Highland Park 18 Year Viking Pride

delicious, but if you drink it whole day long it becomes boring

Very good, slightly smoky scotch.

It’s time to visit an old favorite of mine. One that’s been reimagined with the new Viking theme that HP has embraced: the 18 year. Starting in 2017, Highland Park subtitled their world class 18 year old malt with the Viking Pride monicker. I don’t necessarily see the need to do this with their whisky, but hey- if the sauce is just as good who really cares? New packaging aside- a heavily sculptured glass bottle will probably add some cost to the price point, though. Is this the same juice that garners near-perfect scores on countless whisky review websites around the globe? Lets find out... The Viking Pride is still a beautiful, rich antique gold in color, it’s still oily and still makes large droplets and sparse, runny legs. It’s still bottled at 43%, it’s still yada yada yada. So far so good. The nose is heavily honeyed, with orchard fruits, vanilla and light smoke. There’s a fine, salty line running across the nose that I’m not sure I detected before but the worn oak and peppercorn is still there if you give it the appropriate time (I would argue a whisky needs a minimum of 1 minute per year of age to rest and release in your Glencairn). Give it plenty of swirls, twirls or gentle shakes to expedite the process if you’re in a hurry, I guess. The palate still brings the sweet peat and lightest BBQ smoke before coating the tongue with a wonderful, bitter dark chocolate wave. The mouthfeel is luscious although it does feel a bit lighter and more watered down than I recall from the older vintage. It’s not a deal breaker, and hell, I’ll freely admit it could be me just unconsciously trying to find something to dock points. So, take that comment with a grain of salt. The finish is definitely weaker than the older vintage, though. The smoke and vanilla don’t seem to stick around like it used to. It’s still a medium length, heavy breather, however. The lingering sherry sweetness still brings a smile to my face. Overall, this is still what you know and love from Highland Park. It’s delicious and satisfying- just like it’s predecessor. I guess if I gotta find a legitimate gripe- it’s price point. I had to pay about $20 more for this bottle than I do for the older vintage. This is also not considering the fact you can still find older bottlings collecting dust at some obscure stores and even online. So, with that in mind- I think I would recommend seeking those bottles out first, but don’t pass on a good deal if you can only get your hands on the Viking Pride. It’s still a classic, peated scotch. Thankfully, that hasn’t changed. 4.5 stars. Cheers, my friends.

Had in Edinburgh. Peaty and slightly sweet. Dry. Fine but not a go to.