Highland Park Einar

This stop on the tasting journey features this distillery. Alongside its sister distillery, it's arguably one of the most esteemed brands in single malt scotch. Situated in the remote northern Orkney Islands, it belongs to the Islands region of Scotland. This particular expression is a travel retail exclusive and the second in a series of eight released to honor their Viking heritage. It's bottled at 40% ABV and, like all its counterparts, has a natural color, appearing amber gold. I believe it's unfiltered, though not entirely certain. The aroma is one of rich, sweet sherry, with notes of brown sugar, raisins, and dates. A hint of citrus, reminiscent of chocolate oranges and dried pineapple, is present, along with barley sugar and a touch of malt. Vanilla buttercream and golden pancake syrup notes are noticeable, with a subtle background of smoke and mint. A pronounced French toast aroma with maple syrup emerges, followed by hints of overripe bananas. Sherry sweetness leads the palate, accompanied by some wood smoke, though not peaty. There's a subtle citrus presence, not bright like lemon, but a darker citrus. Fig and raisin notes are present, along with some mild oak. It evokes French toast with syrup, banana muffins topped with crushed walnuts, and warm vanilla. It has a light body and a thin, yet slightly creamy, mouthfeel. The finish is of medium length, featuring sherry, light smoke, syrup, and banana. The influence of American oak is evident in the softer notes and the absence of significant spice, but I sense some European oak is also involved. Sherry is the dominant element, and the peat level is very low. I was surprised by the distinct French toast and syrup notes. Many overly sweet scotches are labeled dessert drams, but this feels more like a breakfast dram, if such a category existed. For this distillery, it's rather understated. It's good, but unfortunately lacks vibrancy. It's very easy to drink, the kind you could enjoy all evening. I think I purchased this 1L bottle from duty-free for about $45, making it excellent value. Would I buy it again? No, but I don't regret the purchase. 3.5 Cheers

I'm uncertain where to begin with this malt. I've recently been trying some higher-end bottles from HP: Fire, Ice, and the 25yo. This is an official sample pour from a companion in Detroit. It's a travel retail exclusive, so I would never have had the opportunity to try this one otherwise (thanks for that, companion), and it's part of another NAS Viking warrior collection that HP is promoting in the travel market. I have mixed sentiments about that for sure, but I'd like to give HP the benefit of the doubt. This one was a NAS offering using European and American ex-sherry oak barrels. It's the industry minimum 40% ABV and appears as a bright, new penny copper in the tasting glass. It creates some very quick and thin legs when you twirl it—evidence that a significant amount of water was used to combine the various casks and reduce the ABV. That's not ideal, in my opinion. The aroma is sherry and light maple syrup with a hint of weak smoke rounding it out. This is the best component of the whisky. It deteriorates from here. The taste is watery with vanilla and tea leaves that quickly shift to a light pepper spice and weak oak barrel note. The overall mouthfeel is weak, particularly for Highland Park. The finish is medium length and drying. Those same sherry notes from the aroma conclude things. As I mentioned, I've been enjoying some more costly bottles from HP recently, and I've even been somewhat critical of the Fire Edition, but both the Fire & Ice bottles are significantly better than this offering. I recently had the 25-year-old, and it is absolutely stunning (review forthcoming). This one just doesn't measure up. Apologies, companion, but this one is a failure. 2.5-2.75 stars, with some of that rating receiving a boost because it's a rare bottle for me. Cheers, my companions.

What is this distillery even doing? I have a theory that you can identify distilleries that have lost touch with true spirits enthusiasts by visiting a Duty Free shop. The sole purpose of a travel retail exclusive (TRE) is to attract individuals who appreciate spirits for reasons other than the pure enjoyment of drinking them. Releasing numerous TREs suggests that their cask inventory is subpar, yet they still aim to profit unscrupulously from vacationing, inebriated travelers. This distillery has gone overboard with its Viking theme. They aren't even referencing the correct Norse term, which is “Einherjar,” but perhaps that's less marketable. AROMA: It's like this distillery with water added. Heather, oranges, and honey, followed by some sherry notes. Reminds me of a weak 12 year old – the standard one – as I noticed they've altered the new 12 year old with the Viking theme. I suspect this is to compensate for a decline in quality. PALATE: Sherry flavors appear upon entry, but the body is weak. Watery, with preserved fruits like dark grapes and berries. The only hint of smoke is like a faint burnt orange peel in tea. It's not bad, but nowhere near as good as the 12 year old. FINISH: It really doesn't have one. Certainly nothing that makes you recall having just sipped a dram from this distillery. CONCLUSION: It's not worth the bottle's price. I had some while watching the movie “Valhalla Rising.” What a messed-up film. The movie was too intense for this artificial whisky, so I switched to Laphroaig CS. Much more appropriate. This distillery used to be one of my favorites. This is disheartening. SCORE: 74/100.

The base malts from this distillery (12, 15, and 18 year old) have always been a personal favorite. Lately, they appear to be shifting focus from aged statement whiskies to their non-age statement offerings, which raises some concerns. A gentle, sweet aroma greets you, featuring malt and brown sugar. Hints of sherry like nuts and raisins mingle with tropical fruit, toasted coconut, and a subtle banana note deep within. The characteristic smoke of this distillery is also faintly present. Your palate is met with a thin body and an immediate sweetness of brown sugar and maple syrup, which quickly fades. This transition leads to a spicy cinnamon and roasted almond character with oak. An earthy foundation lies beneath the sweet and spicy elements. A sour bitterness emerges towards the finish. A subtly drying, oaky mouthfeel remains. White pepper spice and a ginger bitterness persist until the very end. An accessible dram that stays within familiar territory. It's safe and unadventurous, offering some good flavors but lacking impact or distinctiveness. The whisky might benefit from being bottled at 43%. In my view, this distillery is losing its way and is struggling to define itself in this era of NAS whiskies. This particular malt reflects that sentiment – it's average, safe, and seems aimed at mass appeal. [83/100][Tasted: 11/29/17]

Nose: peat smoke. Sea salt. A sweetness, possibly from sherry? Faint tobacco. As it airs, more sweet cherry emerges. Body: It's thin to medium, but the palate and finish compensate well. Palate: Charcoal dipped in sherry, essentially campfire-smoked tobacco. Finish: Lasts forever, incredibly long (that's what she said). Deeper into it, there's a bit more sherry sweetness. I feel like I should be by a campfire watching fish being cooked. Note: Received an ounce from a friend. Tasted after three shots of bourbon, for whatever that's worth. Very smoky and long-lasting. An ideal drink for February in Minnesota. This is actually quite good, but depends on the setting and the drinker. If you enjoy smoke without iodine and a dry smoky quality, this is for you. Like consuming a charred stick from a campfire. So smoky, but for a small amount in the right environment with the right company, it's perfect. Not my personal preference, but I appreciate it.

Not a bad whisky, but extremely subtle in all aspects. On the nose, the smoke is barely detected. I can make out some sherry notes, but even though this is ex-sherry from both American and European oak, it's just too distant. I believe the 40% ABV might be the issue, just a hunch. Being a travel retail exclusive bottle makes me question it, because you'd think they'd offer better quality for travel retail, but for $65-75, I suppose I shouldn't complain too much. The palate is a bit spicier than fruity, and adding water doesn't help. A short pleasant finish with more tropical notes reminiscent of a medium-tier Balvenie 14 to me. A solid 3.0. Since the finish brings steel drums to mind, the song for this one is "Jane Says" by Jane's Addiction. Thanks to a friend for giving me the chance to sample this one.