Highland Park 15 Year

33 open bottles in my collection ranked through multiple blind tastings. Counting them down! #17: Highland Park . Single Malt Scotch. 43% ABV. 15 year old. Paid $90 I am convinced Highland Park had the most polished core range of age statement whiskies until they lost their wannabe Viking minds. As such, even though the 15 year old is so-so for VFM, I will buy another bottle just to collect the discontinued bottles. I can still easily find the 15 where I am at. This is not just an older and more complex version of the 12 or a younger sibling of the 18. While the 18 is the spiritual big brother of the 12; the 15 is the awkward middle child. It is lighter and friendlier due to being aged in American oak sherry rather than European oak. Red apples, red Twizzlers, powdered sugar and dough. Vanilla wood and just a hint of heathery Orkney peat. Although I did not have a direct comparison, this is probably as good as the old HP 12, which can still be had for about half the price, so it’s hard to justify purchasing too many HP 15s. Plus, for $20-50 more, you can get the legendary HP 18, which is easily worth the extra spending. Still, the HP 15 is a playful curiosity that is quite enjoyable. As general advice, snatch up the old bottlings of HP. Their new over-the-top tattoo-art bottles is like David Beckham – you ain’t tough, I don’t care how many tattoos you have. I would understand if Laphroaig went Viking, but HP? MARK: 88/100 PREVIOUSLY, ON BATMAN: #18: Glendronach. $59 (1L). 43%. 12 years. 87/100 #19: Ledaig. $60. 46.3%. 10 years. 87/100 #20: Longmorn. $94. 48%. 16 years. 87/100 #21: Maker’s Mark 46. $35 (375mL). 47%. NAS. 87/100 #22: Benjamin Prichard’s Double Barreled. $104. 45%. NAS. 87/100 #23: High West Campfire. $62. 46%. NAS. 86/100.