Highland Park 12 Years Old
Distillery: Highland ParkStyle: Single Malt
Release: Unspecified
Age: 12 Years
Alcohol: 40% abv.
Region: Scotland, Highlands
Bottled For: Distillery
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.
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.
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.
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.