Highland Journey Blended Malt (Hunter Laing)

An intense, Blended Malt Whisky by Hunter Laing & Company in Highland, Scotland aged in ex-Bourbon & ex-Sherry casks. It has an aromatic birth with notes of fresh-baked brown bread, Highland florals, toffee apples, vanilla fudge & mild smoke; while a bold & rich life adds notes of butter, custard, apricot, lemon drizzle cake, peat, cinnamon & cracked black pepper; that led to a creamy death of medium length with notes of marzipan, caramel, ginger, Sherry, honied barley & crushed almonds. January 2020 / August 2022

I am rating this a bit higher than most as I appreciate a bit of heat. Nose is fresh cut hay on a rainy day, Palate opens up nicely with a dash of water revealing a bit of pepper with gentle sherry if you rest it on the tongue with a long lasting warm finish. Not as smooth as Monarch but at cask strength this is quite pleasant albeit a bit young.

Spot on Foxy Roxy! Nailed it! 🍋 and 🌾 Thanks for the tasting info...I agree but a tad bit lower rating.

My experience is not as hard as the other reviewer here. I poured this after a particularily poor dram so I was thankful for the lemon, sweet, fruity nose. A little sharp, but welcoming and captured my interest. The palate is coating and malty. However, it is a little bitter and alcohol pronounced. Clearly young, but for the price in my market, this is a descent dram. The finish is short, but the lightly drying, and yet coating memory is pleasant. I would say trying it if a good value in your market.

Rating: 10/23 N: Light, kind of grainy, with a lemon peel bite and some alcohol. Not a lot happening here, but nothing bad going on either. P: Not as sweet as Dewar's 15 and definitely a bit more youthful, but not a lot more. I would probably have put this in the 10 to 12 year range and I placed Dewar's 15 at 12. years too. This is less rich and oily, but it has some nice mineral, lemon, stony creek water, dry grass, and faintly meaty (in a good way) flavors. The flavors are more distinct here and although they come across as young they are fairly well executed. Still, there's clear youthful alcohol with a white pepper spiciness to it that burns slightly at times. F: Bitter with some sweet creek water. Grassy with some lingering white pepper. Actually a pretty decent finish. - Conclusion - This is OK. I'd definitely put it a bit below Dewar's 15, but it's not objectionable. I wouldn't want to sip it though so it isn't making me think more highly of the broader Hunter Laing line. Probably an 11, but it could be a 10 because of the harshness. I think I'm giving it a 10.