavour that turns to sherry (that bit o' chocholate) and then fruit, bright fresh fruit, sometimes apples, other bannanas, perhaps something else.
- Finish
- It begins hot, cooling as it dries, leaving your tongue velvet enshrouded, thick and lush with the last touch of honey and sherry vying for dominance.
This is of course the whisky known as the great all arounder, and for good reason. It represents in turns most of the divergent scottish whisky experiences all in one relatively inexpensive bottle (only the lowlands are not adequately spoken for). It is also the great back and forther. Every time I taste this whisky I find something different. From the same bottle I have found it to be one day more peaty/salty, another more sherry/fruity. Some days it is sweet, others, bone dry. It is like a vibrant friend, always changing, always enganging in some unexpected way.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Gold hue
- Nose
- sweet sherry nose
- Body
- Medium Body
- Palate
- smooth and elegant
- Finish
- nice long finish with accents of honey
I started with the Glenlivet 15 year old which was good but then found my palate enjoyed the more complex 12 year Macallan. I am enjoying the Highland Park 12 year old just as much as the Macallan.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Np
- Color
- Yellow throughout, hint of amber
- Nose
- Smoke, alcohol dominant, but some peat and earthiness gets through if warm enough.
- Body
- Well balanced & incredibly smooth. Easy drinker.
- Palate
- Mostly smoke and peat, slightly fruity.
- Finish
- Long finish and pleasant burn; salty smoke lingers through and invades the sinuses.
My first review. A great scotch and a fine introduction to the Highland Region. Excellent for it's drinkability, but some may find the peat/smoke overwhelming. A great value in my opinion.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Jdbuckeye2009
- Color
- Rich amber, slightly coppery
- Nose
- Perfect amount of smoke and peat; citrusy orange peel; just a hint of malty sweetness
- Body
- Medium-bodied; slightly oily
- Palate
- Smoke and peat come through nicely without being overwhelming; malty caramel; hints of dark chocolate and cigars; some sea salt
- Finish
- One of the best in the business! Very long with nice warming and drying; sherry and malt are dominant
Head and shoulders above anything else in its price range, and it stands toe to toe with more expensive great scotches like Oban and Talisker. I can't fault it for anything, other than that the bottle has a bottom.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Williamson
- Color
- Creme de peche
- Nose
- Fresh oranges with a fudgy chocolate feel, and, barely noticeable, subtle smokiness, of which the peat remains absent.
- Body
- A notable mass without too much weightiness.
- Palate
- Complex indeed, I am finding myself trying to follow the story here. Citrus fruits, although a bit on the background, turn ripe and soft, then a hint of vanilla appears, as if to announce a gentle but prominent oakiness, to let the smoke take over and stick around for a while. These all go hand in hand with fine milk chocolate. Magnificent.
- Finish
- One of the longer finishes around. Soothing and still smoky, whilst previous notes gently appear one by one.
Deliciously satisfying, viciously complex. Functions well as a daily dram, as well as it makes a good favorite among other 12 year olds on an in-depth whisky tasting. This one is known for being the greatest all-rounder in the world of whisky, and it's not for nothing. Spectacular.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Eddie
- Color
- Medium amber touch of gold..
- Nose
- Citrus, smoke, peat, salty. Made my mind wander...
- Body
- A little on the thin side of medium..
- Palate
- Over ripe oranges, salt. like the taste of the sea, smoke and a little sweet, just nice
- Finish
- Excellent finish, long and the flavors stayed for a while.
When I drink this it makes me think of where it was made, Rough seas winds, cold and how life was way back when..
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Gold
- Nose
- Ripe fruit, mild smoke, well-balanced and appealing.
- Body
- Medium
- Palate
- NIce sweetness, balanced with smoke and a little salt. Very smooth. Almost reminds me of peanut butter.
- Finish
- Long, smooth finish.
After my first glass, I wasn't sure how I felt about this whisky, but by the end of the bottle it became one of my favorites. Great value, great taste, I strongly recommend.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Gear
- Color
- Medium amber
- Nose
- Smokey incense, unlit cigar, pear, orange zest. A little water reveals some bread dough and sawed oak.
- Body
- Just a touch oily--like vinegar with a few drops of oil in it. It glides through the mouth easily without cloying.
- Palate
- Smokey peat is front and center with a bit of honey playing backup. A little saltiness and butterscotch after opening with water.
- Finish
- A light warm tingle with a lingering smokiness like after eating a perfectly charred steak with strong presence in the nose (my nose, not its nose). Some bready taste long into the finish. A very nice finish.
One of my favorite Scotches--and one that will always have a spot in my cabinet. My yardstick for smoky/peaty Scotch.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Rich straw.
- Nose
- Flowers, honey, malt, smoke.
- Body
- Medium.
- Palate
- Sugared fruit, malt, grains, vanilla, honey, smoke, lemon tea.
- Finish
- Medium-long, honey and fruit, malty, barley (like a nice Belgian Palm beer)
Very balanced whisky for such a young age. Not too heavy and therefore good as an aperitif. Altogether very special.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Gold or light straw
- Nose
- Honey or light fruit with the right balance of peat.
- Body
- Medium
- Palate
- Honey,Smoke,Peat, Light Fruit
- Finish
- SMOOTH. Calming.
For the price and quality you get this is a wonderful scotch whiskey. One of my favorites. A nice all round whiskey for any occasion.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by TheGrinch
- Color
- Light gold, amber
- Nose
- Burn/alcohol, light underlying peat and vanilla
- Body
- Light and smooth with a hint of burn. Not particularly oily.
- Palate
- Light peat, hint of orange/mandarin, maybe some toffee?
- Finish
- Lightly burning smoky peat. Kind of like your mouth saying "Ahhhhh....."
A fantastic value! I first reviewed this immediately after opening the bottle - this was a mistake! Every pour since then has been better than the last. All of the flavors I describe above become more prominent and the silkiness of the oil feel improves as the burn disappears. This is a top tier spirit!
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- perfect
- Nose
- I prepare to smell my own way, try to avoid generalized terms.
- Body
- Also prepare to drink my own way, cliches not always suitable.
- Palate
- hint of smoke, lovely notes struck. Not bravura but v delicious
- Finish
- Admirable balance, not the most dramatic of its outer island cousins but lovely nonetheless
Always thought this was beautiful whisky. KL
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by ColoradoDram
- Color
- Gold/Light amber.
- Nose
- Toffee, butterscotch, heather, gentle smoke.
- Body
- Medium bodied, medium gritty, medium oily, consistent.
- Palate
- Honey, toffee, smoke - confirms the nose.
- Finish
- Short, fresh, satisfying, sufficiently dry. Conistency appreciated.
There are three scotches I consider apropos for aperitif or dessert: Glenlivet 18, Glenmorangie Nectar D'or, and this one. It's a can't miss, and a great value...
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Tinfoilhat
- Color
- Light gold
- Nose
- Neat - Peat, honey, heather, alcohol, some apple. Beautiful. With water the alcohol is gone and a bit more of the apple shows up.
- Body
- Medium full. Chewy.
- Palate
- Honey then gentle peat. Slight hint of salt.
- Finish
- Long, smooth, tingly. A bit dry, and then the peat shows up again at the end. Leaves you wanting more. Very dangerous.
Hardly any need for another review of this. Absolutely one of the finest available. I pray constantly that the price remains where it is so that it stays affordable. Great neat, and great with a small splash. Wonderful stuff.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Maibockaddict
- Color
- Golden Yellow
- Nose
- Fresh Orange and/or citrus, Oak, sweet alcohol, with hints of barbecue.
- Body
- Medium body and smooth.
- Palate
- This definitely reminds me of really good barbecue. Light smokiness, fruit, wood, all well balanced. Has a hint of charcoal/lighter fluid taste like when you first ignite a charcoal fire.
- Finish
- Pleasing long finish of subtle smoke and wood. No harshness at all. Leaves you wanting more (provided you did not have too much :-)).
Love this Malt. This is a favorite and will always try to have some on hand. Hands down the best for the price, and even better than many more expensive Malts.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by C2
- Color
- Gold - Copper
- Nose
- Lots of malt, cream cracker, raw honey, raisin sweetness, nutty oil, plywood/new furniture made from compress wood.
- Body
- Medium body. Fresh entry.
- Palate
- Sweet and sour, like eating orange and lemon together. Wood. Very mild smoke and peat at the background. Turns rather bitter, like chewing on fresh orange peel.
- Finish
- Almost like a scented candle. Mild smoke, but more like steam fused with honey and maybe a bit of peat? Constantly felt like sticking an orange peel in the nose, bitter finish. Doesn't last very long but after the bitterness is gone, there's a faint barley sweetness.
It felt like chewing through a Mandarin orange dipped in honey together with the skin. Sweet first, bitter later. Extremely malty, and the Sherry cask is obvious. Smoke and peat is overshadowed by the sweetness. Not my type of scotch but even then it's interesting enough for me to enjoy it.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber hue with a shimmer. Think Stanley Park at sunset.
- Nose
- This is such a layered scotch. Much moreso than, say, Macallan 12. When served neat, the nose is that of a dirty Q-tip; when on rocks for a minute or two, the honey tones come right to the top.
- Body
- Expansive. It holds a splash or melted ice quite well. Body is not diminshed when cooled due to the fact that the sweetness comes out so prominently.
- Palate
- When neat, the strong nose prepares the mouth adequately. First 2 seconds seem like spice, but is in fact peat. Subsides with a slight burn beginning in the back of throat and ending mid-chest. On rocks and cooled, the honey nose engenders a relaxation of the face as the preparatory command for a relaxing drink. Honey palate closes the deal. Expands in the mouth and goes down like silk.
- Finish
- Sting lingers when neat and has a dehumifiying effect - water back is helpful and a saltine cracker is as well to give the next drink some dry powder to work with. On the rocks, the finish is superbly clean and clarifying, expanded sweetness in the mouth recedes naturally and completely within about 5 seconds.
This is the only scotch I drink at home though I have tried, and continue to try, others at Brandy Library and other such places in NYC. But, I always come back to this. The 12yr is even better than the 15 and 18, which drop the honey tones with increasing severity. The honey nose and body are what make this such an agreeable companion. I plan to begin buying this by the case.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- LIGHT GOLD
- Nose
- HONEY, HEATHER, MILD SMOKE, HINT OF PEAT, CITRUSY ORANGE PEEL, MALT, CHOCOLATE, SHERRY,
- Body
- MEDIUM BODY AND SMOOTH
- Palate
- HONEY, HINT OF SMOKE, LIGHT PEAT, A LITTLE SALT, HINT OF VANILLA, A LITTLE SOUR
- Finish
- A NICE LONG SMOOTH FINISH
RBBIE
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Caramel, golden hue like iced tea
- Nose
- Smoky with a mix of earthiness and orange spice
- Body
- Bites quickly but mellows even faster with a surprisingly light mouth feel
- Palate
- Toffee with a bit of smoke and nuttiness
- Finish
- a moderate finish with just a touch of heat, smooth and easy going down
Incredibly well-balanced and easy to drink. Nice flavors combined with just enough heat.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Leo
- Color
- A light amber
- Nose
- Rather smoky. Wood smoke,like being around a campfire.
- Body
- Medium bodied. A slight burning on the edges of the tongue. Coats the inside of your mouth well before the burn comes.
- Palate
- Peat, lot's of peat and smoke.
- Finish
- Not a particularly long finish, The smokiness tends to remain for a while though.
When taken neat it is quite heavy on the smokiness scale. But a small splash of water tends to mellow things out nicely, producing a very pleasant dram.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Evan'sWhiskyNL
- Color
- Rich amber colour
- Nose
- Fresh leather, smoke, slight peat, heather honey
- Body
- Smooth, medium intensity
- Palate
- Honey, slight peat and smoke, coarse salt, with citrus overtones (orange and lemon)
- Finish
- Lovely spice on the tongue, great finish that starts in the back of the throat and warms the whole body, smooth finish with a slight apple aftertase.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Dmessmer
- Color
- Lush amber.
- Nose
- Hints of honey with a bit of smokiness. Fruitiness also comes through. The nose is the best part of this malt.
- Body
- Medium
- Palate
- Begins with a wonderful creamy sweetness that is to die for. Then mellows into a citrusy, grassy flavor with a touch of bitterness. Some fruitiness, and a definite punch of peaty smokiness.
- Finish
- Long and slightly bitter - my least favorite part of this malt.
I was disappointed in this Scotch at first, but I'm starting to come around. It starts off wonderfully strong, with perhaps the finest nose of any whisky I've had, and a nice palate at first. It doesn't finish as strong though, thus keeping off the list of my favorites.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Dull gold
- Nose
- Some smoke, honey
- Body
- Moderate
- Palate
- Honey continues with peat intensifying just a bit
- Finish
- medium finish with an off-putting bitter note at the end
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Eye-lah Guy
- Color
- Deep Amber
- Nose
- Notes of spice and sherry
- Body
- Full; aggressive
- Palate
- Fine grains evident in clean taste; on second experience, evidence of oak and honey. Extraordinary balance.
- Finish
- Finishes with subtle peat and toffee tones
Outstanding dram, from the northern most island, with alternating characteristics of both Highland and Island.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by LifeIsOnTheWire
- Color
- Amber/Copper
- Nose
- Campfire, mossy earth. A splash of water brings out a citrus peel, maybe honey?
- Body
- Smooth, light.
- Palate
- Short sting, flavours come through late. Warming of the tongue brings earthy flavour, malt, grain.
- Finish
- Served neat, the finish is untransitional, much the same as the initial taste, just softer. Served with a splash of water, the finish brings sweeter tastes like honey, honey, lemongrass.
Probably one of my favorite sub-$100 whiskeys. Has alot of character for its price.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by The Squatch
- Color
- Light Amber, dark yellow in sunlight
- Nose
- Musty oak with a hint of sweet mold like wild mushrooms.
- Body
- Mid-full body, slight sting.
- Palate
- Smokey peat, wet oak. Sort of like the Calm before the storm.
- Finish
- Warm, gentle yet strong to the end, overbearing to mouthgasmic status.
Wonderful lingering taste, almost ruined by the thought of perverting it with even the slightest bit of water be it liquid or frozen.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Madcow
- Nose
- Peat
- Body
- Pretty thick
- Palate
- peat
Fantastic for the Price, Just amazing. If you like peat, you will love this.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Apple
- Color
- Dark gold
- Nose
- First, malt and smoke (smoother smoke than an Isly whiskey). Then, orange
- Body
- Medium. It bites you first, but the a warming mellow feel to it.
- Palate
- Malty, honey, a hint chocolate, creamy. Ends up with smooth smoke.
- Finish
- Long and with bitter smoke.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- medium amber
- Nose
- Citrusy, orange and lemon with a light hint of the smokey peat to come
- Body
- a medium weight with complex flavors but body has feels clean pure grain essence when opened up with a splash of water.
- Palate
- Initial peat iodine but not overbearing as in some Islays. Quickly fades to reveal honey and heather balenced by a citrusy backbone. A pleasing tanic bitterness in the end cleans it away preparing for another sip.
- Finish
- brings back the light peat smoke with a pleasing dry unlit cigar bitterness.
A very well balenced whiskey. As close to a true hybrid between the phenolic peakiness of Islay and the more restrained maltiness of Speysides as you'll find. At this price its my go to house single malt.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- golden
- Nose
- peaty
- Body
- full body, deep peaty taste
- Palate
- peaty
- Finish
- warm,heat,peaty
excellent
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- amber probably colored with caramel
- Nose
- Honey, peat smoke, dried grass, herbal, oranges. 29/33
- Body
- Medium thick Scotchy mouthfeel. Very nice.
- Palate
- Much like the nose. Grassy bitterness, honey-citrus sweetness. An obvious but mild and integrated peat smoke. Its a bit like Johnny Walker Gold 18 yr, but even smoother. Just lovely. 30/33
- Finish
- The finish isn't too long. This is a super smooth Whisky. The longer its in the glass, the less prominent the peat becomes. Take your time and enjoy this one. 30/33
A very well made Whisky. It's smooth and complex with lots of flavors. Its a mysterious malt, the flavor profile changes. Sometimes mildly peaty, sometimes bitter - sweet. There is a lot going on with this one. The price was $60 US. I'm glad i bought a bottle.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by ChadDavis
- Color
- Amber, probably colored with caramel.
- Nose
- Honey, peat smoke, dried grass, herbal, oranges. 29/33
- Body
- Medium thick Scotchy mouthfeel. Very Nice.
- Palate
- Much like the nose. Grassy bitterness and honey-citrus sweetness. This has a mild and integrated peat smoke. It's a bit like Johnny Walker Gold 18 year old, but even smoother. Just lovely. 30/33
- Finish
- The finish isn't too long. This is a super smooth Whisky. The longer it's in the glass, the less prominent the peat becomes. Take you time and enjoy this one. 30/33
A very well-made Whisky. It's smooth and complex with lots of flavors. It's a mysterious malt; the flavor profile changes. It is sometimes mildly peaty and sometimes bitter-sweet. There is a lot going on with this one. The price was $60.00 US. I'm glad I bought a bottle.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Golden, dark amber
- Nose
- Sweet one day, peer the next. Smoky 30 minutes later
- Body
- Full thick and oh so nice
- Palate
- Sweet sherry, honey for me like eating a big hunk one day and a camp fire the next
- Finish
- Medium, and very fulfilling
My favorite
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Maltymatt
- Color
- straw,light gold
- Nose
- gentle smoke,toffee,hints of honey,orange,butterscotch
- Body
- medium
- Palate
- light peat,smoke,smoky peanuts,citrus
- Finish
- a nice long and fresh smoky finish,great!
a very good malt,maybe not as good as the highland park 25(for sure)but a great member of the family,top ten scotch
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Quisnic
- Color
- Pale Amber
- Nose
- Fruit, smoke and Earth.
- Body
- full bodied
- Palate
- Citrus, smoke and sweet...
- Finish
- Nice and long
As with my highschool girlfriend... I liked this dram but did not love it.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- beach sunset
- Nose
- Oranges, honey, slight peat medium smoke.
- Body
- Full and rich
- Palate
- Tackled by a force of sweet perfection. Instantly sweet then a touch of smoke and peat.
- Finish
- Long and smooth. Leaves a clean sweet and Smokey finish.
Quite simply the best tasting whiskey for the money. My cabinet will always have a back up.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Artin
- Color
- dark gold
- Nose
- fruity, smoke
- Body
- full bodied, oily
- Palate
- strong peat, almonds, fruity
- Finish
- long finish, bold strong
very good single malt with a peaty punch
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Kdfukuyama
- Color
- Amber gold
- Nose
- Sweet, fresh apple, hidden peat
- Body
- Full bodied.
- Palate
- Caramel, nuts and crackers, vanilla, peat
- Finish
- Long finish, warm and smooth
Harmony between sweet and peat flavor. Became my Number One Single Malt Whisky for any occasion. Has a really nice price for what it offers.
Highland Park 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Clover honey
- Nose
- Carmel, orange chocolate truffle, a hint of peat
- Body
- Medium body
- Palate
- Orange, citrus, carmel, peat, sweet, leather. Best without water, IMO.
- Finish
- Nice finish, not too long or too short. The peat becomes much more pronounced at the end.