Richard

Founding Apostle

Highland Park 15 Year

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years
43% ABV/86 Proof
$65 to $70
Available Worldwide

What the Distillery Says:
First released as a UK exclusive in 2003 and now globally available, Highland Park 15 is a fabulously smooth, easy to drink single malt with a luxuriously light floral flavour and a gentle smokey finish.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Full golden, clear and bright
Nose: Aromatic smokiness with a hint of camphor
Palate: Rich, initially sweet developing into a dry smokiness
Finish: Rich, long medium sweet then medium dry

Highland Park 15 Year Old has a remarkably complex nose with notes of camphor, peat and citrus fruits and flowers. The drying sensation on the finish leaves a rich smoky feeling and the immediate desire to refill your glass.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Savory and sweet play back on forth over the heather and smoke.
Palate: Very easily drinkable. Honey and floral sweetness (lavender maybe) laid over a smoky oak flavor.
Finish: A little briny, peat, floral smoke, and a little heat transitioning from late palate to early finish.
Comments: An odd thing about this bottling is that on Highland Park’s website and just about every other European mention I’ve seen lists this at 40% ABV while the bottle in front of me is 43%. I’m glad for the discrepancy. I don’t know that it would hold up as well watered down. I’m kind of at odds with this expression. I think the 12 Year Old at about half the price is a great dram at a great price. Is this better? Yes but for about $20 more you can get the 18 Year Old which is superb. I don’t know if I would ever choose this over either of those.
Rating: Stands Out

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Highland Park 1998

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky Vintage 1998
40% ABV/80 Proof
$55 to $65 per liter
Travel Retail Exclusive

What the Distillery Says:
This variant of Highland Park is exclusively for global travel retail and duty free markets and was first released in April 2010, having been distilled in the year of Highland Park’s bicentenary.

1998 was the year in which New Labour swept to power in the UK whilst the USA was rocked by the Monica Lewinsky affair. In a pioneering move, California banned smoking in bars and restaurants and the first Euro coins were minted. France defeated Brazil in the FIFA World Cup final and Titanic swept the board with 11 Oscars. The world said farewell to the talents of Frank Sinatra, Roy Rogers and, tragically, Florence Griffith-Joyner.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Rich, golden, clear and bright.
Nose: Opaque honey, dried grass with ginger spicy notes. Dried apricot emerges late.
Palate: The vanilla and honey sweetness developed from a dozen years in American oak is perfectly balanced with the emergence of the aromatic heather peat smoke. Sweet notes of cinnamon and cashew nuts emerge.
Finish: Sweet with medium lingering spice and smoke

What Richard Says:
Nose: Herbaceous and a little sweet.
Palate: Smoky, nutty, and vanilla sweetness.
Finish: Smoky and a little spicy hot.
Comments: This is an odd one. I’ve given it to a few folks and they all say the same thing. “This doesn’t taste like Highland Park.” I kind of agree. All the Highland Park DNA is there with the honey sweetness, heather, peat, smoke, etc. but it just doesn’t feel like Highland Park. I am usually on the lookout for travel retail exclusives whenever I travel because I like to try new things. This one I find very average. It’s more costly (size adjusted) than the standard 12 year old and doesn’t taste as good. Unless you’re a “must have everything Highland Park” drinker then I’d probably skip this one.
Rating: Average

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Highland Park 12 Year

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
43% ABV/86 Proof
$35 to $40
Available Worldwide

What the Distillery Says:
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.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Glowing amber
Nose: Heather-honey sweetness; peaty smokiness
Palate: Rounded smoky sweetness; full malt delivery
Finish: Teasing, heathery, subtle smoke. Delicious

Take your time to appreciate the nose of Highland Park 12 and you’ll discover the characteristic honey sweetness followed by fruit – maybe pineapple, apple or pear. On the palate it is drying and leaves a gentle smokey feeling and a flavour that just keeps on going.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Heather, dew covered wild grass, little hints of smoke, and wisps of sea air.
Palate: The smoke and sweetness dance around each other in the whirlwind.
Finish: Smoky and dry. The finish seems to linger forever.
Comments: I won’t be the first person to tell you that Highland Park is an underrated dram. It’s getting much more recognition lately but it still plays second fiddle to their parent Edrington’s Macallan. I’ve rarely had anything from this distillery that I wouldn’t recommend. This is one of the best 12 year old single malts out there and when you can find it at $35 it’s almost a steal. Stock up and enjoy.
Rating: Stands Out, Great Value

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New U.S. Releases – June 2011

/ / Bourbon, Other Whisk(e)ys, Scottish Whisky

I thought it might be a good idea to post these new release summaries on the last day of the actual month I’m summarizing instead of the following month. We’ll see if I can stick to that.

With one exception, June seemed to be all about American whiskey. From big producers to craft distillers, we have some interesting stuff that came through in June.

Wild Turkey 81
Release Date: Now
ABV: 40.5%
Price: $20
This one kind of took us by surprise. Usually, we get press releases some months in advance of bottles hitting the shelves. This is especially true of large producers like Wild Turkey. There is not really much to say here that Matt hasn’t already covered. Check out our review for more details.

OYO Whiskey
Release Date: Now
ABV: 46%
Price: $45
This new wheat whiskey comes from Middle West Spirits out of Columbus, Ohio. This is a 100% wheat whiskey aged in beeswax sealed barrels.

Walleye Rye
Release Date: Now
ABV: 45%
Price: $35/375ml
Made by New Holland Brewer, this rye is fermented from a wash of malted rye and 2-row malted barley. Walleye Rye is twice-distilled and matured in small American oak barrels. They release less than 350 375ml bottles per batch.

Whipper Snapper Oregon Spirit Whiskey
Release Date: Now
ABV: TBD
Price: $30
This is an interesting little product from Ransom Spirits. The first part of the whiskey is made from barley that is malted in the Pacific Northwest, and unmalted barley grown in the Willamette valley of Oregon. The second part is made by using a base of Kentucky corn whitedog, re-distilled in an alembic pot still. They age in a combination of barrels, including used French coopered pinot noir barrels, new American coopered whiskey barrels, and used American whiskey barrels. The age is between six months and two years, with an average time of about one year.

John B. Stetson Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Release: TBD for US market
ABV: TBD
Price: TBD
American whiskey (most likely Heaven Hill) purchased and bottle by Germans and sold back to U.S. consumers (among other countries too). If it tastes good I’ll buy, regardless of how convoluted the supply chain is. Plus, it’s got cowboys and horses on the label! You don’t get more manly and American than that.

Great King Street – The Artist’s Blend
Release: September 2011
ABV:43%
Price: $41/500ml, no price yet on 750ml bottles coming to the U.S.
Something new from Compass Box? Hell yeah I’m excited. John Glaser never disappoints. This new range of whiskies named for the Compass Box office address was created to appeal to both the malt whisky enthusiasts and those new to whisky. The first release in the Great King Street range is the Artist’s Blend. I can’t wait until September!

That’s June. Let’s see what treasures July holds!

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Basil Hayden’s

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
40% ABV/80 Proof
$30 to $40
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Basil Hayden’s is unequalled in that it utilizes twice as much rye in it as the other bourbons in the Collection. Enriched by a hint of peppermint, it impresses with notes of pepper balanced by slight citrus overtones, and a spicy, warming finish. Aged eight years at a relatively mild 80 proof, Basil Hayden’s has a broad appeal and is equally enjoyable alone or in cocktails such as a Juicy Basil and Basil Bubbly.

Age: 8 years
Proof: 80
Color: Golden amber
Aroma: Spice, tea, hint of peppermint
Taste: Spicy, peppery, honey, light-bodied, gentle bite
Finish: Dry, clean, brief

What Richard Says:
Nose: Herbal, floral, and that signature Old Grand Dad black tea note.
Palate: Vanilla, and that OGD rye spice note but in this it is lighter and cleaner.
Finish: Very dry. I’m talking really dry. Dry like like you want some water or a soda afterward.
Comments: Basil Hayden’s seems to be pretty popular with those new to bourbon. It’s light and easy to drink. This was my wife’s first “favorite bourbon” when I first got her into whiskey. I’m not saying it’s a woman’s bourbon anything like that. However, I do think that it’s not worth twice the money to get this over OGD Bottled In Bond. They put another year or two on the age and watered it down to 40% ABV. It’s still Old Grand Dad, just with a heftier price tag.
Rating: Average

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