Highland Park 1958 18 Years

DESCRIPTION

TASTING NOTES (by Whiskyfun.com)

A 17yo 1958 version bottled in 1975 was superb but maybe a tad less entrancing than other HPs in these celebrated ‘dumpies black labels’ (WF 91). My favourite so far in this series were the non-vintage 17yo (WF 95) and the 21yo 1959 (WF 95). Colour: gold – it’s not one of these dark sherry versions. Nose: extremely distinctive and very ‘old middle-aged HP’, starting on quite some linseed oil, a little linoleum, a good deal of cough syrup and a rather dry form of honeyness, going on with notes of dates and an obvious peatiness, as well as quite some sea breeze and some faint tarry notes. A little marzipan as well, bitter oranges and just hints of fatty cured ham (jamón ibérico de bellota? Whatever…) Superb but that’s hardly a surprise. Great elegance. Mouth: exceptional attack, complex, spicy and honeyed as HP can be, with a good deal of peat and salt on top of many dried fruits (pineapples, figs, bananas) and an obvious leather as well as tiny-wee notes of cardboard or flour. Some oranges too, lemon-flavoured toffees… Wow. Finish: quite long, on a fab combination of honey, fresh oranges and a very elegant sweet and soft spiciness. A faint bitterness in the aftertaste (strong liquorice). Comments: just stellar. Only the wee cardboardy notes on the palate will prevent me from going higher (buggers!) SGP:564 - 93 points.

PRODUCT SUMMARY