Highland Park 15 Year

Nose - Bright dried red fruits (cherries, strawberries), lightly medicinal like goji berries, honey, very faint hint of fruity smoke, black tea. Taste - A bit thin on the palate, thin fruity floral honey, dried cherries and strawberries, black pepper spice, wisp of dry fruit wood smoke, hint of black tea bittersweet and wet tobacco, tellicherry peppercorns, light brine. Finish - Lingering lightly medicinal fruity sweet, goji berries, sweet spicy tellicherry peppercorn spice, gentle smoke from the morning after a campfire that used fruit (cherry/apple) wood. Score - 91/100 Final Thoughts - This is a very well balanced lightly peated Scotch. It hits on all the right notes that I like with a complex balance of sweet and gentle smoke that keeps your tastebuds and nose wanting another go at it. It's definitely not an "everyday dram" as you sort of have to be in the mood for it; or at least I am with any peated Scotch. I think this would be best neat or with a tiny bit of water, ice might kill the subtle smoke and brine a bit, but I have yet to experiment with that.

It’s amazing what three years can do to a whisky. The 18 is light years away from the 12, but the 15 is also substantially better as well. The nose has a little peat, sweet caramel, nice floral notes, pineapple...very nice. At first, I went in neat at 43%, but a few drops of water helped out. On the palate, there are golden raisins, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and some nice peat in there as well. An intense sweet and sour (balanced) finish follows with a hint of smoke. Wow! Since Highland Park is discontinuing this soon, what is supposed to take its place? If it’s the Valkyrie, that is not good because the quality is not matched.

Very good, lemon-lime Sherry. Faint smoke. Less fruity than the 12 or 15 year old.