Highland Park 18 Year Viking Pride

Revisiting the legendary 18 year old Highland Park, I'm ashamed to admit a bottle sat on my shelf years ago during my whisky infancy. I possessed it without deserving it. In my early days exploring distilleries, I noticed its 99 score (from an older bottling) and its two-time award as 'world's best spirit'. What a fool I was. I squandered that bottle due to a lack of appreciation and understanding. Now, I've returned to complete my tasting of the distillery's core age statements. The 21 year old is the only one I haven't tried, so any sample would be greatly appreciated. The 10, 12, and 15 year olds were all distinct and wonderful in their own ways. The 25 year old was outstanding. My expectations for the 18 year old are now very high. Nose: Astonishingly floral, wonderfully fragrant and crisp. It offers light honey and sherry cask sweetness, with a faint hint of smoke. A gentle vanilla note is present alongside malt cereal and a delightful orange oil. Over time, a subtle oak tannin emerges. Could it rival the 25 year old? The longer I engage with it, the more captivated I become. Is the nose the finest aspect of Highland Park? The smoke develops a slightly briny, maritime character, which, combined with the florals, is simply brilliant. Palate: A creamy and rich initial taste. Sweetness, spice, and bitterness are all present and perfectly balanced. Dark cherry provides deep sweetness with a syrupy texture, espresso-mocha offers a velvety bitterness, and peppery cinnamon and ginger add vibrant spice. Underlying these dominant flavors are honey, barley, more fruit notes, and a toffee-fudge creaminess. The smoke is subtly salted, reminiscent of BBQ burnt ends, much like my other Highland Park notes. Finish: Medium length. It features honeyed malt, orange spritz, and a gentle salty-smoke. The lingering texture is gingery and slightly tingly, with a softening milk chocolate richness. My past self was an absolute idiot. I had no concept of how good this was, a wasted bottle; that will never happen again. This is a truly exquisite whisky, offering depth and character far beyond my prior expectations. While it shares similarities with the other age statements, it introduces wonderful new nuances. What I find particularly intriguing is that the 25 year old might not be as captivating. The extra age on the 25 may have subdued some of the subtler notes I detect here in the 18. The 25 year old certainly lacks the incredibly floral bouquet on the initial nose. Considering it's one-quarter the price of the 25, the 18 year old is my preferred choice among the age statements; in my view, it's equally as good. Distillery tasting note #134 Highland Park ranking (mostly for my reference): 10: 3.75 12: 4 15: 4.25 18: 4.75 25: 4.75 Valknut: 4.25

A decent, enjoyable dram that I picked out for an occasion where I was approaching a tasting milestone. I opened up my nearly full bottle of Highland Park 18 which had been overly exposed to air. I regret not putting the spirit into a smaller container, but that's how it is. This doesn't reflect the true character of Highland Park 18, so I won't be examining it too closely or assigning a score. While the taste is less vibrant than it used to be, it still possesses a pleasant depth. I appreciate the subtle smokiness and peat, complemented by sweet fruit, sea spray, and warm spices (cinnamon, ginger, clove, and perhaps a hint of allspice). The rich minerality complements the sea spray nicely. The fruit notes include some cherry, with apricot and tangerine being more prominent. It's curious how this drink merges the aged complexity of an old scotch with the bright tartness of a spirit aged briefly in a warm environment. However, the malt's richness ties it all together. Quite remarkable, especially considering how much the air diminished its complexity. This is actually much better than I anticipated, given how much the oxidation had affected it last time I sampled it. It's not the 21 I awarded it before, but it's at least a 16. If I were to score it based on the current taste, I'd likely give it an 18 (or perhaps a 19). That's the extent of my scoring for it. Regarding its price, it's acceptable at $120 even in this condition, though it's not a great purchase in its oxidized state when less expensive options exist, such as Amrut Fusion, or Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you prefer bourbon. Really, the main takeaway from this tasting should be that certain bottles (like Springbank, Russell's Reserve, and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof) improve significantly with age and air, while others (like this one) decline. It's beneficial to let spirits that improve with oxidation aerate for a time, but you must identify which ones. Avoid letting this one oxidize. Do enjoy a fine drink when celebrating something special.

For this review, a generous person provided me with a blind sample along with #8 to explore and perhaps make a guess as to what it could be. So it's time to open this one, write down some notes, and hopefully be close. The nose begins with a light effervescent mix of citrus, sherry and barley field funk, then dark chocolate covered raisins and sugar cookies followed by a smoldering campfire that recedes to the background of salted mango, charred pineapple and prune fruits, transitioning to candied ginger, light leather and polished oak with a moderate alcohol burn. The taste is a medium yet creamy mouthfeel, starting with a light effervescent mix of citrus, sherry and barley field funk, then salted dark chocolate with a caramel center, cinnamon raisin oatmeal cookies and espresso, followed by mango purée, charred pineapple and prune fruits that transition to candied ginger, aged leather and polished oak with a moderate alcohol burn. The finish is medium length with light ash, ocean brine, creamy mango purée, dark chocolate raisins, shortbread cookies, espresso, aged leather and polished oak. This is a delightful dram; the nose has a wonderful balance of light peat, farmyard funk, mild sherry, and creamy citrus which carries over to the palate with a light yet airy mouthfeel that maintains the balance found on the nose, with the addition of espresso before finishing with a mix of earthy seaside, sweet citrus, and well-aged oak that fades at a medium length. I'll likely be wrong, but I'll venture a guess that this is something from Springbank. Alright, so was this indeed a Springbank product? The answer and what this sample actually was, is none other than... Highland Park Viking Pride 18 year!!! Oh well, I was way off! That said, this was a damn tasty pour and one I would be happy to drink anytime. Thanks for the dram; it was fun to break this down and take a guess.

Nose: An exceptionally subtle blend of honey, sherry, and mild sooty smoke. Vanilla and sherry oak cask notes are in the background but neither is too prominent; the sweet top notes are allowed to shine without interference. Dried fruits, malt, and a dash of orange liqueur that increases in intensity over time. Fragrant, heady floral tones. This is delightful – I could smell it all day, and it just gets better with time. Palate: Sweet, full, and rich upon arrival with notes of aged orange liqueur, cherries, and well-controlled preserved ginger in syrup. Luscious, decadent but elegant. Honey, barley sugar, vanilla nougat, chocolate, butterscotch, and sherry balanced by a touch of peat, salt, and pepper. The texture is creamy, enveloping, and mouth-watering. Finish: Medium. Rich malt, a little smoke and brine, and orange nectar fading into a milk chocolate aftertaste. A lovely whisky. Exceptionally balanced, complete, and very, very satisfying. It has been a while since I tasted an old Highland Park. My mistake. So, is this as good as previous versions of the 18 year old – that is the obvious question. Well, yes – pretty much. I am relying on memory and my old tasting notes here, but in my humble opinion, it is very close, and although the profile has changed, the quality has not diminished. I do not believe there was any change to the blending recipe for this single malt when the bottle design changed, and any detectable differences are simply due to batch variation and changes in cask supply. I think it used to have a more obvious and sophisticated sherry component, but that has been replaced by a succulent orange-centered fruit character that is very compelling, and I have no complaints. Tasted from a 30ml sample. Bottle ordered (it is worth the money and still one of my favorite whiskies for that desert island). "Excellent": 88/100 (4.5 stars)

After hearing a great deal about this expression (or at least the older 18-year-old version), I decided to treat myself and give it a try. Nose: There's quite a lot happening here. My olfactory senses aren't refined enough to isolate individual notes, but 'rich' is likely a good descriptor. It has a savory aroma that bears a slight resemblance to mushrooms. Taste: Well-balanced, perhaps excessively so. I detect a hint of richness, similar to the nose, again perhaps mushrooms? Possibly a touch of ash or light smoke as well. The finish is short to medium, providing warmth as it goes down. I notice toffee on the finish. Now for my criticisms of this whisky. It is exceptionally well-crafted, as I mentioned, maybe too much so. I can realistically identify only a few layers of flavor, and it's certainly a pleasant whisky that won't offend anyone. However, I can't say I enjoy the mouthfeel. It feels very 'thin' in my mouth, akin to drinking water. I believe this whisky would greatly benefit from an alcohol content higher than 43% to address the mouthfeel issue and perhaps enhance the richness I perceive. Ultimately, this whisky is very well-made, but I would not purchase it again at this price point. Frankly, $150 is a substantial cost, and you can acquire some truly outstanding whisky for less. In my opinion, it's worth perhaps a hundred dollars and would make an excellent gift for someone seeking a 'balanced' whisky without overly pronounced flavor characteristics. Personally, I would likely hesitate to buy another bottle when so many excellent alternatives exist at a lower cost (Ardbeg, Lagavulin, etc.). Perhaps consider trying a bottle to see for yourself, or better yet, sample it at a bar or from a friend.

It possesses smoke, yet it's not overwhelming. The flavor evolves throughout the experience, introducing notes of prunes, raisins, wood, caramel, and cream. It's velvety, opulent, and masterfully composed. It spans the entire palate and is a joy to consume. It's undeniably fruity, but the smoke quickly balances that profile before yielding to a saline quality. The cost is substantial, but it's difficult to dispute that this scotch is intricate and well-balanced. Outstanding. This is akin to taking Oban 14 and reimagining it to retain its depth while avoiding the issue of clashing flavors. Highland Park excelled with this release. The true brilliance of this scotch, however, is that regardless of what you've consumed prior, it always tastes at least good, frequently great, and occasionally amazing. I've never encountered another spirit that tastes good on all occasions. The finesse required to achieve this is truly impressive and unmatched by any other alcohol I've ever sampled. Smoky with a hint of salt and sea mist, but supported by sweet toffee, rich orange, and mild apple. There's a touch of vanilla present and it certainly tastes mature with a coconut undertone lingering. It's sweet, smooth, and luxurious. While not flawless, this spirit is a triumph of balancing reasonable complexity with delicious, expertly crafted flavors that harmonize beautifully. This is likely less complex than Highland Park The Dark, but it is richer and offers superior flavors. It might be considered too assertive, but it avoids the mineral notes, which I appreciate about it. This is a triumph. There's so much happening here, and the flavors range from good to excellent. It may not quite reach the level of Glenfarclas 25, but it stands as a worthy competitor.