Orkeny's Highland Park distillery introduced a trio of Travel Retail market bottlings in 2018, with names based off of creatures important in Viking lore. This particular expression is the Loyalty of the Wolf, a 14 year old single malt drawn from sherry-seasoned American oak casks.
Toasted bread with marmalade, red apple, some punchy peat hints.
Barley, thyme honey and more marmalade. Smoke lingers in the background. Some Christmas spices give it heat.
Pecan, dry peat and cinnamon sticks.
Just bought a bottle today at Gatwick on the way home to Canada. Not a usually scotch fan, but I fell in love with the beautiful bottle. I just had a taste, and really enjoyed it. Perhaps my palate is not refined enough to detect "marmalade on toast" (?) I did detect the ghost of Bourbon though. Very nice. This will be great to sip by the fire after a day of skiing.
If someone asks can whisky be sweet, the answer is yes it can. The Loyalty Of The Wolf is sweet. After the first sip it opens up very gently. This is so smooth with a long finish followed by nice smokiness. This is like a sunrise on a warm sunny morning. You can't lose with Highland Park, Loyalty Of The Wolf proves it once again. (R)
Marvelous tipple!
Well I thought Highland Park is always good, maybe not this time? little rough, half of the "smoke is sulphur! you might like it if you like Ben Nevis, there is also the catnip, or cat piss, anyway "nice dirtiness, but not really complex as they advertise. Sea comes to mind too, little Old Pulteney, very little. It's not bad, just the feeling like it trying to be real and bold, but is not really. Too much bad casks for the price? Yes. Funny fact from the bottle, it says : tasting notes : natural colour. How does natural colour taste? ok whatever, too much marketing. Then you think its ok for 50? well just and just may be.
