57,1° (100° Proof)
Distillery : Highland Park - Islands
Bourbon Casks and 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Finish
Independent Bottling
By Signatory Vintage
Limited Edition
Single Malt
Bottled in 2026
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Peated around 20 ppm
This is the 7th Orkney in the 100 Proof range launched in 2024 by Signatory Vintage, and it’s the 4th one I’ve tasted. Generally speaking, these are quite good, and they’re all aged 14 years, which is respectable. The sherry influence is always present, sometimes it’s blended with bourbon casks (100 Proof #15 and #38), and sometimes it’s exclusively sherry (100 Proof #23 and #30), but most of the time, it involves a finish in sherry casks, Amontillado (100 Proof #58), Palo Cortado (100 Proof #59), or Oloroso, as is the case here. As a result, although they all come from the same distillery, almost all of these bottlings are different, yet at the same time quite similar. This one is the most recent release, and neither the length of the finish nor the number of bottles released is known.
Let's Taste It :
Warm woody notes, Swiss chocolate and brown sugar. There is some brown sugar and marzipan, a few Muscat grapes and macerated cherries, all bound together by heather honey and freshly tanned leather. A slight briny freshness, a zest of lime and grapefruit, dates, dried apricots. Warm wax. It's oily on the palate, olive oil, vituperative spices, splinters of wood under the tongue, varnish, liquid caramel, raisins, very slight bitterness. A fairly long and powerful finish, slightly charcoal-like, dark tobacco, white plums, crème brûlée, sage leaf, chlorophyll.
In Short,
The sherry is still very prominent, and, although quite complex, I find it too woody. That said, I think this is a flaw that will fade with time, there are many beautiful things in this whiskey, but they’re still underlying, shy, perhaps a little aeration will give them more room to shine. You can sense the subtle influence of bourbon, especially on the finish, along with some elements of the distillery’s profile, coastal notes, though they’re very subtle. Obviously, the price is quite appealing, with this collection, it’s almost too easy to make a purchase.
Score : 87
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Tapper - This is The Day
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