Continuing the deep dive into Highland Park we arrive at the fabled 18. Tonight I pour a 30 ml sample but to my shame there was a bottle of this precious liquid on my shelf many years ago around a year into my whisky journey. I had no right having it. Back in my early days discovering distiller I saw the 99 rating (admittedly on the old bottling), and then discovered the two time winner of the accolade “worlds best spirit”. I was/am an idiot. I wasted that bottle through a lack of appreciation and undestanding of what I was drinking. Now I’m back. Rounding out my Distiller tastes of the core range age statements. Only the 21 evades me, so if anyone wants to send me 30 ml, I’d be much obliged. The 10, 12, and 15 have all been subtly different, each beautiful in their own rights. The 25 was exceptional. I now have very high expectations of the 18. N: Wow, I was not expecting such a floral explosion. Beautifully fragrant and crisp with light honey and sherry cask sweetness, and the faintest notion of smoke. A soft vanilla presence is there with a little malt cereal and a delicious orange oil. Over time a little oak tannin becomes apparent. Dare I say it, as good as the 25? The longer I sit with this the more I am drawn in. Is the best thing about Highland Park the nose? The smoke is taking on a slightly briny-maritime character and combined with the florals, just brilliant. P: Creamy and rich arrival. Sweet, spicy, and bitter; all the players are here with excellent balance. Dark cherry with syrupy consistency provides depth of sweetness, espresso-mocha adds a velvety bitterness, and peppery cinnamon and ginger add some spicy vibrancy. Behind these major players though are honey, barley, more fruitiness, and a toffee-fudge creaminess. The smoke is ever so slightly salted and as per my other HP notes, like BBQ burnt ends. F: Medium. Honied malt, orange spritz and a gentle salty-smoke. The exiting texture is gingery and lightly prickly with softening milk chocolate fullness. Oh dear. Past Robert is an absolute moron. I had no idea how good this was, a bottle wasted; never again. This is a truly delectable whisky with depth and character beyond what I was expecting. Again, so similar to the other age statement offerings but with wonderful new developments coming to the table. What I find particularly interesting is that the 25 is perhaps not as exciting. I think the added age on the 25 may have muted some of the more subtle notes I get here in the 18. The 25 definitely doesn’t have the same incredibly floral bouquet on the first nose. At 1/4 the price of the 25 the 18 gets my pick of the age statement bunch, in my opinion its as good. [Pictured here with a garnet-corona granulite from the Lindas Nappe of the Bergen Arc in Nordhordland, Norway. This is one of my pride and joy rocks, perfectly fitting for Highland Parks Viking Pride. This rock is a very high temperature metamorphic rock formed 930 million years ago that got caught up in the roots of the Caledonian Mountains that formed 420 million years ago] Distiller whisky taste #134 HP Running ranking (mostly for my benefit): 10: 3.75 12: 4 15: 4.25 18: 4.75 25: 4.75 Valknut: 4.25