Highland Park Old Particular 1997 20 Year Old
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
53.1% ABV
$200
Website
What the Bottle/Retailer Says
Highland Park is truly a product of its environment. The distillery lays just a few degrees outside the bounds of the Arctic Circle on an island devoid of trees and ravaged by wind, yet relatively mild in temperature swings. This unique location coupled with the extra effort of floor malting their own barley on site are some of the components that lead to an awards list a mile long. This list includes many Gold and Double Gold medals for the distillery and its various bottlings. The barley is malted with local peat from Hobbister Moor, dense in heather, and providing an unusually floral characteristic to the smoke. The gale force winds carry the salt sea air through the barrel houses giving the whisky a salty tanginess that is all together different than the iodine characteristics of Islay. Weighing in at 53.1% alcohol and well below the $550 price tag of the 25 year old distillery bottling, this 20 year old Old Particular cask really struts the salt air and delicate floral smoke. Charged from a refill hogshead.
DL 12125
One of 263 bottles
Distilled September 1997
Bottled September 2017
No Colouring | No Chill Filtration
What Gary Says
Nose: Tobacco, leather, toffee, peat, hint of dark fruits, bit of creosote, sea air, walnuts and oak.
Palate: Honey, toffee, caramel, chocolate, nutty with spiced raisins, nutmeg, allspice and salty peat.
Finish: Long, damp with honey, toffee and peat.
Comments: Lighter in color than Highland Park’s standard distillery offering, and an interesting perspective without the sherry maturation. Water brings some fruit out and thickens the mouthfeel.