The entry level bottling from Scotland's most northerly distillery, Highland Park, aged for 12 years. This is an older design, before the Highland Park range underwent a rebrand in 2017, and another in 2024. A fab find for a retro collection.
These bottles were part of a private collection - if you'd like more detailed photos just get in touch!
Just 3 bottles left, and no-where to replenish! Old bottle HP12 was more rounded, caramelly and softer on the palate. The replacement "Viking Honour" is much lighter and harsher - and not as lingering in the aftertaste. I was assured at HP Distillery that the recipe is the same - if that is correct, then the difference may be due to the barrels used - perhaps the old bottle used Portuguese sourced sherry or port barrels, and the new only American oak. But the new is not a patch on the old (which was my favorite "entry-level malt" for over 35 years.
Managed to get my hands on one of the old bottlings and forgot how balanced it is. Just enough honey, fruit, smoke and spicyness. Soon to be extinct this is a bottle to find and hide away now!
Ottimo!!! Speziato al giusto. Ottimo Ottimo Ottimo.
Good video straight talking no messing description!
Amazing taste!
