Highland Park Odin - 16 Year Old (The Valhalla Collection) Whisky

I loved Odin. Such a mellow, oaky, soft finish for such a fiery, complex and strong whisky. The touch of peat in Highland Park whiskies is a lovely counterpoint to any sweetness, and I much prefer it to a strong peaty character or a softer, sweeter taste.
You can taste the time this whisky was in the first use casks. Of the four, Odin was the real eye opener in terms of the overall experience. Thor was also lovely and my second choice. Loki was complex and delicious, and came next on my list, and Freya last - still a really good whisky, but I'm not a fan of the bourbon finish.
Highland recommend a tasting at the distillery. Quite an experience.

The best of the Gods series. By far. Price is a bit high for the overall experience though. Overall, great dram.

Great stuff. Thor was better. However Im glad I own this bottle. Tasted all of the Vahalla series at the Distillery.

"I'd rather have a decent honest malt sold in a cheap plastic bottle!"

Anyone who utters these words should refrain from rating whiskies as they obviously don't have the interests, the palate, or the ability to say anything that is worth anything to those actually interested in whisky.

If you have tried Highland Parks Single cask edition bottlings and like them then this is probably going to go down well with you. Odin is to me like a good HP single cask sherry whisky but with slightly more depth and "softness". Granted I've only tried about 10 single cask relieses. The sherry influence is strong but does not complete cover the typical Highland Park character. I recommend adding just a few drops of water as it seems to open this one up and make it even more soft and pleasant. But not much is needed so don't go diluting it down. I don't think it's quite worth the current market value unless you are a die hard Highland Park fan like me, but if you manage to find it at a decent price from auction, or private seller then by all means.

I wouldn't recommend spending 50 on any single glass of whisky (that's what you'll pay for this one), but if you are ready for that, Odin will not disappoint. It packs a great punch at 55%, is very complex on the nose and palate, and offers a long and my I dimensional finish.

I enjoyed Odin, it's quite spicy initially ending with by a mellow peat while still remaining sweet throughout. It doesn't feel like a 55.8% drink, more around the 50% level would be my guess if I didn't already know. This is my favorite expression out of the Valhalla Collection, followed by Thor, then Loki and lastly Freya.

What an utter disappointment. This just goes to show that funky packaging and marketing does not make a good malt. I'd rather have a decent honest malt sold in a cheap plastic bottle! Aside from the packaging, there is nothing to recommend this malt. It smells so sweet and tastes far too sweet and bland. Odin would be furious to have this poxy malt attributed to him. You're far better off spending your money on 6 bottles of the 12 year Highland Park than this nonsense.