Highland Park 12 Year (Classic Cask)

 A rare review with no picture of the bottle! I cannot source a single picture of this one - it's a Classic Cask independent bottling of Highland Park 12 year; here is the whiskybase page for it. It's no secret that I love Highland Park's independently bottled expressions. I've reviewed quite a number here on the blog, and I am very happy to add this one to the list. Thanks - many thanks - to Rob Martin for the sample. 

Highland Park is one of the really immediately identifiable single malts ... it has such a distinctly floral, lightly peated, "green" and lightly herbal aromas. Their official bottlings are overmarketed but usually decent enough; the cask strength bottling from the distillery is really quite good. 

I've had quite a few Classic Cask bottles now, and they have always showcased the distillate very well. I am looking forward to this one - 12 years maturation in what is probably an ex-bourbon barrel, bottled at 43%, no filtering, no coloring. Let's play whisky detective: 

Nose: This is the Highland Park signature alright: in turns sweet and salty. I get soft peat and vanilla, salt and very soft, indistinct flowers (heather?), a nice soft herbal quality. The nose is, actually, a bit shy - it takes a bit of time to unwind, and never becomes what you might call "fully fragrant." 

Mouthfeel: Thin, but silky. 

Palate: Interesting - drier and more astringent on the tongue. Ginger, pepper, allspice, herbs, vanilla, heather, soft peat, rocks, salt, yellow almost-ripe fruit like apples. Perhaps some berries in there too. A bit of leather and smoke. Surprisingly delicate. 

Finish: Smoke, pepper, oak, and ginger. Nice, short-to-medium. The smoke keeps it going a hair or two longer than it otherwise might. 

Verdict: Not the absolutely best Highland Park I've had, but absolutely a respectable version - I really, really wish they had bottled this between 46-50% ABV. I think the flavors fade a bit at 43%. But still, it's a distinctive Orkney single malt: salty, very lightly smoky/peaty notes, with fruit, floral sweetness, a nice herbal note... just very nicely balanced. Quite nice. Recommended!