For some reason I never seem to have reviewed the Highland Park 12 Year Old. First introduced in 1979 and matured in a combination of refill and first-fill sherry casks.
Update: this was relaunched in May 2017, see my review of the new Highland Park 12 Years.
Highland Park 12 yo
(40%, OB 2016)
Highland Park 12 yoNose: rather typical HP. Honeyed, a lot of orange cubes, cinnamon. Just a hint of heathery smoke and charcoal. Golden raisins. Fairly rounded, with light floral hints. A hint of sea air.
Mouth: quite all-round, with a bit of different profiles. Some candied fruits, oranges, a little dried apricot. Some grassy notes, hay, mingling nicely with the soft smoky touches. The malty core keeps growing, with a granary touch and hints of tea, including a very light bitter edge. Could have been more interesting with a higher alcohol contents, but it’s fairly rich nonetheless.
Finish: decent, drier and more malty, with a little honey and subtle smoke.
Rather inoffensive yet convincing: there’s very little to criticize except for the strength. But then again this is intended as a smooth introduction to malts, I guess. Solid whisky. Around € 35.
Score: 84/100