HAWKERS SLOE GIN
Hawker’s Sloe Gin is the authority in the sloe gin category. William
Hawker created the original recipe in the late 1790’s and the
family business...
Scotch Single Malt Whisky - Highland Park
There is honesty in Highland Park. A form of elemental higher truth exists in every glass. It’s not about fashion, trends or bandwagons. There are no immature expressions of Highland Park and no accelerated maturation programmes. It is made today with the same enduring belief and integrity, to the same exacting standards, as it has always been.
The established attitude at Highland Park is one of custodianship rather than management, of tradition rather than novelty. That’s not to say the distillery is stuck in the mud – far from it – but innovation is only used when there is a genuine benefit to the whisky not, as is often the way, a benefit to efficiency or profitability.
This approach accounts in some way for the appeal of Highland Park; there is much more to how the remote site of an illicit still became The Best Spirit in the World*. This accolade was no fluke; it was based on an unbroken tradition of whisky-making stretching back at Highland Park to 1798. Highland Park is arguably the most respected single malt in the world. As everyone knows, respect has to be earned. More than 200 years of distilling tradition, attention to detail and honesty at Highland Park has achieved just that.
Orkney is unique; the Viking influence means it has always been an extraordinarily diverse place. The history of Scotland is not the history of the Orkneys. The Orcadians are proud of Highland Park whisky as it forms a part of their heritage.
The rich, succulent, complexity of this exceptional single malt inspires passion in single malt enthusiasts everywhere. It has balance, character and provenance and, in that, epitomises all that is great about single malt Scotch whisky.
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12 Year Old Highland Park |
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Bin No |
|
Region |
Orkney |
Size |
70cl |
|
ABV |
40% |
Bottled by |
Distiller |
Price |
£22.50 |
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The first proprietary bottling of Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky was as a 12 year old in 1979. It remains the core expression of the Highland Park range and is a smooth, balanced single malt, with a rich full flavour and a gentle smoky finish. Nose: a lighter version than the last few I've enjoyed this year: less honey with more barley to the fore. Almost younger in style though the soft smoke does add the weight demanded. Taste: here it comes into its own with a style unlike any other malt in the world: first you get the silky coating. Just as you purr from that and you settle into the malty attack, from nowhere a subtly honey edge descends. An unusual, brief sharpness retreats, allowing room for the most delicate of smoke. Finish: only half-serious vanilla and lazy citrus continue to give the feel of a younger than normal malt. Balance: no heather. The lightest sprinkling of peat. A youthfulness hangs to it. Disappointing HP? Not a bit of it!! Because the complexity still keeps you mesmerised. 91 points - Jim Murray's 2009 Whisky Bible |
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Old Malt Cask 23 Year Old Highland Park |
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Bin No |
OMC1419 |
Region |
Orkney |
Size |
70cl |
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ABV |
50% |
Bottled by |
Douglas Laing |
Price |
£80.00 |
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Nose: just how subtle can a nose get? Oak aplenty but such is the sensuality of the citrus touch, and the elegant nuances of the honey, it is as though the entire thing is being played out in slow motion. Taste: smoke engulfs the mild honey delivery; the barley is busy forming puckering juiciness; and playful spice reminds you of the advancing years. Finish: long beautifully toasted with latte and hazelnut. Balance: solid for all its softness, beautifully crafted and charming. 70cl of pure elegance. 93 points - Jim Murray's 2009 Whisky Bible |
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