Highland Park Ice & Fire

They seem to often make nice stuff, and the packaging sure is unique, but such extravagant packaging gives me pause to think the cost might be more about that then the liquid. Still, these particular expressions looked very nice to me and I was glad I was able to try them without having to pay for all the rigamarole.

Highland Park Ice, Island (Orkney) Single Malt, 53.9% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 17 years in 1st fill Bourbon casks and bottled in 2016 yielding 30,000 bottles. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn with Fire.

Color: Amber, 0.7.

Nose: Malty, citrus, honey, vanilla.

Taste: Tame, sweet, malty, spice.

Finish: More intense, malt, apple/pear. Long,

Ah, the non-smoky maltiness I’ve been looking for to help my tongue forget about peat for a moment. Packs a bit of a punch with flavor, but doesn’t hit as strong as you’d think given the ABV (in a good way).

Score: 85

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Highland Park Fire, Island (Orkney) Single Malt, 45.2% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 15 years in refill Port-seasoned casks and bottled in 2016 yielding 28,000 bottles. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn with Ice (the expression, not a contradiction to the neat serving).

Color: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry, 1.2.

Nose: Red wine, spice, saltwater taffy (unflavored), maybe a bit of banana.

Taste: Fruit, bit of smoke, chocolate, sweet burnt meat.

Finish: Chocolate with jelly filling, spice, oakish.

Man I really liked this one. I was not expecting more flavor from it relative to the Ice given the ABV disparity, but darnit this delived some specific nice flavors where the Ice gave more general ones. Nice work those port-seasoned casks did on this.

Score: 88

Caol Ila Distillers Edition

Standard expression from a Diageo distillery, NAS but effectively as old as that standard expression, finished in a Sherry cask (or other fortified wine) of some variety.

Caol Ila Distillers Edition, Islay Single Malt, 43% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in 2006, matured in ex-Bourbon casks and finished in Moscatel casks, and bottled in 2018. Batch number C-si; 5-748. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn with the Lagavulin and Talisker Distillers Editions.

Color: Russet muscat, 1.3.

Nose: Fruity smoke, pear, sour apple, citrus.

Taste: Musty Caol Ila smoke, salt.

Finish: Smoky, dry, spicy. Medium long. Salty.

A fun twist on an old favorite. Sweetened and mellowed very nicely, the Moscatel was obviously a good choice for this spirit. Where the price is not much more, it's worth the premium over the 12.

Score: 89

Cameronbridge 34 1984 Signatory Vintage

I’ve been curious about single grain Scotch for a while and was looking to try a proper, well aged single grain that is its own thing, not part of a blend, but it isn’t super available (at least not at prices to “see what it’s about”). Fortunately I was placing an order and they happened to have this so I gave it a shot.

Cameronbridge 34 1984, Signatory Vintage, Lowland Single Grain, 49.8% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on March 12, 1984, matured in a hogshead numbered 19307, bottled on July 24, 2018 yielding 217 bottles. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Burnished, 1.1.

Nose: Popcorn, some nut, bit of fruit maybe citrus, like an old fashioned smells.

Taste: Slight off-note like an orange peel, butter, cola candy flavor.

Finish: Medium. Maltiness persists long. Cereal probably is a better descriptor for what I’m detecting as malty, as it turns into that unflavored Cheerio type aftertaste toward the end.

I’m not converted to grain over malt whisky, nor am I compelled to put in tremendous effort to get my hands on more, but I do want to explore it further. It was different from malt whisky, but not by all that much, and I quite appreciated it as I’ve been looking to distance myself from smoke for a bit and let my palate restabilize.

Score: 85

SMWS 76.144 Mortlach 13 2005 "I caught the darkness..."

The first of the bottles I’ve bought from them that I’ve reviewed. I bought this at a preview tasting and I was very surprised that one of the two bottles shown that night that I felt I needed to buy was an unpeated Speyside. Let’s just say that historically they aren’t my favorite. But I did like it enough to buy a bottle. Was it the right call, or was that tasting just too generous with the pours?

Mortlach 13 2005, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Speyside Single Malt, 60% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on October 5, 2005 and matured in an ex-Bourbon hogshead for 11 years, then in a 1st fill red wine barrique yielding 237 bottles. This is part of the Spicy & Sweet flavor profile named “I caught the darkness...”. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Auburn, 1.5.

Nose: Malty, woody element. Musty dark fruit. Maybe some spice like a bay leaf. Leather.

Taste: Twizzler, spicy, hot. Berry jam/other smushed berry product.

Finish: Long, hot, musty and malty. Similar sensation when breathing that you get after a mint.

Aside from its own merits, I like this as a change from my standard smoky leanings. I enjoyed this one so much more than anything in this realm it’s what encouraged me to look beyond peat into what characteristics are similar in drams I like and to start tracking scores and averaging based on casks, peatiness, and beyond, something I’m glad I started doing.

Score: 89

Musical Evocation: Anyone – “I Shot the Sheriff” (just because I can’t help but read the name in that melody)

Highland Park The Dark & The Light

I’m the first to admit I like the way Highland Park packages a lot of their releases. Unfortunately I hear the quality doesn’t often line up with the aesthetics. Nonetheless, Highland Park is a distillery I’ve been wanting to explore more deeply than just Valkyrie, so when I saw these available as samples I took the opportunity to try an ostensibly premium pair of expressions.

Highland Park The Dark, 17 Years Old, Island (Orkney) Single Malt, 52.9% ABV

Minutia: Matured in ex-Sherry casks. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn side by side with The Light.

Color: Tawny, 1.4.

Nose: Fruity, nutty, woody, light smoke/spice.

Taste: Sherry sour, smoke, big ramping heat.

Finish: Oak, cinnamon. Medium-long. Malt late.

This is ok, but costs more than it should. I did really like the spicy elements, it’s something new to me and while it’s not in line with my preferred profile, I did enjoy the unexpected change.

Score: 80

Musical Evocation: Ólafur Arnalds – “Ljósið”

Highland Park The Light, 17 Years Old, Island (Orkney) Single Malt, 52.9% ABV

Minutia: Matured in refill American Oak casks. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn side by side with The Dark.

Color: Amber, 0.7.

Nose: Very bright pear, lime. Floral/rose.

Taste: Salt/spice really build and drown out some light citrus and floral notes.

Finish: Vanilla/woody smoke, appley malt/dry-hopped cider.

I found this more enjoyable than The Dark. No pun intended, it is just so much brighter. In terms of how these compare, they are very appropriately named. If I’m not drinking whisky I’m drinking cider, and I prefer the dry variety. The finish was about the same as dry-hopped ciders I’ve had and combined with that peat quality felt almost like that’s what I was drinking. Also too expensive for what it offers, but still a nice dram.

Score: 81

Musical Evocation: Mamiffer – “Mára”

Lagavulin 10

Not much to say, I like it when distilleries I like try new things, particularly if they aren’t just gimmicky. Saw this was available online and placed an order to try it.

Lagavulin 10, Islay Single Malt, 43% ABV

Minutia: Matured in rejuvenated and ex-Bourbon casks. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Mahogany, 1.6.

Nose: Smoke, sour malt, banana. Overall farmy feel. The smoke is like charcoal.

Taste: Light, salt, smoke, caramel, bit of spice.

Finish: Salty into more smoke. Vanallaish. Spicy.

This was a welcome change of pace to what I had been drinking, which was airing on the lighter/tamer side after the peated Bunnahabhains I was drinking. I enjoyed the return to strong flavors.

Score: 85

Musical Evocation: Skagos – “A Night That Ends, As All Nights End, When the Sun Rises”

Bunnahabhain Toiteach a dhà

Another review of Bunnahabhain and their war on pronounceable whiskies. This is the second edition of their Toiteach expression. I first tried a sample of that and liked it so much I was comfortable buying a bottle of the second iteration. But, did they hit that same mark?

Bunnahabhain Toiteach a dhà, Islay Single Malt, 46.3% ABV

Minutia: Matured I ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks. They say with a higher Sherry influence, so I assume that’s relative to the initial Toiteach. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Tawny, 1.4.

Nose: Peaty with slight rubber/medicinal quality. Sweet woodiness/woody Sherry.

Taste: Real light into strongly peppery smoke. Thin.

Finish: Nutmeggy, spicy, green woody smoke.

This is nice, but like the Mòine did not live up to the Toiteach for me. I think I just liked the greater influence of the Bourbon casks that had.

Score: 86

Musical Evocation: Myrkur – “Ulvinde”

Jura Origin 10

I picked this up a while ago when interested in exploring Jura’s range. It has since been discontinued and replaced with a 10 year old without a marketing name and they added some sherry casks into the mix.

Jura Origin 10, Island (Jura) Single Malt, 40% ABV

Minutia: Matured in ex-Bourbon casks. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Auburn, 1.5.

Nose: Malty, green fruit.

Taste: Sweet, brown sugar/honey, but woody.

Finish: Spice/wood, honey.

I’d say this is ok/nice enough. It’s light and a decent sipper, but not really in a profile I enjoy.

Score: 76

Musical Evocation: Cult of Luna/Julie Christmas – “The Wreck of S.S. Needle”

Bunnahabhain Mòine

The Toiteach showed me what Bunnahabhain could do with peat, and I wanted more. I was intrigued by this when I saw it as a peated Bunnahabhain, but didn’t pull the trigger on it until that first exposure encouraged me to go ahead and get a bottle of this one and the Toiteach a dhà.

Bunnahabhain Mòine, Islay Single Malt, 46.3% ABV

Minutia: Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Deep copper, 1.0.

Nose: Grassy, hint of smoke, nut-adjacent aroma I can’t place.

Taste: Smoky malt, pepper, creamy. Bit of an “off” note but not unpleasant.

Finish: Nutty, creamy smoke, spice. Medium-long.

It falls shy of the Toiteach, but it’s still a nice example of what Bunnahabhain can make with peated barley.

Score: 85

Musical Evocation: Emma Ruth Rundle – “Run Forever”

Mackmyra Svensk Rök

I’m a big fan of peated malt whisky, so when I heard a newer distillery was doing it and in a novel way I was quite excited to try it. 

Mackmyra Svensk Rök, Sweden Single Malt, 46.1% ABV

Minutia: A single malt whisky from Sweden made with peated barley. Juniper twigs are also burned in the kilning process imparting their unique characteristics along with the peat. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn

Color: Amber, 0.7.

Nose: Sweet then smoky. Indiscriminate fruit. Juniper. Herbal.

Taste: Light. Apple, smoke, spice. A gin-like feel to the flavor.

Finish: Malty, a bit smoky/ham-like. Medium.

A neat experiment I hope encourages others to try similar. This is a solid dram with enough flavor while also being quite light. While some whiskies lend themselves better to warmer or cooler seasons, I think this one would have a place in any of them.

Score: 84

Musical Evocation: Sörskogen – “Mordet I Grottan”

Longrow 18

I enjoyed the NAS Longrow and Springbank 10 a lot, and had seen reviews of the 18 that got me very eager to try it. When I found a bottle online when I was placing an order it was a no brainer. This was one of the bottles that took a lot of self-control to not open right away and keep my collection of open bottles manageable. 

Longrow 18, Campbeltown Single Malt, 46% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 18 years, this batch bottled in 2018 comprised of 60% ex-Sherry casks and 40% ex-Bourbon casks. Stamped on the bottle are 23/03/18 and 18/141. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Tawny, 1.4.

Nose: Light, sweet smoke. Caramel/brown sugar. Pebbles.

Taste: Salt, smoke, cinnamon, Campbeltown malt. Tropical fruit, namely kiwi.

Finish: Long. Salty, funkish smoke (less so than other Campbeltowns I’ve had). It's more like the palate got smoked.

This did not disappoint, even with high expectations. I tried this not too long after Ardbeg Alligator which kind of floored me. This made just about if not the same first impression on me. Right away there’s a delightful smokiness and all the other elements compliment that very well. I’ll be hanging onto this for a while, probably saving it mostly to share a dram with others who really enjoy whisky. The difference between this and other expressions from Springbank is much wider than the difference in price. This is well worth the premium for the significant age statement. I have become quite the fan of Campbeltown lately, and while I still love Islays, malts from there have really allowed me to appreciate a wider range of aromas and flavors in whiskies. 

Score: 94

Musical Evocation: Draconian – “Stellar Tombs”

Springbank 12 Cask Strength Batch 19

My bottle of Springbank 10 didn’t last long, and I was eager to try more from them. The other aged expressions available were a bit much, but this was closer to the 10 in price so I went for it.

Springbank 12 Cask Strength, Campbeltown Single Malt, 57.1% ABV

Minutia: I believe this to be Batch 19 based on the ABV, which was matured 65% in ex-Bourbon casks and 35% in ex-Sherry casks. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Tawny, 1.4.

Nose: Campbeltown smoke (muted), orange, apricot.

Taste: Smoky malt, caramel, butter, pepper.

Finish: Medium long. Smoky, wood, pepper, gum after a bit.

I enjoyed this so much less than I thought I would. The 10 is pretty much a masterpiece of standard level whisky, so 2 extra years and no dilution should be moreso, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. It was just kind of overwhelming at first, which was surprising since I’ve had easier times with similarly and more highly proofed expressions. I did grow to appreciate it more over time, and it’s far from bad (not even close), but I don’t think it’s worth the premium over the 10. I won’t be going out of my way to try other batches, but will given a non-bottle purchase opportunity.

I don’t have specific notes about it or scoring, but I ended up trying this with water. The nose came alive and the finish got that delightful Campbeltown note that I loved so much in the 10. Don’t be like me, remember to try water, too.

Score: 83

Ardbeg Blaaack

The time came to open up one of the Ardbeg Day releases I picked up, and I figured, why not do them all and post them on Ardbeg Day. Shortly after that it was clear Ardbeg Day would be something one would have to enjoy from home so it seemed even better to be able to share my thoughts about them with everyone who can’t have a dram of one of these releases today. I was disappointed I wouldn’t be able to include Blaaack in that group since I didn’t expect to be able to get my hands on a bottle before June – not only to have the complete collection of reviews in one batch but also because of how much I was looking forward to a wine matured Ardbeg – but on a trip to finally grab a bottle of the Cairdeas Triple Wood they just so happened to have one (not too bad of a trip, huh?). So without further ado, the 2020 Ardbeg Day release:

Ardbeg Blaaack, Islay Single Malt, 46% ABV

Minutia: Matured for some duration of time in pinot noir casks from New Zealand. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Tawny russet muscat, 1.3.5.

Nose: Vegetal peat, dry, fruit, wood, meat.

Taste: Dry, peaty malt. Minerally. Tiny bit of heat but barely.

Finish: Long. Bit of ash, moreso smoke but ashy. Dry.

This is not a revelation, but it’s good. The trend of me enjoying peat, wine casks, and both together continues. Definitely one I’m keen on trying the Committee Release of.

Score: 89

Ardbeg Drum

This was one of the more highly anticipated releases for me. As soon as it was announced I was sure to keep an eye on when it became available since the rum cask was something I really wanted to see related to a whisky I know I like a lot. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask was nice enough, but I prefer peat and after I tried the BCC I was pretty stoked to find out Ardbeg was trying that out.

Ardbeg Drum, Islay Single Malt, 46% ABV

Minutia: Matured in ex-Bourbon casks and finished in ex-Rum casks, bottled in 2019. Enjoyed in a glencairn.

Color: Deep gold, 0.8.

Nose: Smoke, lime, citrus, mezcal/tequila.

Taste: Creamy banana, smoke, lime.

Finish: Smoke, salt, banana, maybe pineapple (a creamier kind of pineapple, not sharp, maybe a bit like a piña colada without being so sweet).

Darn, the biggest letdown of the bunch, though really just due to my own excitement for it. Had I tried this first, I wouldn’t have bought a bottle, though I’m not exactly sad I have it. The finish is a bit better than the rest and got this just into the next threshold of scores on my scale. Without that pleasant creaminess it loses a lot of charm. This is one of the Ardbeg Day releases I’m definitely interested in trying at cask strength one day.

Score: 81

Ardbeg Grooves

When I saw this on shelves it looked pretty wild and got my attention, but I didn’t give it much thought beyond that. But after looking into it and learning that wine casks were used (typically a high scoring factor for me) the stuff inside the bottle caught my attention. After trying Alligator, the heavily charred nature of those casks made this appeal to me even more. By the time I opened it, this was definitely one of the ones I was most anticipating.

Ardbeg Grooves, Islay Single Malt, 46% ABV

Minutia: Matured mostly in ex-Bourbon casks, with some matured in red wine casks which had been toasted giving the inside “grooves”, and bottled in 2018. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Auburn, 1.5.

Nose: Fruit over smoke, pine needles, bit creamy.

Taste: Lightly smoked meat, mint.

Finish: Smoked fish, sweet fruit smoke.

While not the one I enjoyed the most, at the time of its release this is the Ardbeg Day bottling I find most interesting. I got a handful of things I didn’t expect and haven’t gotten much of in whisky at all. Has me really looking forward to Blaaack.

Score: 87

Ardbeg Kelpie

This one has a neat name, and it is nice to see experimentation like this with casks made from an atypical wood. Definitely one of the more interesting releases to me.

Ardbeg Kelpie, Islay Single Malt, 46% ABV

Minutia: Matured in ex-Bourbon and Black Sea oak casks and bottled in 2017. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry, 1.2.

Nose: Light, salty, seaweed, wood, some smoke.

Taste: Smoky, briny, fruity, almond – overall light, but in equal measure.

Finish: Smoke, wood, toffee.

I did enjoy this one, though it’s hard to say how successful the cask experiment was. It certainly wasn’t bad, but it’s tough to say how much impact it had as anything I picked up I already find in Ardbeg, or could see myself finding it there with more traditional casks. Doesn’t stop it from being a solid bottle, though.

Score: 86

Ardbeg Dark Cove

I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while due to the high regard with which it seems to be held. Sherry specifically doesn’t get me excited, but the specific “dark Sherry” distinction does intrigue while not offering me a ton on information.

Ardbeg Dark Cove, Islay Single Malt, 46.5% ABV

Minutia: Matured in ex-Bourbon and “dark Sherry” casks and bottled in February 2016. I believe this is mostly bourbon with some ex-Pedro Ximénez casks. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Auburn, 1.5.

Nose: Wood, earthy, bit of salt.

Taste: Rich fruit, creamy, chocolate, smoke, wood, caramel.

Finish: Dry, tart, nutty, salt. Medium

The finish was a little less that what I’d have liked, otherwise quite good. One of the more disappointing drams of the bunch because of the expectations I had from anecdotal accounts, but not disappointing in its own right. I’ll enjoy it until I run out.

Score: 85