Highland Park 12 Year

So I have both the pre 2017 bottle and the recent 2019 Viking bottle. I drank both back to back and now I understand all the hate on the new vintage. They are very different expressions. I am not sure if it is because they had more old stock in the older version, got popular and went with younger spirits or if it is just the normal variation of a small distillery that got very popular. Pre-2017 bottle has much more character. Very spicy and peppery on the palate. Not so much sherry, little smoke on the finish. It was more complex than the current dram. The Viking bottle was more sherry forward and had some sulphur tones. It was less adventurous and more floral. A very different dram but still very drinkable. They are both good whiskys but I get how people who loved the old HP 12 would not like the new. It tastes that different. The old is probably a 3.5 and the new is probably 3 so I am going with a 3. If you can find the old HP 12, grab it. Much more flavorful and fairly well balanced but still brash and young. The newer is much more subdued and more sherry forward.

Smoky with honey

Very nice whisky. Smooth, right amount of peat and for me pleasantly bitter.