Highland Park 18 yo 1960 / 1978 Ferraretto 43% ~ dark vatting

Highland Park 18 yo 1960 / 1978 Ferraretto 43% ~ dark vatting

An astounding sherry nose, exactly what you are after when looking at these old sherried Highland Parks. Sweet dreams, rich, dark and jammy. Full of Christmas spice in mulled wine, lit incense, dark chocolate, salty licorice, tobacco leaf in aromatic teak and cedar lined boxes. Old leather chesterfields, stained here and there with soot, evidently used in the garage. Espresso doped with a good measure of fernet, cold ashes, and a little side of salty ham.  Fulfils the promise of the nose as it gets ashier and saltier, revealing a real dry-earthy-lit-petrochemical peaty sizzle plus a little OBE. Brings a kick on the tongue but here a weakness as the finish comes too quickly. Its the ABV. But as a snapshot of those perfect days, one cannot complain. 92 pts