Highland Park 1999 (G&M for TWE)

This Highland Park 1999 was recently bottled as a Whisky Exchange exclusive. TWE already selected this same vintage from the Signatory stocks in 2014, but now they’ve worked with Gordon & MacPhail.

Highland Park rarely bottles ex-bourbon whisky, usually adding sherry-matured whisky to the mix to get their usual, richer character.

Highland Park 16 yo 1999 (56,6%, Gordon & MacPhail for The Whisky Exchange 2016, first-fill bourbon barrel #4260)

Nose: quite natural, showing subtle smoky notes, hints of vanilla and honey, and a big mentholated side. Lots of apples and citrus notes. Yellow candy. Quite oily with faint coastal touches and grassy heather. Not a screamer, but nicely complex and elegant. Also, the combination of fruity sweetness and drier notes works very well.

Mouth: bright, creamy, fruity notes at first, a bit lemonade-like (peach, apple, orange, honey) before the spiciness of the oak sets in. Pepper, cinnamon and soft ginger. Again light, sweet peat but on a second level. Soft wax and herbal notes towards the end, including big hints of grapefruit. A pinch of salt as well.

Finish: quite long, half sweet, half grassy with a mildly bitter note and soft smoke.

A clean and balanced example of unsherried Highland Park. Very enjoyable and complex. Available from The Whisky Exchange for around € 110.

Score: 88/100