What Does John Know?

I posted info last fall that this whisky would be released in 2008. Well, it’s now official. The press release (below) was just emailed to me. The press release doesn’t say where the whisky will be released initially, but I have inquired about this and will post up the information as soon as I get it.

PRESS INFORMATION: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

17th April 2008

HIGHLAND PARK TO LAUNCH FLAGSHIP 4O YEAR OLD EXPRESSION 

Orkney based Distiller of the Year*, Highland Park, has released a new, permanent flagship 40-year-old expression. Jason Craig, Global Controller of Highland Park states: “Highland Park matures remarkably well over an extended period. We wanted to share this with whisky enthusiasts; the fact that we are blessed with aged stocks meant that we were in an enviable position of being able to launch a permanent addition to the range, rather than an inaccessible limited edition. We were keen to encourage appreciation of the exquisite whisky, rather than emphasising collectability and rarity.

”Highland Park 40 year old has been largely matured in refill casks, that is to say casks that have previously been used to mature whisky. Every time a cask is used, its ability to impart an influence on the spirit is diminished. When laying down a whisky for extended maturation, such as this, it is important that the cask doesn’t dominate the spirit.  If first fill casks had been used, the sweetness (an oak-derived additive quality from the cask) would have been too strident.  

The long-term nature of the maturation of Highland Park 40 year old allows time for the perfect balance to be achieved. The colour, as with all bottlings of Highland Park, is entirely natural; the delicate coppery paleness of the whisky is down to the judicious use of refill casks. The strength (alcohol by volume) is relatively high at 48.3% to deliver maximum flavour. 

Tasting notes by Max McFarlane, Whisky Maker 

Colour:          Rich, coppery hues of amber

Bouquet:       Spicy and aromatic with a background of rich dark fruits, nutmeg and darkest chocolate.

Palate:          Beautiful balance of sweet toffee notes, dark chocolate, sun dried orange zest and aromatic heather peat smokiness

Finish:           Rich, long, elegant, smoky and surprisingly sweet  

Highland Park 40 Year Old is available with immediate effect priced at an RRP of £899.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 17th, 2008 at 10:33 am and is filed under New Releases, Scotch whisky. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.