An 18 year old single malt distilled on Orkney (though the exact distillery that produced it remains a mystery), bottled by A.D. Rattray. The whisky was drawn from ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 46% ABV without any chill-filtration or additional colours.
Beeswax, salted caramel, flapjacks and buttery sultana.
Continued notes of baked goods and caramel, now paired with a light waft of sea spray and sharp citrus.
Whispers of old oak and oily walnut.
Recently purchased this, has a lovely nose, rich and buttery on the palate, with a nutty finish! Can’t fault it, would recommend it, very easy to drink.
No. This is what you get with H.P minus the caramel, heavy cask influence, and stupid marketing - and it's not a lot. For an 18 y/o it is awful, even a blend would deliver more. Yes, there is a lot of very subtle, careful, light whisky here... Maybe you like delicate etherial whiskies, but that's not what I'm looking for.
Highland Park at a steep discount and improved quality (higher volume, no chill-filtration, no fake colour, no silly LARPer branding) - what more could one ask for? There are some things to be aware of however, unlike official bottlings, this relatively unblended production can be a little 'rough', but it's nothing that doesn't clear up with a little water and time. What initially appears aggressively cask-driven and spirit-heavy opens up into a miracle of fresh fruit flavours with the light peated backing receding the more patient you are with it.
