Highland Park 15 Year

If they bottled this at 46% ABV with a little more kick of flavor, this probably would be a 5-star scotch in my book. Even as it stands, I prefer this one to the 18-year (blasphemy, I know!), especially since the 18-year is often double the price of this one. The level of complexity and enticing flavors here is impressive. The nose greets you with the distinct flavors of fortified wine, but more like a port or even a moscato than a sherry (the type of cask in which it's actually aged). A few sips later, though, I get the light vanilla cream note that I also find in the 18-year expression--what I think of as settling in to the Highland Park experience. The palate is sweet and a bit tart, again with a lot of the characteristics of a fortified wine. The palate is where a little extra oomph would come in handy, as it is a little thin in texture. The finish is the strongest feature, and it's where that hint of peat comes out to play. I have a hard time believing this is as lightly peated as Distiller claims, because I definitely get a nice toasty finish of barrel char, peat, cocoa nibs, and coffee. It's a wonderful finish, particularly because it's a little unexpected. The best kind of surprise. It is a very different finish than the 18-year, less drying and with more smoke. Although it lacks a bit of the complexity of its older brother, I might prefer this one without taking price into account. And with price factored in, it's no contest--15 all the way!

Doft: rund, kola Smak: lätt rökig, torkad frukt