Superbly balanced on the velvety palate, with brittle toffee, stewed fruits, peat, honey, and a hint of coffee. Smoke and more toffee mingle in the long, elegant finish.
What happened to good old HP 18? It’s still a very good drop, but I think it’s lost its former polish. And maestria. And some younger expressions are way better, I think, which is good for our purses.
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House Review
Nose:
Sweet cream and brown sugar with a good dash of grapes and some darker fruit like date fruit. Theres a faint hint of smoke that lingers and blends quite nicely.
Taste:
Sweet cream and custard. Disappointingly thin mouth feel but its easygoing due to the proof. Lots more grape here with a bit of strawberry jam. The smoke really charges in though and makes a strong showing. Not in a Ardbeg/Laphroaig/Laga kind of way, but a simple campfire and ash smoke that just is. It doesn't dominate or cover up and of the sweets and fruits. I quite like how well it balances and I think this is a strong showing on Highland Parks part - its complex and all of the players are in it for the team. Nothing is clobbering another flavor to be the top dog.
Finish:
Medium and smokier than the palate. Its not hot and the cream and fruits reappear to gently guide it out to sea.
Overall:
I like it a good deal. It might have broached closer to an 8 for me if the mouth feel wasn't so thin and the proof was a bit higher, but with all of that in stride - I'd take another glass again. I haven't tried the 15 before, nor any of the special or LE offerings but the 18 has really focused my opinion back on Highland Park.
Score:
88
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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