Highland Park is the northernmost whisky distillery in Scotland as Blackwood distillery on the Shetlands is not yet producing whisky. Highland Park is positioning itself to enter the top 10 selling single malts over the next 5 years and have launched their line in new, award winning packaging. Unusual for distilleries, HP's water is hard and many feel that this has a great influence on the unique character of its whisky. Only 4 other distilleries have hard water, and there is a myth that soft water is necessary for the production of good whisky.
Sometimes lovingly refered to as HP sauce, Highland Park is well known for adding depth of flavour to blended whiskies. But Highland Park is a respected brand as a single malt, winning awards and accolades the world over. Michael Jackson has called it 'the greatest all-rounder in the world of whisky" and F. Paul Pacult decided the 18yo was "The Best Spirit in the World" in 2005.
Tasting notes :
The smell : brown sugar, anise, sweet, but with a complex layer. Some fruit, most likely pear.
The taste : whoa, even more complex. Herbal, spicy, some pepper. Is that a whisp of smoke ? Very malty, very rich flavour.
Conclusion : I like it. I like this alot. Very complex, but quite balanced. Lots of tastes which all go along. Not like Lagavulin, where the many tastes sortof collide. Definitely something completely different from which I'm used to. Deserves a permanent place in every whisky cabinet. Surely in mine.
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