Highland Park Dark Origins

If memory serves, this was once part of Highland Park’s main lineup. It didn't survive the distillery's Viking-themed rebranding. Luckily, I managed to find a vintage bottle of this before it disappeared. Let's revisit the past with Highland Park. Nose: Strong citrus and red fruit. Lime and orange. Intense cranberry. Black cherry. Honeydew, apple, and pineapple. Raisin, date, and fig. Sun-dried tomato. Cocoa and pipe tobacco smoke. Vanilla, butterscotch, and toffee. Brine and seaweed with a whisper of peat and campfire smoke. A hint of black bean, red pepper chili. Palate: Gala apple, cranberry, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, raisin, date, and fig. Chestnut and plum. The first-fill sherry is very apparent. Caramel and milk chocolate. Malt and toffee. Almond. Wintergreen. Vanilla. A blend of barrel smoke/campfire with some sea salt and soft pretzel. Lime, orange peel, and honeydew. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Seaweed, sea salt, black bean and red pepper chili. Cola, raisin, date, fig, apple, raspberry, strawberry, and plum. Honeydew, lime, and pineapple. Black currant. Vanilla, toffee, and malt. Chestnut, almond, and oak. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Moderately long finish. Dark Origins presents a strong combination of first-fill sherry and bourbon barrel-aged Highland Park. I won't claim this was my own idea, but I will say this cask combination works well with the Highland Park character. At $70, I certainly felt it was a good value. Especially since this expression had been discontinued for a while when I purchased it. There's a lot happening, and I wouldn't be shocked if there was some long-aged spirit in here despite its NAS status. 4/5. Solid offering from Highland Park. I'm very pleased I acquired one.

I have a fondness for Highland Park's marketing. Dark Origins tells a charming tale of a distiller who not only established the distillery illicitly but also devised secret methods for selling the whisky. Presented at 46.8% ABV, it boasts a lovely, polished mahogany hue. On the nose, a very gentle peat note, unlike the typical Highland Park. Notes of brownies, subtle tobacco, fresh woods, a faint saltiness, and garlic bread. I was initially a bit disappointed by the aroma, thinking it might be a poor dram... how mistaken I was. On the palate, it was fantastic: caramel, orange, brownies, oakiness, acidity, a bold smoke flavor, and some salt and clove. The finish was extended and salty with hints of smoke and a bonfire. In summary, this dram earns an 89 out of 100. Points were lost on the nose, but it's undeniably a good whisky.

Reminds me of Glenlivet Founders Reserve but with the full body and character typical of most Isle scotch. Nose: citrus, honey, fruity, rich, sweet Palate: Sweet, fruity with vanilla on the tongue, a touch of peat?, citrusy orange note peeking through, reminiscent of orange creamsicle Finish: Sweet and smooth, if it weren't for the backup fruity notes this would literally taste like I just ate an orange creamsicle with a touch of peat. I like this because the orange emerges unexpectedly at the end and lasts into the finish. If you want this straight, DO IT! That would be my preference. I could see this as an interesting choice in cocktails. It would definitely need to be spirit-forward to avoid losing its complexity.

The aroma is somewhat bland, but it has a unique taste. There's a lot of alcohol, yet it's surprisingly herbal. That bitter herbal bite is harsh. There's some stale bread and also a lot of alcohol. It's extremely rich with a pleasant smoky undertone. Don't forget the peat either. Mostly, it tastes quite aged, which is nice and also surprising in its intensity for this distillery. There's plenty of sweetness, but it doesn't overpower the rich, aged flavor. There's a hint of apple, but it's not too strong. It lacks the depth and complexity I desire, but evaluated as an aged whiskey, this is good. Despite the stale bread, I'd be happy to drink this.

Finishing this bottle and it seems it's been removed from the main lineup, a shame. Smell: Dried fruit, to me it's like dried strawberries and cherries. A trace of that Highland Park smoke, mild and fragrant. Taste: The dried fruit taste continues with some vanilla and the gentle heather smoke found in Highland Park. The sherry is present but not too strong, for a no-age-statement, it's a nice mix of older and newer components so the malt still comes through. Good harmony. End: Medium length. I'm glad this is over 40% ABV so there's a bit of a lingering finish, but not like a cask strength spirit. Overall a 3.75 for me.

This non-age-statement Highland Park dram is excellent. It claims kinship with Highland Park 18, and rightfully so. The nose is rich and promising, and the honeycomb note I associate with Highland Park is present. On the palate, this whisky is initially salty. A refreshing minerality accompanies rich notes of black plum and cardamom. The peat and sherry combine stunningly in Dark Origins. The waxy Highland Park signature is confined to the nose this time, as the mouthfeel is actually somewhat oily. I appreciate a malty and spicy finish and a decadent oaky aftertaste. A truly excellent whisky.