Lagavulin 16 yo Feis Ile 2017

 

 

 

56,1°

Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay 

Moscatel Casks 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2017

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Since 2007, the distillery has delighted us each year with a special new bottling in honour of Feis Ile, Islay's great spring festive event. In 2017, a wave of dread swept through the small community of enthusiasts with the news that this year's edition would be matured in Moscatel casks. This is a sweet white wine, often compared to Muscat, produced in Portugal and southern Spain. This type of wine often gets a bad press, as it is feared to sweeten the whisky too much. Yet this is the finish used for the Caol Ila Distillers Edition, with some success. Be that as it may, this bottling had no trouble selling out. The 6,000 bottles disappeared fairly quickly.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Icing sugar laces, with a few white plums, mirabelles and Frécinette bananas. Then the smoke joins in, vaporous, enticing, grainy peat that is very well integrated. Frosted lemon. Vanilla and whipped cream. Very fine balance. Slight sweetness, genoise, chestnut macaroon. Melting caramel. Meringue tart. A pinch of dust. On the palate, lemonade, then full-bodied spices, cumin, clove, ginger, black pepper. Nutmeg, walnuts. Fortunately, a dash of vanilla milk softens things up. Very long, powerful finish, grapefruit, lychee and sparkling water, almonds, cola, milk chocolate. A touch of clementine. Argan oil.

 

In Short, 

As always, Feis Ile bottlings are swell at Lagavulin, and this one is no exception. The sugar is not overpowering, tempered by a nice smoke and a very engaging lemon. It's quite tasty. Only flaw in my opinion: a bit too much spiced in the mouth. But the nose and the finish are magnificent. Moreover, although it is sold out, it can still be found on the secondary market at a price, let's say, acceptable. If I had made my career in the financial world, I wouldn't hesitate.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Sandrayati - Found

Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2015

 

 

 

55,4°

Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay 

Refill American and European Bodega Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2015

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Since 2011, Lagavulin has released a specific bottling at each Islay Jazz Festival, they even released two last year. In 2015, they produced this ageless whisky too late, it was bottled in October while the Festival takes place in September, so it was mainly sold at Feis Ile 2016. This is a blend of 12-year-old juice aged in Refill American Casks, and 18-year-old juice aged in Spanish barrels. At least that's what the rumor says. The whole thing was sold in 3500 copies.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Clear, liquid honey. Mineral peat iridescent with iodine. Mostly Bourbon profile on the nose. Juicy white plums. Thick but mastered smoke. Wood wax, pomade, some seaweed, shellfish and oysters. Mellow. Banana, papaya. Candied lemon. On the palate, the exotic fruits are confirmed, with plenty of spices, cumin, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves. Sweet, honeyed notes, mirabelle plum jam, lard, grilled bacon. Meaty too, in fact. Long, languorous finish, between exotic fruits and plums, sparkling, slightly sandy. Lychees. Nuts.

 

In Short, 

It's very similar to 12 year old, but rounder, smoother and more balanced. Less peat and smoke too. I really liked this nuance of exotic fruits and candied lemon, but overall it's a bit too sweet for my taste. At the time, it was sold for a ihgh but reasonable price at the distillery itself, but now that it's been long sold out, the prices are excessive and it's not really worth it.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Ocean - Parabiosis

Imperial 1995 The Single Malts of Scotland 24 yo c. 7898

 

 

 

51,5°

Distillery : Imperial - Speyside 

Refill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By Elixir Distillers 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Among the nearly fifty bottlings from Imperial made by Elixir Distillers, released for the most part within The Single Malts of Scotland range, this one is among the best rated. Distilled on November 13, 1995, and bottled on February 17, 2020, it therefore spent 24 years, 3 months and 4 days in a single Refill Bourbon barrel, in order to leave full rein to the distillate. It is not mentioned whether the bottling was carried out at cask strength, which is by no means an obligation at The Single Malts of Scotland, on their site they state that the alcohol level is at "optimum strength" , but not "cask strength". That said, more than 50° for a 24 year old, and only 98 bottles on sale, they mustn't have added a lot of water, if at all.

 

Lets Taste It : 

Wood wax, ointment, lovely salinity. Tiger balm, light woodiness, I begin to feel the patina of old whiskies. Butter laces, semi-salted butter as it should be. Malted cereals. The sweetness is not so pronounced, it's drastic, almost austere, I can smell the iodine, the tide, an airy depth. The nose is very stable, but drifts a little towards almond paste and brown sugar. On the palate, the salinity comes through, with white fruits, a lovely delicacy, icing sugar, chantilly cream and ripe plums, pastry cream. Cinnamon and cardamom. Very long, well managed finish, powdered chocolate, cola, earth, an ounce of charcoal, vergeoise. Hints of iodine and limestone return.

 

In Short, 

It is truly superb. An old whisky with character, offering us a true identity, the full measure of this late and somewhat mysterious distillery. A very fine bottling, completely sold out today, and which would require a great deal of effort and self-sacrifice to obtain. Better not to think about it any more.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Conil - After The Hole

Imperial 1998 The Single Malts of Scotland 21 yo

 

 

 

46,4°

Distillery : Imperial - Speyside

Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By Elixir Distillers 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and it is Elixir Distillers that has played a major part in bringing to public attention the qualities of this closed distillery, which seemed on the road to oblivion. Closed in 1998, then destroyed in 2015, this distillery, which had produced just one single malt in its lifetime, had everything it needed to be erased from history. But that was without counting on the vigilance of the Singh brothers, who bought a large number of casks from the distillery and released them in dribs and drabs once they had been bottled. This one, a Bourbon cask, let the precious liquid mature for 21 years, 5 months and 24 days, before releasing it in a very small number of 104 bottles, which were sold only on the French market, as part of La Maison du Whisky's Conquest range. I assume that it sold out quickly.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

First of all comes the fruit, orange marmalade with bits in it, sparkling white plums and ripe bananas. Malt in shambles, long-waxed wood, a salty, crystalline touch, and brown butter, which you spread on a slice of toast just out of the toaster. Brioche, croissant, it's very sweet, and creamy, with vanilla and more melted butter, it gradually turns into almond paste. On the palate, the wood comes through, mingling with everything I've already mentioned: soft bread, buttered toast, a touch of salt. A few spices: cinnamon and a pinch of cumin. Warm and friendly, with a hint of chocolate. Rather long, masterful finish, on cola and Van Houten chocolate powder, ground coffee, earthy. Herbaceous touches at the end.

 

In Short, 

This is my first Imperial, and I'm totally impressed. It's a distillery with a real identity, very special in Speyside. Wax, buttered bread and a touch of salt. It's reminiscent of Glen Elgin, but also of Clynelish in a much softer way. It's not quite typical of Speyside (Linkwood or Glenburgie are much more typical to me), but it has the sweetness, creaminess and fragility. This is a very fine distillery, and I'm lucky enough to discover it through a very fine bottling. The release price was a little severe but fair, but today it's completely sold out, and it's starting to get hot on the secondary market, it's now too expensive.

Score : 89 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :   

                                           Lloyd Cole & The Commotions - Forest Fire

Lagavulin 12 yo Special Release 2022

 

 

 

57,3°

Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay 

Refill American and Virgin Oak Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 38 ppm

 

 

 

This is the 22nd batch of this limited edition of Lagavulin, which returns every year. And the success is undeniable. This time, they've tried something new, and added virgin casks for the ageing, whereas in the previous 21 editions, only American Refill casks were used, which gives this superb distillate its full measure. To mark the occasion, they've added a nickname to the bottle - Diageo's little nicknames have been in use since last year. This one is a little emphatic, I'm almost embarrassed to write it: 'The Flames of the Phoenix'. With a stunning illustration of a firebird on the label. What hasn't changed, however, is that we still don't know how many bottles were produced.

Let's Taste It : 

Beautiful sea breeze, iridescent with peat and salt crystals. Sweet yellow fruits, very ripe mirabelle plums, bananas, forest berries, Chasselas grapes. Quite thick smoke, but controlled nonetheless. More fullness with a bit of water. The iodine gradually spreads. The virgin casks eventually make themselves felt, giving it a certain harshness that is not to my displeasure. Coniferous forest in the mountain. Slightly herbaceous, even aniseed. On the palate, fruits, but above all spices, cumin, cloves, mustard. American tobacco, bay leaves. Very earthy, dusty, pepper, nutmeg. Very woody too. Two drops of honey. Long finish, clods of earth, piles of peat, the sand of the shore. Peppermint at the end.

 

In Short, 

It worked, as always. I liked the tobacco on the palate, the iodine, and I thought the virgin casks were well integrated. The whole is very ashy and rocky, and will appeal to enthusiasts. Having said that, I didn't think it was the best of the Lagavulin Special Releases I tasted. In fact, it's even the least impressive. It's well made, but what struck me in previous editions was the ability to combine the harshness of peat with a variety of fruits. Here, it's more monolithic, more direct. A little too spicy on the palate, and a less nuanced nose. All the more so as the price has risen considerably, we've gone beyond the reasonable stage, this expression is no longer good value for money. Maybe because of the more expensive virgin casks. It remains a good product, but should be reserved for absolute lovers.

Score: 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Dinosaur Jr - Alone

Bunnahabhain 1989 Cadenhead Single Cask 27 yo

 

 

 

42,6°

Distillery : Bunnahabhain - Islay 

Bourbon Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By William Cadenhead Limited

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2017

Unchillilftered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

Among the Cadenhead ranges, Scotland's oldest trading company, the Single Cask is the most common, but it is by no means a low-end product. All in all, there are several hundred expressions from all over Scotland. Here we have a very fine 27-year-old Bunnahabhain, aged in a single Hogshead Bourbon cask, with only 264 bottles released for sale. There is another 1989 Bunnahabhain issued in the same collection, but it was bottled especially for Takao's Whiskyfair in Taiwan.

Let's Taste It : 

The first impression is of yellow fruit, plum, banana, even gooseberry, and it lingers. It's sandy, sweet, the vanilla stands out, an earthy character, fine and dry earth. A vegetal touch, but it's still rather sweet. Fruit tart, genoise, ganache, meringue, but very discreet, it's quite full-bodied above all. On the palate, the Bourbon is full-bodied, but still with an earthy, herbaceous profile, noble wood and mocha. The spices caress the tip of the tongue, with a touch of salt and a hint of chocolate, followed by a really successful, long finish of chocolate milk, cola, fresh figs and dates filled with almond paste.

 

In Short,

Very pleasant, very fruity, this Bunna, a bit old school. You can't find some of the distillery's hallmarks on the nose, iodine, minerality and exotic fruits. On the other hand, it is very sweet and pleasant. On the palate, the profile is more typical. It's a very successful whisky, very well made, though perhaps a little too much Bourbon influenced for my taste. I'm not used to Bunna in Bourbon barrel, so I'll have to explore this further. As for the price, it's expensive, but that's not surprising. If you take into account the age of the product, these are market prices.

Score : 89

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Lianne La Havas - Au Cinema

Bunnahabhain Staoisha 2014 The Unchillfiltered Collection 6 yo c. 10401

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Bunnahabhain - Islay

Refill Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

Little information is available about this cask, which is a Refill Sherry, containing Bunnahabhain whisky for 6 years. The distillation date is 13 October 2014, and bottling took place on 26 October 2020. The bottle was released exclusively in France, presumably for La Maison du Whisky with whom Signatory often works. The number of copies is unknown. All sold out quickly, apparently.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Earthy, muddy, mucky peat, iodine bursting in your face, this is Islay. Salt loaves, as the tide rises, seaweed, shellfish, whelks, crayfish. Mackerel, grilled sardines. Some white fruits in the background, but it has to be said quickly. Butter cream, which only enhances the iodine. A dash of fuel oil. A bit light on the palate, but good, vanilla and apples, still that muddy, marshy character, brown sugar, roots, and more iodine. Swirling spices, pepper, nutmeg, paprika. Successful, full-bodied, fairly long finish, with salt and sweetness, but still iodine. Oysters, limestone. Metallic hints.

 

In Short, 

A very successful peaty Bunnahabhain. Maritime, radical, very reminiscent of Caol Ila or Lagavulin. The smoke is under control, which is unusual for them, and the iodine is significant. In short, it's beautiful. Very encouraging, it proves that Bunnahabhain can do great things with peat. Too bad it's not cask strength. I have no idea how much this rarity costs, but in my opinion it must have been too expensive.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           City and Colour - Day Old Hate

Bushmills 1989 The Causeway Collection 32 yo c. 6096

 

 

 

50,1°

Distillery : Bushmills - Ireland 

Port Cask

Original Bottling 

Limited Edtion 

Single Cask

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

The Causeway Collection is a range of very good, well-aged casks, which was launched in 2020. This one was bottled in 2021, along with its twin brother, #6095, also Port, and which let the juice macerate for 32 years as well. They are among the oldest Bushmills. There's only a 35-year-old released in 2013, which didn't wow the crowds. This beauty, bottled for La Maison du Whisky, has already made a bigger impression. Only 228 bottles went on sale.

Let's Taste It : 

It's the fruit that strikes first, but I didn't recognise any of the Port characteristics, as it was very well integrated. Raspberry jam, a few blackberries, baked apples, cinnamon and a bit of clove. Then the cereals are revealed, wheat, barley, a grain of corn. Noble wood, varnish, a few floral fragrances. Earthy, complex, deep. On the palate, it's honeyed, the cereals come first, but there are also a few red plums, blueberries, acerola and passion fruit. Milk chocolate and melting caramel, it's sweet. Liquorice stick. Very well-managed, discreet spices add fullness. It becomes almost sparkling, on cola, even citrus, and then comes the finish, earth and brown sugar, a little carbonated, very long, a few blackcurrant berries. A pinch of salt.

 

In Short, 

So we are obviously blown away. The great quality of this expression, in my opinion, is that the Port is not at all overpowering, and leaves plenty of room for other flavours, without at all obliterating the distillery's hallmarks. It's extremely well done. That said, I'm very impressed, but not overwhelmed. Except for the finish, which is truly incredible. As for the price, I won't comment on that until my lawyer is present. Thank you to whoever made the sacrifice to bring us this nectar.

Score : 90 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           The Walkabouts - The Light Will Stay on

Caol Ila 2011 The Old Friends 9 yo

 

 

 

58,4°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay 

Saint-Emilion Wine Barrique

Independent Bottling 

By The Old Friends 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Let's talk about Michel Reick again, happy owner of a whisky bar in Münster, Germany. He also founded no less than 4 whisky trading companies: The Old Friends, but also Best Dram, Whisky Druid and Scotch Universe. This young Caol Ila has been fully aged for 9 years and two months in a Saint-Emilion cask, a very good wine from the Bordeaux region in France. The mummy cask gave birth to 305 little glass babies, and I hastened to welcome one for my humble comfort. This bottling comes from a series of three from the same distillery, the first aged in a barrique of Pomerol, the second in a Ruby Port cask, this is the third and last, also the oldest.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

For two seconds I get a good whiff of the Caol Ila nose, then it's compotey, fruity, apples, quinces, cinnamon. Iodine and sweet smoke, humus, damp earth, vegetal moss. The winey character emerges and blends very well with the smoke. It's heathery, but also sweet, liquorice, powdered chocolate. At the end, the peat becomes more present, with some exotic fruits, papaya, pineapple, mango. A breath of citrus. Grapefruit, blood orange. Cardamom, dust, beach sand, a pinch of saffron. Velvety, woody palate, liquorice comes through, then spices, thyme, pepper, cumin, cloves. Pinch of salt. Pistachio Loukoum with icing sugar, meringue, genoise. Long, fairly powerful, bushy finish, ferns, cola, crunchy coal, candied pears. Apple candy. Dried bananas, dates.

 

In Short, 

Very interesting, this youngster. The specific Caol Ila iodine is erased by the influence of the cask, on the other hand I found the ashy peat, this full ashtray, this feeling of licking asphalt. All combined with ripe fruits, but without excess sugar. To me, it's the ideal daily dram, moreover the price is very accommodating, but I've been told it was divisive.

Score : 89

                                           To Be Listened Wihle Sipping :

 

                                           Audioslave - Like a Stone

Line Up #16 : Highland Park, some of the very good stuff

30 Décember 2022.  

 

The Line Up Project

To be honest, I've never felt totally comfortable with this distillery. I think there are several reasons for this. Firstly, a long time ago I made an initial Line Up of it, which I was not at all enthusiastic about. Although I've always recognised that this distillery had enormous potential, I could only conclude that it was struggling to make the most of it. The Core Range is a bit obsolete in my opinion, with  bottlings at 40°, and a fine, subtle distillate from another era, compared to the powerful, direct expressions I've become used to from the Isles of Skye, Mull or Islay. As far as I know, the distillery still practises cold filtration, and this really harms their distillate. So I very quickly turned to the independent bottlings, and there I was a little taken aback by the variety of expressions on offer, and the randomness of their quality. From a very peaty bottling from Berry Bros. & Rudd, to a silky-smooth from the Octave range, another one with a cheesy flavour unearthed from Gordon & McPhail,I didn't know which saint to follow.

 

 

 

 

 

In each bottle, we find the distillery's fundamentals: honey, heather, light iodine and peat, a little sea salt, citrus fruits, a long finish, and a sparkling, cola-like, sometimes milky, finish. But the variations are considerable and it can be a little confusing.

 

 

 

 

 

I kept on digging though, and over time I found what I think are the perfect expressions of this distillery, the ones that bring out the best in the distillate, with magnificent balance and fragile nuances. Admittedly, this distillery is less robust than its neighbours, but its weakness is also its strength: it is more subtle, better balanced, more nuanced, and in the end you wonder if it isn't the best.

Before I start, I'd like to mention a bottling that isn't part of the Line Up, but which had a profound effect on me, it's this one. It has the particularity of being very peaty, and it has to be said that Highland Park produces its own very specific peat in Hobbister Moor, just 7 miles from the site of the distillery. This bottling is therefore particularly unique. It does not have a good reputation, as Highland Park fans do not necessarily enjoy heavy peat. But if you find it, I urge you to try it. You'll get something very different from Islay, and at the same time very peaty. A bit like a Ledaig, but still different.

The Tasting

Highland Park 12 yo Viking Honour : Let's be clear, the Core Range is of absolutely no interest. It's a shame, but that's the way it is. Everything is good, but the cold filtration dulls the palate, and it is sold at a far too high price for what it is. However, this 12 year old could make a good starter, and can sometimes be found at the right price on special offer.

Fresh, citrusy nose, with a touch of peat to make it more complex. Heather, prickly bush. Light on the palate at first, then spicy. Sweet bitterness of the wood. A hint of vanilla. Good, sparkling finish with lemon zest. Score : 84

 

 

 

 

 

An Orkney Distillery 2006 The Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks 12 yo : Here's my first piece of advice: turn to this range for some very good, fairly priced Highland Park. It's certainly reduced, and not in Single Cask, but it's excellent. This is a glimpse of what it could be like if the distillery produced a Core Range worthy of the name.

Always fresh and iodized, the nose is sprinkled with a few squirts of lemon. Very light camphor. Enticing peat, sea breeze, spicy bush. Superb balance. Suave, honeyed, oily palate. Lemon zest, iodine and light peat. Slightly mineral, spices well managed. Very long, woody finish, dried fruits, heather. Rye biscuits. Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

Highland Park 30 yo 2007 : Well, obviously, it has to be good. This is a very rare limited edition, this distillery can go very far if the means are committed.

The nose is perfect, very fruity, with plums and candied quinces, light iodine and discreet but deep peat. Earthy, woody, forest hints add complexity. The palate is sublime, with spring water, candy sugar, lychee, a few hidden citrus fruits, clementines, blood oranges and whipped cream. The finish is soothing, long, chocolatey, honeyed and woody. Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

Highland Park 1991 Signatory Vintage 30th Anniversary 27 yo : Like its predecessor, this is a rare limited edition. Interesting to see what Highland Park needs to enter the big league.

The nose immediately stands out for its extreme richness, black earth, spruces, pine needles, waxed wood, sliced plums, rhubarb crumble, warm pear, followed by an intense palate with brown sugar in a knob of butter, buttered bread rubbed with garlic, fine spices, honey and heather. Very long, magnificent finish, first vergeoise and cola, then sweet macaroons, toffee, orange chutney, liquorice and soft caramel. Sublime. Score : 92

 

 

 

 

 

Orkney Islands 2005 Berry Bros. & Rudd 14 yo : After a first bottling that overwhelmed me, I'm exploring all the Orkneys released by Berry Bros. & Rudd, you never know. It can't be bad.

Return of iodine on the nose, chiselled, precise, but significant, married to a slightly dry lemon and fine peat. Evanescent smoke. The peat becomes more substantial over time, but remains ashy. On the palate, eucalyptus honey, rocky soil, prominent spices, holly, heather, quinces and dried apricots. The finish is powerful and explosive, charcoal and earth, thorny undergrowth, pine needles, liquorice and caramel. Score : 89

 

 

 

 

      

Secret Orkney Distillery 2017 Wonders of the World 4 yo : This young bottling marketed by a French company was much criticised on its release. Too young, no doubt, but with an original finish, it bears witness to the many experiments made with Highland Park, for better or worse.

A vinous and fairly light nose, but very fruity and pleasant, sweet at times. Fruit salad, noble wood, light smoke. Very pleasant palate, with peaches and pears with a good measure of spices. Quite long and juicy finish, slightly bitter, heather, undergrowth, herbaceous touches. Score : 88  

 

 

 

 

 

Highland Park Cask Strength Release n°2 : What a nice surprise when I tasted this one. It's certainly a limited edition, but it's easily accessible, not too expensive, and of good quality. An essential purchase for any distillery enthusiast.

A good, sweet Sherry matches with chiselled, deep peat. Quinces, apricots, dried fruits, tinder. Finger-licking marmalade. On the palate, first silky, then spicy, pear crumble, brown sugar. The finish is really powerful, long and beautiful. Heather, bushes, nuts, cola. Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

What I gain from it

• Forget the Core Range, too light in alcohol and cold-filtered, too expensive for what it is. The only valuable purchase in Original Bottling is the Cask Strength Release. But this one you must have it.
  
• Of course, the rare editions are sublime and show us what the distillate needs to make things really beautiful. Undergrowth, earthiness, more fruits and brown sugar. In other words, Sherry casks and deep nuances.
  
• Independent bottlers which are doing great things with this distillery include: Berry Bros. & Rudd, Elixir Distillers (with The Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks range), and Signatory Vintage. With the others, the quality varies, and there are sometimes a few daring experiments with random results. I haven't tasted everything, far from it, I'm only sharing the fruit of my experience.
  
• Highland Park is a distillery that really thrives on fine Bourbon casks, but a small Sherry cask does it no harm, and gives it the depth it needs. Wine casks, on the other hand, are not suitable. It's a subtle, nuanced, fragile distillate, and you shouldn't experiment too much with it. It's rather a distillate that needs to be strengthened by the cask but not hidden by it, so refill casks will be chosen first, while first fill casks should be used sparingly. And no cold filtration, please!
  

 

 

Conclusion

From 4 to 30 years, in Sherry or Bourbon, the profile is always fairly similar. Iodine and light smoke, apricots and heather, fairly strong spices, noble wood, slight bitterness. The finish, on the other hand, is more random. But on the bottlings tested, it remains satisfactory. You have the feeling of a mountain distillery, mountain honey in whisky form, with bushes and iodine. In any case, it's always balanced. It's a really good distillery, very efficient in its nuances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All pictures were taken on the distillery site..