Agave Spirits+ Journey

This is my first real experimentation with a peated scotch – it is very lightly peated, at approximately 4-6 parts per million (PPM) & the distillery’s peat level is only around 20 parts per million (PPM).  But for someone new to peat, it’s still a hurdle, so patience, peat lovers.  It’s taken me months of spending time with this to decide whether I like it or not – I do and the floral character of the Orcadian heathered peat really helped because it reminds me of the unique floral notes in Mijenta Tequila as well as the light smokiness of Burrito Fiestero’s artesanal joven Cenizo agave mezcal.

Located on the Orkney Islands in Scotland’s North Sea, Highland Park distillery received an official license in 1826 (the distillery says 1798) and was purchased by The Edrington Group in 1979, which also owns The Macallan.  Highland Park’s scotches stand out in particular because of their use of local peat with a high amount of widespread Orcadian heather from Hobbister Moor – this flowering shrub adds floral notes.

Highland Park 12 is non-colored, aged in ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks.

This review is based on multiple spaced-out sessions using Glencairn glasses.

COLOR: Deep Gold

NOSE: Very pleasant & unique, unlike any other whisky I’ve had – Honeyed orange & white orchard fruits, floral smoke & orange blossoms, white & black pepper, oak/barrel notes, baking spices (cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon), orange zest (citrusy), sweet malt/breadiness, & a vegetal funkiness (perhaps the Orcadian peat).

PALATE: Honeyed malt followed by floral smoke & oak/barrel (wet wood) notes, tropical fruit (pineapple) & orange zest (citrusy), cloves, salinity, dried cocoa, leather, & that vegetal funkiness.

FINISH: Medium-long (7-10 seconds, depending on if I “chew” a bit) – Finishes with vegetal funkiness that continues on the back breath, wet wood & sweet malt notes, & the malty/fruity sweetness remains in the background.

MOUTHFEEL: Medium-thin; Viscosity is medium-short leaving tears on the glass

VALUE:  Unique single malt whisky – worth a buy.

ALWAYS ON SHELF/BUY AGAIN?  Yes. 

_____________________

1792 Bourbon Agave Spirits American Single Malts American Whisky ArteNOM Añejo Tequila Blanco Tequila Blended Whisky Bourbon Whisky Bruichladdich Buffalo Trace Cocktails Código 1530 (Codigo 1530) Dulce Vida E.H. Taylor Elijah Craig El Tesoro Extra Añejo Tequila Four Roses Gin Glassware Glenlivet Irish Whisky Limestone Branch Distillery Liqueurs Lost Lore Maker's Mark Mezcal Mijenta Mt. Defiance Distillery Patrón Penelope Reposado Tequila Reviews Rye Whisky Scotch Whisky Siempre Single Malt Whisky Spirits Tequila Tequila Ocho Tequila Partida Virginia Virginia Distillery Company Whisky