Ever since I embarked on my whisky journey, I was intrigued by the Highland Park 18. Already charmed by the nose and taste of it's younger brother, the Highland Park 12, I could only hope that the added age would make this experience even more memorable. The high score of this whisky on Distiller also fueled my curiosity. Nose - Very delicate. Not as 'sharp' as his younger brother. Sweet (vanilla, honey, raisin) and fruity (apple, lemon, grape) on the nose. I also get hay, moss, nutmeg and anise. Palate - Sweet and sour. The mouthfeel is smooth, buttery and doesn't burn. Also a little bit of pepperiness on the background. Finish - Challenging without being overly complex. I get sour apples, lemon, tangerine, honey, frangipane, vanilla ice-cream. I tried adding a few drops of water to this whisky, but it doesn't do it justice. This whisky clearly had more time to mature and to develop different accents compared to his 12 year old brother. The 18 contains many more layers and is therefore worth your time to analyse. "Excellent" : 4 stars | Really quite exceptional.