Highland Park 12 Year Old Scotch – Review

Highland Park 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

86 Proof

Price Point: $35 – $45 for 750 ML

Distiller: Highland Park Distillery

Background

Like many of my other recent reviews, I first had Highland Park 12 Year Old at Whiskey Fest 2011.  It was a pleasant surprise among an overwhelming variety of whiskeys to try.

The Highland Park Distillery is Scotland’s northernmost distillery, far away from the hustle and bustle of Speyside or even Islay.  The distillery is on the isle of Orkney, and just a half mile north of the Scapa Distillery.  This unique terroir gives Highland Park a unique set of characteristics.

Review

The nose on Highland Park 12 Year Old is relatively standard, although it does seem well-aged from the first whiff.  There’s a little bit of fruit present, similar to the Glenlivet.

The taste is a bit sharper than its 43% ABV suggests.  There are some spicy notes here, but nothing too over the top.

The finish is smoky, which is kind of surprising as the nose doesn’t necessarily suggest the presence of smoke.

Rating & Recommendations

I like Highland Park 12 Year Old, but I wouldn’t rate it as high as some of my colleagues.  To me, this whisky earns a rating of 79 out of 100.

As with all single malts, leave it alone and drink it neat.

I do enjoy Highland Park 12 Year Old, but it seems to be missing something.  Perhaps the older expressions have more to offer.

-Ryan