Scottish Whisky

Highland Park Dark Origins

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Highland Park Dark Origins Single Malt Scotch Whisky
46.8% ABV
$80 to $90
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
Dark Origins is inspired by the cunning spirit and courageous personality of Highland Park’s infamous founder, Magnus Eunson. This latest addition to the core expressions uses twice as many first fill sherry casks than in the classic Highland Park 12 year old resulting in a naturally darker, richer flavour.

Tasting Notes
Colour: Rich mahogany
Nose: Sherried spice and ripe bananas combine with toasted hazelnuts and baked apple
Palate: Well-balanced, dry peat at first mellowing out to maraschino cherries, warm dark chocolate entices the palate
Finish: Enduring sweet smoke

What Richard Says:
Nose: Sherry for sure. This has a much thicker and meatier nose than standard Highland Park bottlings.
Palate: So if a sherry butt and a peat brick had a fight, beat the hell out of each other, put antiseptic ointment on it and wrapped the whole thing in old Band-aids it would be this whisky.
Finish: Surprisingly sweet on the finish but it quickly fades to a dry soot-like quality.
Comments: I understand where Edrington is coming from. You have a great but under valued malt. You use some of those same great sherry casks that you use for Macallan but not too many. Your malt is a great balance of flavor and finesse with a bit of peat. You kind of missed out on the uber-peak band wagon last decade and now things are swinging heavily sherried. So you don’t have enough aged sherry stock to make a second line like with Macallan but you can bring what you do have together and make a no age statement version for the sherry bomb lovers out there and hopefully capitalize on the sherry wave to bring in some extra profits.

Yeah I get all that but the problem is this sucks. It might be passable if it wasn’t 1) a NAS mystery mix, 2) $80+ a bottle when your 12 year old is around $45 to $50, and 3) a Highland Park that is a bare shadow of the rest of the line. I’ve passed this bottle around and gotten some not negative feedback but if you for some reason value my opinion then I wouldn’t waste your money.
Rating: Probably Pass

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Ballantine’s 30 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ballantine’s Very Old Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 30 Years

43% ABV
$350
Website
wBallantines30-LARGE

What the Blender Says

Rich, Oak-Influenced & Lingering. Ballantine’s 30 Year Old ranks as one of the world’s most exquisite blends.

With a deep gold colour, subtle sweet flavour on the nose and a complex palate of honey and vanilla, Ballantine’s 30 Year Old is an exceptional, rare and exclusive whisky.

Nose: Deep, soft fruity aromas and an elegant subtle sweetness with a luscious vanilla oakiness.
Taste: A full, rich complex balance of honey, floral and fruity flavours, with mellow notes of vanilla.
Body: Soft yet strong, confident and luscious.
Character: Full, balanced, rich and fruity.
Colour: Deep old gold.
Finish: Long-lasting and elegant.

What Richard Says:

Nose: Hello old scotch. There’s just a nose to old scotch that makes it stands out. Deep, a little sherry sweetness, a nice pipe tobacco/oiled leather interplay, and some old polish wood.
Palate: Smooth, balanced, creamy but not overly viscous, and rich. A little cigar smoke, nice oak notes, and deep sweetness.
Finish: Long and surprisingly fruity. There’s a little dry oak around the edges but the fruit prevails.
Comments: This is a very complex and well layered blend. When it comes to high end blends if you’re in the market for a bottle then you probably don’t need my opinion. Even still, if you see a bottle at a bar then give a go. It’s a pleasure to experience.

On a side note, I give HUGE props to Ballantine’s for the bottle closure. No f-cking cork! It’s a solid, well made, water tight screw cap. Other whisky maker please take note!

Rating: Must Try

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Springbank 12 Year Old (Green Thistle)

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky, The Collector's Cabinet /

Springbank Campletown Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Aged 12 Years
46% ABV
Collectible
SB12
What Richard Says:
Nose: Big, meaty, sulfuric sherry on the nose with bits of raisins and caramel covered nuts.
Palate: Oily, rich, sherry sweetness and layers of tobacco and leather showing the older malt mixed in.
Finish: Long and polished. Wood is barely evident.
Comments: I pulled this out of a back shelf at a Kroger liquor store in Columbia, South Carolina. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen in the wild. These older Springbanks are typically referred to as “Thistle” releases because the labels of various versions of the 12 year old have different colors of thistle under the Springbank insignia. This version is the “green thistle” version. This version came in two variations: a 46% and 50% variation. What makes these unique is the extraordinary components. In the mid to late nineties when these were bottled there were a number of casks in the 30 to 36 year old range that had evaporated to below 40% ABV and thus could not be bottled by themselves. This malt was used to “water down” the existing bottles of standard Springbank. Usually this is done with distilled source water so you can begin to imagine the impact of mixing in 30 to 36 year old scotch instead. The result is a simply amazing “12 Year Old” single malt from Springbank. It tastes nothing like Springbanks on the shelf now. If you see one you almost have to buy it. At least buy it for me. 🙂
Rating: Must Buy

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Old Pulteney 35 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 35 Years
42.5% ABV
$740
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
The embodiment of our Distillery’s exceptional craftsmanship, this new expression is matured in American ex-bourbon and Spanish ex-sherry casks which have been expertly hand selected by our Distillery Manager, Malcolm Waring. The eye catching detail and design of the limited edition reflects our rich maritime heritage, which includes a stunning wooden box with porthole revealing the unique Old Pulteney bottle which carries the classic herring drifter, which has become a symbol of the brand.

Colour: Light amber

Nose: The initial wave of honey sweetness, exotic spices and citrus is followed by fruit cake and bitter chocolate. Over time gentle undertones open up with hints of fresh vanilla and sticky toffee pudding. A truly indulgent whisky on the nose enriched and fabulously balanced by the long maturation.

Palate: Full bodied and bursting with attitude. This exceptional dram is sweet and spicy and quickly develops a range of signature Old Pulteney flavours from honey, rum soaked raisins and Californian oranges to the heavier notes of seasoned leather, pralines and a touch of the salty North Sea air. A slow long finish with gentle waves of dried fruit and silky tannins.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Lovely “old scotch” nose of rich oiled leather, fine pipe tobacco, cinnamon candies, and dried apricots.
Palate: Viscous but not chewy. Candied nuts, baking spices, and salted caramels. It’s a bit odd on the palate because it doesn’t stick around. It hits and then is gone. It’s a short palate even when left in the mouth for a bit.
Finish: Licorice, cigar tobacco, a light saltiness, and a little wood but less than expected. The finish is relatively short too.
Comments: This is an exceptionally delicious dram. I don’t often get the chance to drink 35 year old scotch but the taste for it is acquired with dangerous speed. The Old Pulteney DNA gets a little muddled after so many years but hints of the sea air are transformed into salted caramels on the palate and a dusting of salt on the finish. Really, my only complaint is the brevity of the palate and finish on this terrific dram. It’s too rare and expensive to keep downing drams to hold onto the flavor. I wish it lingered a bit more.
Rating: Must Try

We would like to thank The Thomas Collective and International Beverage for sending us a sample for review.

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Old Pulteney Clipper

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Old Pulteney Clipper Single Malt Scotch Whisky
46% ABV
$50
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
The Limited Edition Old Pulteney Clipper Commemorative bottle launched in July 2014. Only 2,700 cases of 6 available world-wide. Matured in ex bourbon and ex sherry casks.

Colour: Polished gold
Nose: Sweetness of dried fruits and crispiness of green apples is accompanied by notes of fresh vanilla and white chocolate.
Palate: Waves of honey and orange zest, a rounded oaky structure and an unmistakable coastal note which sets Old Pulteney apart. Smooth and long-lasting.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Meaty with a wisp of sea air. Deeper exploration brings up oatmeal crisp cookies and citrus zest.
Palate: More cinnamon oatmeal cookies eaten by the shore while the salty sea air washed over you. It’s a nice rich flavor in the mouth.
Finish: A lovely note of brown sugar cookies fading to slow oak and intense malty and salty notes.
Comments: I’ve been a bit dubious on not age statement (NAS) single malts lately. My forthcoming Dark Origins review will not be kind. But this isn’t bad at all. It’s a nice malt that ventures out a little but doesn’t lose a solid core. The cookie notes are very nice but it tends to be overly malty and salty. I don’t think I would buy a bottle but it’s worth a try in bar.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank The Thomas Collective and International Beverage for sending us a sample for review.

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