Review: Highland Park Single Cask Bottlings
September 17th, 2007Below is a review of all the single cask bottling of Highland Park in 2007 at the time of this writing. Most are heavily sherried (my notes imply which ones aren’t by their lighter color), and some are stunning. The owner of each cask is listed at the end of each review, so you know where to get a bottle that appeals to you.
95 Highland Park, Cask #13308, 1973 vintage, 33 year old, 54.4%, $280
Dark and decadent. Notes of old pot still rum, roasted nuts, chocolate fudge, burnished leather, Dundee cake, tobacco, and a hint of damp peat. When I drink this, I feel like I’m sitting in the study of a stately Scottish mansion contemplating a fine, aged Cuban cigar. Royalty in a glass. (Bottled for Binny’s Beverage Depot)
94 Highland Park, Cask #7957, 1977 vintage, 29 year old, 48.5%, $300
A delicious, well-balanced, ultra-matured expression of Highland Park. Toffee apples, molasses, and vanilla fudge provide a sweet foundation, with evolving notes of dark chocolate, dry spicy oak, tobacco, subtle smoke, and lingering brine on the finish. Nicely done. (Bottled for Old Oaks Cigar & Wine Company)
93 Highland Park, Cask #691, 1983 vintage, 23 year old, 59.8%, $150
Very sophisticated and subtly complex. Perhaps the lightest-colored of the bunch. Fresh, appetizing brine and spice (cinnamon, vanilla, white pepper, and clove) on a bed of soft honey and creamy vanilla, with just a hint of fruit. The notes are bright, clean, and tight. Spicy, briny finish. A beautifully delicate Highland Park. (Bottled for Green’s)
92 Highland Park, Cask #8998, 1974 vintage, 31 year old, 45.4%, $438
Antique gold, relatively light in color compared to the rest of the Highland Parks reviewed here. Nicely rounded on the nose and palate, and surprisingly youthful for such maturity. Mouth-coating texture. Quite fruity—especially with some water—with notes of honey-drenched citrus, sultana, key lime pie, and melon. Caramel and bitter chocolate notes emerge, with the chocolate and a wisp of smoke lingering on the finish. I could drink this all day and never tire of it. (Bottled for Virginia ABC)
88 Highland Park, Cask #1673, 1992 vintage, 13 year old, 57.7%, $125
Richly sherried, great mouthfeel, and well-balanced. The sherry is clean, and is only one facet of this multi-dimensional whisky. Notes of lush orange and apricot, soaked in molasses and maple syrup. Fig cake and oak resin add structure and complexity. Dry, spicy cinnamon, resinous finish. (Bottled for Delilah’s, and for Bull and Bush)
87 Highland Park, Cask #10146, 1990 vintage, 15 year old, 53.6%, $78
The darkest and most decadent of the three 15 year olds here. Notes of molasses, demerara rum, apricot, and dates. More subtle notes of mixed nuts, sap, tobacco, and fig, with just a hint of Moroccan spice and leather. Surprisingly complex for a whisky this young, and the most intriguing of the younger expressions reviewed here. (Bottled for Beltramo’s Fine Wines & Spirits)
86 Highland Park, Cask #686, 1983 vintage, 22 year old, 56.4%, $175
Dark and complex. Sweet notes of toffee and caramel are spiced with notes of cinnamon and cocoa. Background notes of smoldering peat, oak resin, and clove add intrigue and balance the sweetness. Long, resinous, dried spice finish. (Bottled for Sam’s Wines and Spirits)
84 Highland Park, Cask #2498, 1986 vintage, 19 year old, 53.8%, $120
Amber-gold colored (not as dark as the other Beltramo’s offering here), with notes of caramel, honey, heather, and bright fruit, evolving into gentle cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger. Soft finish. A Highland Park for a lazy afternoon. (Bottled for Beltramo’s Fine Wines & Spirits)
83 Highland Park, Cask #2310, 1991 vintage, 14 year old, 56.7%, $80
Generally sweet notes of honeyed fruit, orange marmalade, dark chocolate, and salt water taffy. Soft, gently briny finish. Pleasing enough of a whisky—with no miscues—but missing the depth found in some of the older bottlings. (Bottled for Texas)
80 Highland Park, Cask #10140, 1990 vintage, 15 year old, 52.7%, $75
Caramelized, fruity notes of mandarin, pineapple, golden raisin, and plum. Heathery honey notes add an additional sweet dimension, as do some light toffee and nougat. A dusting of cocoa powder emerges occasionally. Like the other 15 year olds, this one is quite sherried, thick, and heavy on the palate. (Bottled for Hi-Time Wine Cellars)
79 Highland Park, Cask #10132, 1990 vintage, 15 year old, 56.3%, $80
Lushly fruity and quite sweet. A bit too sappy on the nose, but more even-keeled on the palate. The fruit notes (nectarine, plum, orange marmalade) sit on a bed of caramel, shortbread, and thick honey, with chocolate-covered almonds emerging on the finish. For those who like their Highland Park youthful and very sherried. (Bottled for Grape Vine Market)
70 Highland Park, Cask #7380, 1981 vintage, 25 year old, 55%, $225
The sherry is very dominant and cloying, which is unfortunate. And I’m not crazy about the quality of the sherry (or perhaps even the wood it was aged in). I have great respect for both Highland Park and Binny’s, but this is somewhat disappointing for a Highland Park. Tasted twice, with the same opinion. (Bottled for Binny’s Beverage Depot)
