Highland Park Dark Origins celebrates the early days of Magnus Eunson's illicit distilling on Orkney, back before the distillery was even founded in 1798. Magnus worked as a butcher and church official by day, but by night he was a legendary whisky smuggler and distiller outwitting the exciseman.
To honour their hero (the Batman of the Orkney Islands, if you will), Highland Park created a whisky with a suitably 'dark' character. Using 80% first-fill sherry casks (20% refill) - 60% are first-fill European oak, with 20% being first-fill American oak - an exciting, spicy, chocolatey whisky has been produced.
This bottle was part of a private collection - if you'd like more detailed photos just get in touch!
Dusty baking spices and cocoa at first, cinnamon, vanilla, dates. Coffee cream Revels (possibly a couple of the orange ones too), a touch of blackcurrant/liquorice, plus butterscotch and an interplay between milk and dark chocolate.
Sweet, fragrant peat emerges with nutty melted milk chocolate and a little orange alongside some pastries.
Long and sweet, a little dry chocolate, just a hint of that heather smoke, then salivating.
Rounded first-fill Sherry notes come from both the European and American oak casks. This is a great, chocolatey addition of a (teenage) no age statement release.
I like the blend of peat, sweetness and smoke and loved the aftertaste which is a bit like sweet tobacco. I do think it is a wee overpriced but still recommend this product highly
HP DO seems a bit heavier, peatier than the 12 and 18, and its taste is fine if a bit bitter, but a NAS £15 pricier than Uigeadail and not cask strength, and not as good? No deal. HP price policies in 2014 indicate a regrettable Macallanisation in process.
Overprised youngster. Watery cocoa. Soft peat. But enjoyebal.
Love this new Highland Park. Big hit of smoke on the first sip but smoothens out into beautifully sweet fruit with a lovely long finnish. If N/A statement whisky is the future for Highland Park (and most other popular distilleries) I'm all for it. For me, Macallan got it wrong, these guys have got it bang on.
This reminded why i fell in love with the Highland Park 12 year old of old (1980's)all those years ago, sadly for me the 12yo does not scale the heights of old these days so this is a welcome addition to the HP range.A big, rich aromatic spiced mocha of a malt with the trademark earthy yet sweet peat smoke with a lick of heather honey. Some lovely balancing notes of fig jam on toasted brown bread,star anise & waxy orange. Will be buying a bottle of this for sure and highly recommended for lovers of sherry & smoke influenced whisky.9/10
