Nose: Light, almost ethereal malt with a citrus tang. Vanilla, green apple, the brine that mussels come packed in. Highland Park's honey-sweet signature is there but in a subtle manner. No trace of peat smoke at all but maybe a suggestion of barrel-char. The nose starts off quite austere but expands when the dram is allowed to rest in the glass for a while. It relaxes and deepens even more with the addition of a dash of water. Palate: Sweet, crisp malt and some definite smoke on the arrival. Tangy, bittersweet citrus (yellow grapefruit, sour orange) appear rapidly as it develops and this becomes a major facet of the palate. There are grassy herbal notes and fruit salad, but the fruits are all not quite sweet – sometimes bordering on astringent. Seashore and mineralic tastes with oysters, brine and a little white pepper. Adding water considerably softens the profile and brings out a touch more ashy smoke and barley-sugar notes which support the bright fruits excellently. The texture is creamy and has good weight both neat and when reduced. Finish: Medium/Long. Crisp unripe fruits trailing into chocolate and a distant memory of peat smoke. The profile of the finish is little changed by reduction but water does extend the length. An unusual Highland Park that it is all bourbon-cask matured and so lacks some of the usual heavier features of the distillery’s whisky profile. It’s quite medicinal and coastal in both nose and palate, and it reminded me of non-peated Caol Ila. There is a sharp, crystalline quality throughout and I thought it was refreshing and reviving when neat but more approachable with just a small dash of water. I added water after two neat nosings and sips and discovered that the longer I left the dram to rest the more I enjoyed it. Whether this was just me becoming accustomed to the profile or whether it was oxidation etc. I can’t say, but I did think it improved over time. Tasted from a 30ml sample. This is very good whisky (bordering on “excellent”) but beware that if you prefer your Highland Park with sherry-wood maturation you will probably think that this is too tangy and sharp. “Very Good” : 87/100 (4.25 stars)