Highland Park 25-Year Old: A Review and Taste Test
September 28, 2022
567 viewsHighland Park's 25-Year Old Release has been created from fewer than 20 sherry seasoned European oak casks, first-fill ex-bourbon casks and refills casks, hand-selected by Master Whisky Maker.
When it comes to whisky, the past few years have seen no shortage of innovation. We’ve seen the rise of craft distilleries, experimental casks and even whisky-soaked chocolate. But there’s one segment that remains relatively untouched: vintage whisky.
Highland Park is a brand with an unrivalled heritage. The Orkney distillery was founded in 1798, making it one of the oldest on Earth. In fact, it was so ahead of its time that when owner Magnus.
A Brief History Of Highland Park
The history of Highland Park distillery began in 1798 when the merchant Gustavus Little set up a distillery on the island of Orkney. The operation remained in the Little family for three generations until it was bought by the Innes family in 1851. Under the new ownership, Highland Park distillery expanded its capacity significantly.
In particular, the owners invested in the production of sherry-casked whisky, which became synonymous with the Highland Park brand. In 1974, the distillery was bought by the Japanese Suntory Group, which has operated it since. The Highland Park 25-Year-Old Review Nose:
There are two types of Highland Park: the 12-year-old and the 18-year-old. The majority of the distillery’s output is the 12-year-old, but the 18-year-old is a much more limited release. The 25-year-old is even rarer still. The noses of these whiskies are worlds apart.
The 25-year-old is incredibly deep — it’s got this thick, resinous, vegetal smell to it. It smells like a forest after rainfall. On the palate, it’s got the same rich spiciness you’d expect from a Highland Park 12-year-old. It’s got a little bit of peat, some smoke, a few pears — and it’s got a nice oaky finish.
Tasting Notes
The nose is thick, resinous, and vegetal: it smells like a forest after rainfall. On the palate, it has got a rich spiciness you’d expect from a Highland Park 12-year-old, but with added intensity — a little bit of peat, some smoke, and a few pears — and a nice oaky finish.
Highland Park 25-Year Old Release has been created from fewer than 20 sherry seasoned European oak casks, first-fill ex-bourbon casks and refills casks, hand-selected by Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, from a small treasure of suitable casks.It’s a delicious whisky, but it’s almost the same as the normal 18-year-old: it’s got a resinous, vegetal character, a bit of peat, smoke and pears. The only difference is that it’s got a little bit more of everything. There’s a little more smoke, a little bit more intensity — but there’s no smoke on the palate.
Should You Buy Highland Park 25?
The Highland Park 25-Year-Old is a delicious whisky — but it’s the same as the normal 18-year-old. There’s a little bit more intensity, a little bit more smoke, but unfortunately.
If you’re looking for a whisky to drink regularly, the price of the Highland Park 25-Year-Old makes it a bit less than ideal. There are many whiskies of a similar quality that are significantly cheaper.
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