Highland Park 12 year single cask sherry butt

This is a 50 ml sample from the Germany edition, distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2019 at a very high 64.7 % ABV. (Cask No 6824 with 658 bottles) First you get creamy condensed milk, banana, orange oil. Then a lot of vanilla, blueberries, caramel, roasted nuts, nougat and a bit of peat. Hot and strong on the palate. The nearly 65% ABV is overwhelming. With water, you get nice smoky peat and some sweet and nutty trail mix. Also vanilla and citrus fruits. The flavors of the finish are really nice. Sweet caramelized dried fruits, dark honey, strong oaky sherry cask influence, the peat is also much more noticeable here. Nice whisky that only becomes drinkable with water, bringing it down to around 50% ABV. Interesting and exciting, but not for a relaxing evening dram - it will challenge you, but once you get past that, you get something like a regular 12y Highland Park but amplified. The ABV is insane though.