Highland Park 1999 19 Year Dimensions (Duncan Taylor)

WHISKY AGED COMPARISON Bowmore 18 Highland Park 19 Dimensions (Duncan Taylor) Balvenie Portwood 21 Kirkland Speyside Single Malt 22 (Alexander Murray) I'm continuing to sample bottles from my collection that haven't been reviewed yet. This selection is a bit mixed, featuring Islay (Bowmore), Highland (Highland Park), and two Speysides (Balvenie, Kirkland). The common thread is their age statements, ranging from 18 to 22 years. As with prior "Showdowns," the goal isn't necessarily to pick a definitive winner (though one might emerge), but to enjoy an interesting comparison and share the findings. These are arranged from the youngest to the oldest. Bowmore 18 The color is the second deepest in the group, almost exactly matching the Balvenie 21: a clear Pantone 153. The aroma presents banana bread and a subtle Islay character with light iodine, saltiness, and gentle peat smoke. The taste has a slight roundness, but the fruit fades, and a touch of white pepper spice appears. Something like passionfruit starts the medium-length finish, which is then overtaken by light char and smoke, but the overall impression is weak; almost diluted. Sadly, Bowmore 18 contains added caramel coloring. I truly don't understand why any distillery would do this. It diminishes the overall experience: burning peat to malt barley is as traditional as Scotch whisky gets. This is an 18-year-old whisky, which is impossible to fake: why compromise the age, tradition, and experience by adding color? It's baffling. Bowmore 18 can be found for approximately $150 today. It's not unpleasant, but it's also not particularly memorable, and the added coloring is essentially deceptive. What's the purpose? What is there to hide? What is the justification? Would I purchase it again? No: both due to its price-to-value ratio and my disapproval of their coloring practice. 43% ABV. Highland Park 19 Dimensions (Duncan Taylor) This spirit is the palest in color among the group, resembling Pantone 130. The nose is somewhat reserved, reluctantly revealing apples, honey, apricots, a cool eucalyptus note, and a medicinal quality likely from ethanol; the effect is similar to the Hall's honey-lemon cough drop scent I get from Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky (reviewed Sep 21, 2023). Then, cocoa emerges. The palate significantly amplifies the initial aromas and shows some body. The transition from the palate to the finish introduces ample spice, coffee, more cocoa, and very mild, persistent smoke. The Highland Park 19 Dimensions is a whisky that requires patience to unlock its complexities. The bottle was a very kind gift from a good friend, so the question isn't whether I'd buy it again, but if I'd purchase it at all. It costs about $225—if you can find it. I'd classify it as a desirable addition rather than essential (with the understanding that no whisk(e)y is truly "essential" in the grand scheme of things). It's excellent if cost isn't a concern, and I'm very thankful to have it. I no longer have any Highland Park 18, which would offer an obvious (and intriguing) comparison. 52.7% ABV. Non-chill filtered. Distilled 6/1999; bottled 6/2018. Cask # 501104; Bottle # 236/352. The light color suggests no artificial coloring. Balvenie Portwood 21 Clear Pantone 153 in color; identical to the Bowmore 18. The aroma is subtle, arriving delicately like Carl Sandberg's "Fog," with a wavering character between port and rich chocolate—on its own terms—also featuring mocha, sandalwood, and honey. The palate slowly develops more chocolate, almost masking the alcohol; there's minimal spice in the transition to the finish, which is long and chocolate-focused. Did I mention chocolate? To me, Balvenie represents a traditional whisky standard with a contemporary update—the update being its various cask finishes (rum, sherry, port). It blends tradition and modernity in a way that leans towards tradition in its balance and sophistication. It displays a confidence that doesn't need boasting. The Portwood 21 aligns with that Balvenie philosophy. This whisky is expensive, currently selling for around $300. Would I buy it again? I paid considerably less when I acquired it, but if cost were no object, the answer is yes (to be clear, I wouldn't purchase every whisk(e)y, even with unlimited funds). Balvenie Portwood 21 is wonderfully thought-provoking, partly due to its somewhat singular focus on chocolate, requiring some analysis to break it down. Alternatively, you can simply savor the chocolate milkshake. 43% ABV. Kirkland Speyside Single Malt 22 (Alexander Murray) This spirit is the deepest in color of the selection, consistent with sherry cask aging; a clear Pantone 160. Unmistakably sherry aroma: toffee, chocolate, dates, strawberry jam, and dark gingerbread (the baked good, not the cookie). Intense caramel corn flavor. The palate exhibits remarkable strength, finishing long and sweet, with chocolate, peanut brittle, and a pleasant hint of sweet café Cubano, with its underlying espresso bitterness. Costco is the world's largest liquor vendor, enabling it to brand high-quality private-label products under its Kirkland name, as is the case here. Skeptics might scoff, but the value is undeniable. It's unknown how Alexander Murray sourced this, but its independent bottling doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't good enough for the original distillery. Even if it wasn't, it's irrelevant: how many excellent 22-year-old whiskies can you find for $80? Just this one. Would I buy it again? I don't believe this particular bottling is still available, but I purchased two initially, and this is the first bottle. So, yes. Incredible value. 46% ABV. In terms of price, the Kirkland (Costco) was outstanding with its 22-year age statement and $80 cost. The Highland Park and Balvenie bottlings were both excellent, for different reasons. The Bowmore was clearly inferior to the other three—regardless of its Islay origin (I greatly enjoy Laphroaig and Lagavullin). I concluded the tasting with one final, small sample of each in rapid succession, confirming my earlier assessments. The Bowmore remains unchanged; the Highland Park is by far the most robust and youthful; the Balvenie is rich and delightful; and the Kirkland is still exceptionally good. Note: All spirits were tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.