Highland Park 20 yo 1996 / 2016 Cadenhead 50.6% vs Highland Park 1981 / 2005 Riegger’s Selection #6048 50.3%
Highland Park 20 yo 1996 / 2016 Cadenhead 50.6%
Crystal clarity and laser focused. This sharp mix of wispy smoke, sea air, thin wax, white minerals, brittle resins, light but aromatic peat and white fruit is so very modern bourbon matured Highland Park. This particular bottle leans towards herbaceous medicine though without any of that iodine. A bunch of savoury-medicinal herbs like menthol, aniseed, nutmeg flesh and gentian disinfectant mass about the palate. Quite salty especially towards the finish. Like many other modern Highland Parks with the Orkney toughness in them, the quality is superb but my god the first two thirds of the bottle were harsh. I recommend uncorking and leaving the bottle for a day. 89 pts
Highland Park 1981 / 2005 Riegger’s Selection #6048 50.3%
An obscure one but how I love these early 80s HPs, even if they are not the easiest whiskies to lean back with. Here it speaks of a hard afternoon rain in a granite quarry. Yes really. A truly earthy petrichor rising from the glass, strange how it brings me back to my childhood home of all places. Hot clean clay, sea air and white smoke but also strong vegetal accents of cut asparagus and clean mushrooms. See the Whisky Agency 1981 for an interesting comparison. 90 pts
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