Nose: Highly sherried (raisins, fruitcake, mixed citrus peel, walnuts), well defined, voluptuous peat smoke. Blood oranges, chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon, dark honey, old leather and tobacco. It’s a “big” sherried nose that is more like a heavy Speyside (say, Dailuaine or Benrinnes) than an Orkney malt and it actually does seem to smell “dark”. A drop of water does the nose no harm at all and brings out a pleasingly complex mélange of the aromas that are more distinct when neat. Palate: Sweet wine arrival with lots of dark cherries, red grapes, berries and sherry (were PX casks used in this?). Salted caramel tarts and pastel de nata. Pine tree resin and eucalyptus in the development but these herbal notes are tightly restrained by the cloak of sherry sweetness. Espresso, dark chocolate and tobacco. The texture is heavy and full. As with the nose, adding water does no harm and I’d recommend it because it makes the texture as creamy as a fine soufflé. Finish: Medium/Long. Sweet spice, sweet oak tannins, nutmeg and peat smoke. It is richer and somehow has more density when reduced, and water brings out a very nice cinnamon aftertaste. This whisky was released the year before Highland Park’s “The Light” and the two whiskies could not be more different. Whereas The Light is a statement of raw distillery character this is a massively cask-driven crowd-pleaser that blasts out sherry maturation at full orchestral volume. Whether you prefer this or The Light would be entirely a personal preference because in terms of production both are faultless. They just express diametrically opposed maturation styles and philosophies. My only hesitation (and caution) is that this whisky, whilst lovely, is only just recognizable as Highland Park. It is a magnificent sherried whisky but it could be mistaken for the product of any number of Highland (or specifically Speyside) distilleries were it not for the telltale presence of Highland Park peat-smoke. Nevertheless, it is delicious. “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)