East Village Whisky Company is a name we hadn’t seen before. The brand started in 2018 in Germany and Peter Ostendorf is responsible for the bottlings. He is somehow related to The Whisky Agency but then started a kind of spin-off series.
Tdaoy we are looking at a Highland Park 1989. It was released exclusively for the German retailer Whisky-Maniac.
Highland Park 32 yo 1989 (50,7%, East Village Whisky Company for Whisky-Maniac 2022, hogshead, 60 btl.)
Nose: a very waxy style of HP profile. A sophisticated mix of juicy orchard fruits (apricots, mirabelles, yellow apples) with some light tropical touches of tinned pineapple. Polished oak, beeswax and propolis. Then overripe apples, lime peel and a whiff of candied ginger. Vanilla and hints of bergamot oil. Old waxed papers and heather honey. Just lovely.
Mouth: more of these luscious polished notes, quickly followed by mango, papaya and passion fruit jelly. Also pineapple sherbet with subtle mint, as well as honey and fruit syrup. Pretty wonderful – I don’t think I’ve had this profile in Highland Park before. It gets a little grassy and minty after that (not unlike some Irish whiskeys), with hints of pepper and leafy notes. Meadow flowers too.
Finish: quite long, still very juicy, with lingering mango, as well as subtle chalky and earthy notes.
I didn’t expect this kind of overt tropical fruitiness, but it does leave a huge impression. Much fruitier than modern production. Not cheap, but this is the best Highland Park I’ve had in a long time. Still a few bottles available from Whisky-Maniac.