Highland Park Odin

Part four, and the conclusion of the "Premium Highland Park samples from a friend" review series. This is Odin. The Allfather. King of Asgard, father to Thor and Loki, and husband to Freya. Enough Norse mythology, let's discuss the whisky! This 16 year old single malt is bottled at what I believe is 55.8% ABV, with a natural dark amber color and likely not chill filtered. It was matured exclusively in first and refill sherry casks, with no bourbon casks used at all. A beautiful, intense sherry aroma. Warm vanilla and brown sugar. Raisins, dates, and plums. A slightly salty/savory note and a light smoke. Buttery biscuits, warm wheat bread, and toffee. Roasted mixed nuts, cocoa powder, cinnamon, a hint of chili powder. There was a brief note of turmeric or curry powder, but it vanished so quickly I couldn't quite identify it. Chocolate oranges, ginger, fennel, a subtle waxy note, and a touch of maple syrup. Tobacco drizzled with honey, old wood, and leather. After all that, the faintest hint of banana. It’s not quite as elegant or balanced as the 25 year old, but just as satisfying. The palate arrives with intense peppery oak. It's quite powerful and builds. Roasted nuts, sherry, raisins, dates, plums, and smoky oranges. Some alcohol burn. Spice cake, cinnamon, clove, more oak and pepper. I had to add a few drops of water to calm this beast down, or my tongue would have been numb. What I got afterwards was butter cookies, similar to the Royal Dansk cookies in the blue tin. I also tasted crusty wheat bread with a little honey on it. All of that was still covered in pepper, though. The spice never really subsided. A full-bodied mouthfeel that was oily and made my mouth water. The finish is long and dry, with oak, pepper, and dried plums. The profile here truly fits the name Odin. Incredibly strong, it demands respect. Not as sophisticated as the 25 year old, but no less great. Similar to the Ice Edition, I think this would have been better presented at 48% ABV as it's just a bit too potent on the palate. At $300, it's almost worth the price... but not quite (for me, anyway). I'm giving this a 4.5, the same as the 25 year old. It’s as good, just in a different way. Another huge thank you to the reviewer who provided all the wonderful samples. It’s been quite an adventure. Cheers

Odin, the king of the Norse gods, constantly pursued wisdom. This led him to Yggdrasil, the tree of life, to gain profound knowledge. To achieve this, he had to drink daily from a well of wisdom guarded by Mimir, a powerful being. Mimir would only grant Odin access if he made a significant sacrifice. Odin, valuing great wisdom above all, tore out one of his own eyes in exchange for permission to drink from the well. The underlying message is the pursuit of knowledge above all else. Highland Park released this 'Odin' expression as part of their Valhalla collection. It comes in a dark bottle depicting the one-eyed Norse god, and the decanter is housed in a Viking ship model called Skíðblaðnir. Bottled at 55.8% ABV, it has been matured in Spanish sherry casks and refill hogsheads. On the nose, it's marvelous. Prunes, rum and raisin ice cream, cherries. There's a wall of sulfur and caramelized apple. Mint liqueur. Strong mint candy. After the initial taste, the aroma shifts to burnt hay and cigarette smoke. Then, it evolves into glazed pork, red apples, and brownies. It's incredibly complex. On the palate, it begins with a metallic sensation, like licking a coin. It's mineral and rocky. Pepper and salt are present. A second sip reveals red fruits and chili. It is remarkably salty and maritime, reminiscent of a Viking warship at sea. The aftertaste can only be described as 'a thousand Viking battles.' Fireworks, a fiery spear, and scorched earth are actual notes in the finish. It's so salty, it evokes an Indian food sensation. It's like a ball of salt! Amazing. Overall, this is perfection. Everyone at my tasting event enjoyed it. I can honestly say that, like Loki from the same Valhalla collection, these are very good whiskies. Lovely, powerful, and full of complexity and flavor, this is a whisky you should definitely try at least once in your life. Amazing stuff; my score is 100 out of 100.

After a long Christmas Day shift at work, allowing colleagues with young children to spend the holiday at home with them, I can finally relax and treat myself to a finer bottle from my collection. Why not open the final bottling from Highland Park's Valhalla series: Odin. The Norse deity known as the "All-Father" to Thor. This Odin is a 16 year old single malt that matured entirely in first-fill and refill Sherry casks. It's also cask strength and comes in at an impressive 111.6 proof. As part of its distinctive packaging, it includes a black wooden display case shaped like an old Viking sailing ship. This bottle is also completely black with what appear to be painted labels instead of the typical vinyl ones. Quite cool, though not essential. The aroma is very inviting: sweet vanilla and honey, with a subtle hint of citrus peel, rounding out with the well-balanced peat smoke found in most Highland Park expressions. On the palate, it has a very noticeable sweetness that is quickly overtaken by heavy peppery, cinnamon oak and the high ABV. It takes your breath away if you're unprepared. There's considerable complexity in the finish that makes it truly fantastic: sherry, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, citrus peel, and peat smoke. All those flavors seem to battle for your attention simultaneously, making it somewhat challenging to analyze without cooling it down with a bit of water. Overall, however, if you appreciate Highland Park whisky, you will surely be pleased by this rare bottle. It's perfect for sitting down and giving your palate a rigorous workout. I believe this bottle cost around or slightly over $300, and it's difficult to justify that price when you know the HP 18 year old is less than half that and exceptionally good. If I disregard the rarity and judge it solely on its merits, it's a 4.25-4.5 star offering. The price and difficulty of finding it lower it a bit for me to a solid 4 star whisky. Happy Holidays and cheers, friends. Bring on 2017!

A generous sample from a friend allowed me to try this scarce limited Islander tonight. If you've experienced the HP 18, this is comparable, but more potent and robust. While the 18 offers complexity and depth, this one is powerful and full of character. The name Odin was fitting. The aroma presents oranges and vanilla, becoming more pronounced on the palate with capsicum-like pepper, peat, and honey, finishing with citrus. At nearly $300, I'm uncertain I would choose this over the 18. Its scarcity certainly justifies the high price. I've had one other from the Valhalla series before, Freya. Compared to Freya, this is quite distinct. Freya was lighter and fruitier. Between the two, I prefer this one. However, I would still opt for the 18 over this, not due to superiority but because it matches in quality (not flavor profile) at half the cost.

Lots of caramelized fruits, a touch of salt, Christmas spices and candy cane, in a flavor explosion that's a bit rough and intense, but still very enjoyable. It's like a cask strength version of their 18 year old but still developing; it has a lot of body, but less cocoa than the 18 year old (less peated smoke and less burnt barrel). It lacks the refinement of their Freya or the 18 year old, let's say, but it remains a flavor bomb!

Potent. Requires water to tame the god of gods. Peat, sherry, sweetness, and a massive body. The finish is long and reveals more of the cask's value. This full-bodied whisky presents great layers. It was sampled at the lcbo tasting station in summer hill. I desire more of this divine nectar to continue unraveling Valhalla's mystery.