Highland Park 25 Year Old Single Malt Whisky w/box 700ml

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Rated by: Thijs Klaverstijn, 90/100

Nose: Ah yes, lots of sherry influence. Big aromas. Dried red fruits, caramel, cherries, fudge and toffee. Also very spicy, mainly cinnamon. The smoke is very subtle, some charred oak is accompanied by damp wood and leather.
Taste: A bit rubbery at first with a very oily mouthfeel. Smoke. Still some sherry, but the spices take over here. Ginger and cloves. Tastes like the alcohol content is much higher than 45,7%.
Finish: A fiery finish, with mint, spices and pepper. Lingers for a long time.

To ensure every bottle of Highland Park reaches you in perfect condition, the whisky is harmonised. Each individual batch of Highland Park is drawn together from a variety of cask types, contributing an array of distinct, unique flavours and additional harmonisation for up to six months perfectly marries them together. The impact this marriage has on the whisky is nothing short of stunning and ensures consistency, as well as adding complexity and exceptional balance on the palate.
The majority of the Scotch whisky industry uses ex-bourbon barrels for maturation. At Highland Park, bourbon barrels are not routinely filled. Traditional oak casks are used; butts, puncheons or hogsheads – no barrels – all seasoned with dry Oloroso sherry, which contribute to the distinctive richness in the resulting whisky. Spanish oak casks seasoned with sherry give colour, spice and dried fruit character, whereas American oak sherry seasoned casks give lighter, sweeter vanilla and butterscotch flavours. Sherry oak casks are far more expensive but the view at Highland Park is that they are worth it for the rich character and natural colour they provide to the maturing spirit.
One of the fundamental flavours in Highland Park single malt whisky is the delicate, sweet, aromatic peat smoke, which has given Highland Park its unique character since 1798. The Orkney Islands have an abundance of this sweet, heathery peat, which is around 4000 years old and is carefully selected from Hobbister Moor. The peat we cut is a mixture of textures and aromas ranging from a more floral heather-rich top layer, to a darker, denser material, the mixture giving the resulting smoke a slow burning and complex aroma.