1997 Highland Park 20 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Staff Reviews

GW

Gary Westby

Gary Westby

I was blown away by this cask strength Highland Park from the first little sniff. After adding a few drops of water, it only got better. This has it all: rich, almondy nuttiness, sweet and savory sherry depth and more than a hint of Orkney smoke on the super long finish. With supplies of great distilleries like Highland Park disappearing from the stocks of specialty bottlers, this extraordinarily fine 20 year old is looking like a value, even if it is not inexpensive. If you are looking for profound, old, sherry influenced malt from one of the great island distilleries, you have found it!

Notes

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.