Tastes

A very smooth bourbon, lots of caramel and banana on the nose and in the palate with some sour prunes also present. You can drink this one easily. Nothing to die for but not a bad dram at all. Butterscotch also present in the palate. The bottle is actually very pretty, like a cologne decanter. Overall, 80 over 100.

Exciting, exotic, impressive. My new Journey in Bourbon finally gave me something to feel happy: Hudson Baby. This New York 100%corn Bourbon, doesn't taste like a bourbon, actually it doesn't taste like any whisky i have had before. Bottled at 46%abv, it has a beautiful Mahogany Color. On the nose, it is one of those "Jack Daniels". Grapes, Wine, a little wood, maybe a slight smoke, Smells just like Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 or Johnnie Walker Select Cask Rye Finish. On the palate is where everything happens. Strange Flavors never before found: First of all it has a GUAVA JUICE NOTE. In Ecuador we call this Guayaba in Spanish, i look it up in English and it is Guava. but made Juice. We drink that in breakfast, is popular. Also it felt like a "little Tomato" (spanish: Tomatillo) Juice. also for breakfast lol. A little Oily, like Kerosene (have i ever tried Kerosene? i would be dead if i did i think), incredibly spicy, but not pepper or cinammon, it is like WASABI. Thick, full bodied, almost edible rather than drinkable. Mouth Watering with a very long bitter and spicy end. Absolutely impressive, exotic, this is not for every day, it is not for 3 or 4 drinks in a row, this is just something that is there for you to have once every month to experience something different. 90 out of 100. cheers

I wanted my 150th Whisky review to be memorable, so i spent one of my samples for it. I loved highland park 12, i gave it a great score but now i have tasted this 21yo and i have mixed feelings. Bottled at 47.5%abv, with an Auburn, polished Mahogany color. On the nose it is AMAZING. 25/25 points here. After staring those beautiful long legs on the glencairn, i got an strong alcohol note at first, then wet forest, medicinal plants, elegant coffee, hazelnut, prunes, oranges, vanilla cream, toffee, overall an outstanding citric, open pine breeze, a mountain forest aroma. Simply gorgeous. On the palate, it was TOO DAMN POWERFUL and strong. Maybe too much to enjoy it. Absolutely smooth the moment it enters. Then it gets strong macho hot oakyness, with a hint of orange, never expected to be this strong, a lot of character, like a punch in the face; notes of cough syrup, pepper, hint of smoke. Aftertaste is powerful hot and spicy. Medium-long finish, much too strong for a 21 yo. Other notes: Caramel, pepper, strong mint candy. Oranges. Dry brown grasses. Ashes. Very complex and mouth watering. This one won best single malt of 2009 on the World Whiskies Awards, but it is not for me. I know many will enjoy this dram. Overall i give this baby an 87 over 100. Cheers!!

Almost everything that Highland Park does is great. The most northern of Scotland's distilleries are also known for their amazing marketing, and "collections", from the vikings to the smugglers (who were also vikings), this is one of my favorite distilleries. This time i am reviewing Highland Park 17yo The Light, one of a two bottle collection, (the other one is "the Dark") which are inspired in the seasons on Orkney. This one of course represents spring and summer. Bottled at 52.9%abv we can expect lots of flavors. On the nose, it is citric and slightly peaty. Artificial tangerine notes, Artificial orange also. A dim Highland Park traditional peat. Burnt grass. Nice aroma; Lemon and after breathing a slight chocolate note comes up. On the palate it gets very mineral and salty. Coastal, Earthy. Mostly mineral and coastal to reveal a chocolate explosión on the finish. After first two sips vanilla is felt, since your mouth get used to the peatiness and the minerals. Finish is lovely. Chocolate with peat and ashy spiceness. Incredible aftertaste. Burns your lips nicely as any other hp. Overall this is a beautiful dram. A little expensive, but it is a lovely bottle with some nice juice on it. My score for it is 94 over 100.

A new expression from this amazing distillery, this time a 16 yo whisky that sells itself as "Gentle". I don't know if i want any "gentleness" on a Highland Park which is one of my favorite peated whiskies. This one has been matured in European sherry seasoned oak casks and american white oak casks. Bottled at 44.5%abv, not as dark colored as you would expect from a 16yo. On the nose i liked it a lot. Very complex here. Orange, Very perfumed, Heather peat, perfumed moss, lemon pie, very gentle and light. Lemon cream meringue, Tangerine, Impalpable sugar, Earthy peat and Milk powder. Lots of things happening here. On the palate it just doesn't deliver the promise you got on the nose, without been a bad whisky. Brown sugar, Molasses; Very light and gentle; Pepper spice. Very fruity like bitting some fresh mango or a tropical fruit that has gone a little old. Aftertaste brings the experience up again, with Ashes, earthy peat, Bitter oranges. Long finish with a slight saltiness on it. Overall this seems a little unbalanced, but manages to be a good whisky. It could be better, and for $106 you can certainly have a better option. 85 over 100.

Not what i expected, a fair Highland Park expression, dim on the nose and nice on the palate but nothing to die for. Bottled at 40%abv, with a deep copper color. On the nose is very dim, unappealing, with a marked tobbacco note, with some other dim notes of caramel and the typical highland park peat. On the palate it is a lot better, starts with caramel, to change into that typical tobacco/dry brown grass note from highland park, oranges, a mild bitter oakyness, with a smoky, ashy, salty finish which is medium-long. Overall i give this dram an 82 over 100. Cheers!

I have a weakness for highland park, because i love it's marketing. Dark Origins is all about a lovely smugglers story who not only founded the distillery ilegally, but also had secret ways to sell the whisky to the public. Bottled at 46.8%abv; auburn poslished mahogany color, lovely. On the nose a very soft peat note, not what you expect from your typical Highland Park. Brownies, Slight Tobbacco, Fresh forest, a Slight salt note and Garlic bread. A little dissapointed on the nose, it made me think i was in front of a bad dram... how wrong i was about it. On the palate is was awesome: Caramel, Orange, Brownies, Oaky, Acid, big Smoke note, some Salt and Clove. Finish was long and salty with hints of smoke and bonfire. Overall this dram is an 89 over 100, points deducted on the nose but definitively a good whisky.

Great dram. Not as good as the 15yo which is my favorite Highland Park to this date. Complex and delicious. Bottled at 43%abv (not 40 as this app says) with a chesnut oloroso sherry color. On the nose, as soon as you remove the cork you will nose that stinky very noticeable orkney peat. Caramel, sweaty shoes (lol but true), salt, prunes. On the palate it is very complex. A herbal liquorice note very impressive, never had one like that. Typical tobbacco note from Highland Park, but more elegant that other expressions; spicy, chilli, smoke. Finish medium very pleasant. Smoky. Charred. Overall i give this beauty a 92 over 100. Very recommended.

Wonderful bourbon. Easily one of my top 5 bourbons to this date (i dont have that many). I believe it is 46%, and it was very enjoyable. On the nose it starts like any bourbon but then adds great layers of aromas. Banana, Prunes, Bronzer, A little salty, Vanilla ice cream, Caramel used in "flan" (caramel creme) and also a back Floral note. Complex. On the palate is where it gets more surprising: it starts SOOOO SWEET: Sugary notes, honey/toffee for a long moment then a pleasant spice in the palate. There is an ashy note somewhere too. Finish is very long, Herbal presence is strong. Very fresh and clean finish with clove. long and tasty. Overall this was a great dram that deserves at least a 92 over 100. Cheers

This is a genuine rarity. Only 3000 bottles were made, a 20yo bourbon, John E. Fitzgerald was an excise man who had the key of the distillery, and he drank from the finest casks: yes, this an enhanced "Larceny bourbon". 45% abv, chesnut color. On the nose is INCREDIBLE AND INTERESTING. Gum. Candy. Cotton candy. Solvent. Milka chocolate. SPECTACULAR. On the palate is unbeatable. A sherried, spice explosion. Wonderful. But.... The aftertaste is inexistent. No aftertaste at all :( Overall i think this is a great great dram, but not having aftertaste... well, a lot of points were deducted. I love the story and i love the 375ml bottle, but you got to be true to your ratings so: 80 over 100. And it surely feels like more.