Zachary-Robbins
Highland Park 15 Year
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed
December 17, 2019 (edited May 1, 2020)
I received this bottle for free over 5 years ago, and saved it for a special occasion because I knew this was being discontinued. After defending my dissertation I opened both this and a Macallan 17Y in celebration. There was no comparison between the two, this is the far superior Scotch, and one of the best Scotch whiskeys I've had. Before this year I've never had peated Scotch before, then I jumped right in the deep end with Ardbeg 10. I love that Scotch, but I really think the milder peated Scotch hits every note just right. This and Talisker 10Y being the best examples I've tried.
Disclaimer - my bottle is 43% abv, but I could only find 40% abv listed on Distiller. The nose is a beautiful sherried peat, not overwhelming at all like a heavily peated Scotch. It is somewhat sweet, with a little citrus zest, maybe orange? It is drier on the taste, the oak and sherry stand out while the peat is more muted than I expected from nosing. I also get a little brine, but not nearly as much as other coastal or island Scotch. The wood lingers on the finish, as it is surprisingly oily and lasts long. Although it was aged in toasted barrels, not charred, I can't quite tell where that makes a difference. I would not say this is an overtly complex Scotch, but the flavors mesh together so well that it's highly drinkable. It's a shame you cannot find it regularly if at all these days, but it's possible one of their current releases is similar to this.
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