Highland Park Magnus

Nothing wrong with this NAS offering, but I had higher hopes for a bottle carrying the Highland Park name. $45 CAD feels like a bit too much for what's in the bottle, even if it is amongst the cheapest single malts around these parts.

I love to rag on Highland Park's no-age-statement expressions, as the distillery releases them in wave after wave, rapidly diluting the value of the brand name in favor of today's profits. That being said, sometimes, one encounters a pleasant surprise in the NAS world. Magnus is one of the newer members of this genre, and is positioned to be the true entry-level single malt in the Highland Park lineup, at an affordable, Glenlivet/Glenlivet 12-esque price of $35 or so. I wasn't expecting much, but I got plenty. This is not a sophisticated dram by any means, but it's kind of like the fun, trashy Netflix show that you end up clicking instead of the nuanced, prestige drama that you wish you could tell your friends you were watching. The nose smells exactly like green apple Jolly Ranchers. The palate, while understandably thin at this minimum ABV, also has plenty of that green apple, honey, and perhaps a wisp of that characteristic Highland Park roast coffee. The finish is malty and honey-sweet. What a fun, vibrant, youthful dram, and my favorite among the Highland Parks without an age statement. Thanks to @Telex for the sample!