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Highland Park, part of the Islands subset of the official Highlands region, is located on the isle of Orkney just off the North Sea and was founded in 1798 by Magnus "Mansie" Eunson, a local church beadle (Usher or Church Constable) and part time whiskey smuggler. Eunson often blending the two pursuits by stashing whisky in the church and it was almost 30 years before he gained an official distiller's license. From his name, you may surmise that he was descended from some of the Vikings who once raided and settled the northern Scottish islands, and that heritage formed the inspiration for much of the branding until a simplification of the bottle designs in October of 2024 removed the intricate designs introduced in 2017. This bottle is from that seven-year period and therefore features the "Viking Honor" moniker. Some are very happy to see a more standard and refined bottle design, but I mourn the individuality and distinctiveness of the old pattern. Their lineup consists of 12, 15, 18, 21, 25, 30, and an astounding 40 year aged expressions of the standard single malt in addition to special releases. The 25-year was the first spirit ever to receive a perfect 100 point score at the Ultimate Spirits competition and many of the other bottles have scored gold or double gold with regularity.
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| 2024 - Orkney Inspired Simple & Modern |
🧪Proof: 86 Proof, 43% Alcohol by Volume - This is actually a huge blessing for the USA and Canada. Many places in the world only have access to an 80 proof version, and I can tell you every point makes a huge difference at that level. Like most Scotches, the proof is towards the lower end even if the flavor is not. The seasonally cold and humid conditions cause the barrels to lose ethanol over time, dropping the proof with the upside that there is less dilution with water required to drop to bottling proof. The Cask Strength special releases are usually between 125-130 proof which gives us some understanding of entry and exit proofs.
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| 2017 - Viking Honor Ornate |
🎨Color: Y6 - Healthy and rich like dark honey
🥔Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley in a pot still. Much of the flavor will be due to the yeast used and Orkneys unique peat composition. Hobbister moor, the area from which Highland Park sustainably sources their peat, has a dominant ground covering of heather which imparts its own aromatic characters into the peat itself.
👃Nose: Wet cereal, heather, mild smoke, citrus fruit, a hint of iodine
😜Palate: Light mouthfeel without being watery, delicate as a flower. Very smooth, honey, spiced cider, flash of peat and hay. Like a field on a dry summer's day. You can find plenty of floral influence in the mid mouth, and I get some lemon as the smoke picks up.
💦Finish: Relatively short from a flavor perspective, the heather expressed more as a sun dried lavender. The smoke flare subsides quickly into a lingering warmth that persists for a while longer.
🏆 Overall: 7/10 - Great- Sweet with floral nuance and a mild peat, Highland Park 12 does a great job of providing a classic scotch profile while being eerily easy to drink. The flavors are very nuanced as the whisky is quite light on the tongue, but they are well matured and distinct. I often worry about bottles with a long list of tasting notes, but this one manages them elegantly without becoming a muddle. Don't put ice in this one!
⚖️Rating Scale:
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume it by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws | Struggle to get through the bottle
4 | Serviceable | Mixing or ice recommended.
5 | Good | Drinkable Neat | An agreeable dram indeed.
6 | Very Good | Any flaws offset by interesting flavors | A cut above.
7 | Great | You find yourself reaching for this one often | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Serve to Impress Guests | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite | You guard this bottle jealously.
10 | Perfect | You didn't think anything could be this good | A clear champion.