Highland Park Cask Strength 3 is anything but subtle. If your not looking for "wow," then you need to look elsewhere. Like all these HP Cask Strength expressions, these are obnoxiously bold, over the top, and incredibly exciting. I recently described HP Cask Strength 3 to a friend and likened it to an Olympic Gymnast. These show up to their event in pristine shape. With muscles some have never seen before, onlookers knows these athletes are capable of WAY more than they could ever imagine. All at once, the gymnast goes full sprint, summersaulting, leaping, flipping in a diverse combination of twists and turns one can only describe as an orchid being born out of fire. It's aggressive, yet beautiful - forceful, yet controlled. This is Highland Park Cask Strength at it's core. It's every bit in your face, yet somehow still displays the craft and elegance Highland Park is known for. It's a Monster Energy drink can full of roses, and I'm... more than OK with it. The nose houses caramel and Werther's Originals with orange peel, apricot, and raisin. There's a creamy note that subdues other harsher elements alongside spun sugar, and dried corn. Pineapple offers a tropical note and adding a drop of water allows grilled corn to come through. On the palate, there's bold sweetness with a massive heat. Quite frankly, pulling out the individual components is rather difficult till you add a drop of water. Then, you begin to taste maple, oak, cinnamon, pancake, and biscuits. This dram has a buttery and savory side to it. Yeah it's a wood chipper, but a wood chipper that reads novels and listens to NPR. I think it goes without saying that this dram packs a punch when it comes to finish. Calling it "lingering" would be a gross understatement. It full on builds a campfire in your esophagus and stays the night under a sky full of stars. It then wakes up refreshed and says, " I think I could stay and extra night," and you let it, for fear it will beat you up if you deny it the opportunity. All that said, this is not a Highland Park you share with friends, or neighbors, or people you love. This is a Highland Park you share with "that" person, the person that wants the spectacle - the person who prefers a milk leaf on their latte while they watch Grave Digger crush 12 school buses.