When Signatory Vintage celebrated its 30th Anniversary, they bottled two Highland Park expressions.
One was a brilliant 1988, the other a 27 years old 1991 expression with a heavy sherry influence. It was matured in a rare first-fill Palo Cortado cask.
Highland Park 27 yo 1991 (52%, Signatory Vintage 30th Anniversary 2018, sherry butt #15086, 545 btl.)
Nose: rather old-style sherry, including a (light) sulphury touch of unlit matches. Tobacco, leathery notes, dried meats and caramel fudge. Also chocolate coated walnuts, old butter and herbal notes. Rubbery touches. Some earthy heather smoke and a wee coastal touch, but the distillery character is well hidden behind the sherry.
Mouth: same meaty Bovril character. Plenty of cigar leaves and tobacco, more walnuts and rubber. Dried plums, black peppercorns, orange peel and herbal tea. Hints of liquorice and clove. Blackberries. Ends on coffee and sandalwood. Suddenly I had to think of Karuizawa.
Finish: quite long, on dark chocolate, drying spices and herbal tea.
Heavily sherried Highland Park: this flew off the shelves despite the high price (around € 500 back then). The rather obvious sulphury notes cost a few points, but still a high score because overall I find it more meaty than sulphury. Not an absolute stunner like the ‘naked’ 1988 though. Sold out but The Whisky Exchange has a nice overview of other wonderful bottles from this series.