Highland Park usually works with age statement whiskies, like their regular 12 and 18 year old whiskies. But some years ago they decided to release a line of vintage whiskies, specially created for travel retail. The vintages included (among others) 1998, 1994, 1973 and also one from 1990, which I’ll review today.
Highland Park 1990/2010 (40%, OB ‘Travel Retail’)
Nose: Very fresh and soft with light peat smoke and herbs. A subtle sweetness with sugar plums, honey and cotton candy make for a pleasant (albeit unspectacular) nose.
Taste: Smooth with a more noticeable peat and smoke influence. A little spicy and bitter, but still elegant. Some tobacco, leather and granola, but also a sweeter side with dates and orange jam.
Finish: Medium and smoky with a hint of rubber (sulphur) in the end.
Rating: 86
A pleasant whisky with enough depth to stay interesting for a while. Interesting side note: I tasted this side by side with the Highland Park Odin, and actually preferred this one.
Thanks to Geert for the sample.
