Tastes

Light, sweet, and honey-like, the palate doesn't disappoint. And just when I thought it couldn't get better, I'm treated to a tropical sensation of pineapple/passion fruit after the initial inhale. It then ends on a grassy, herbaceous note adding yet another dimension to this lovely whisky. One of my top 3.

What happens when you achieve the perfect balance of peat and fruit? Whisky nirvana. The stunning level of balance presented on the nose lends it a unique creaminess unlike anything I've tried. The marriage of bourbon, sherry, and smoke plays out on the tongue like an orchestral symphony. There's also the placebo effect of salt air lingering in the recess of your mind all the while. Truly sublime and for me, close to a perfect dram. Now, if only I could rate it higher. (5.5/5)

It's your typical Islay with a citrus twang. I have four words: give me the Uigeadail.

What makes Highland Park 18 so special is the excellent balance of peat and sherry which has led to a "creamy" characteristic I have found in only a couple of whiskies. Sweet with a wisp of smoke, this stuff is heavenly.

Not a sherry bomb, but a sherry nuke. Because it's cask strength and relatively young, the flavors are intense, vibrant, and sweet. Is this the Starburst of the whisky world?

It has all the qualities of a great bourbon and none of its setbacks (i.e. $$$). On the nose and palate, you're rewarded with decadent vanilla and caramel sweetness comparable with many high-end bourbons albeit without the high abv. And with its price point of roughly twenty or thirty dollars, this is an absolute steal.

Aside from the sherry and peat, there's also a strange muskiness on the nose and palate (similar to what I'd found in the Macallan 12). It's what I'd imagine an old & tired barrel to taste like, but don't let that deter you. It's still great value for money and the tantalizing sweetness makes up for its shortcomings.

On the palate, there's an element of stewed fruits you find in your typical sherry whisky followed by a waft of glorious oak (think licking a plank of balsa wood) and it ends with a dark chocolate note. My benchmark for all sherry drams. 5/5 stars for the quality at this price.