Highland Park Svein

I decided it was finally time to review the Christmas present from my friend. He selected this bottle for me at the last auction from SWA and gave it to me a few weeks before the holiday. I believe he won it for £40, and with fees and shipping, it likely cost him $65-70. What a fantastic gift—thanks again, my friend. This bottle is part of the HP Warrior Series, an NAS set released around 2017, if memory serves. It includes 6 bottles with prices ranging from $40 to over $1000. Svein was bottled at 40% and aged entirely in ex-American sherry casks. I'm quite certain it's chill-filtered, but I don't believe color was added. The appearance was a rich gold, and it formed heavy, oily droplets in the tasting glass—good indication that a significant amount of water was used to dilute it to 40%. The nose was initially dominated by honey and light citrus. There's almost no smoke present; a subtle earthy peat can be coaxed out with time and considerable swirling in the glass. Some caramel and toffee rounded out the aroma. No heat or alcohol notes were apparent. Not surprising. The palate is richly sherried—I'm sure a good portion of this whisky had to mature in first-fill casks to impart this much sherry at such a low ABV. The absence of smoke is again perplexing, and there's a full oily film on the tongue after even the smallest of sips. The sherry is pleasant but lacks power and peat—which is not what I'd expect from Highland Park. It's unusual, but I must say this bottle is highly drinkable, and for $50 for a 1L bottle, the value is excellent in that regard. The finish is short to medium (medium if you're drinking heavily with 3-4oz pours, haha). There are some light oak notes and a grape sweetness that I didn't detect initially. Ultimately, it finishes drier than I anticipated, but that's fine when you want to consume larger quantities/a larger bottle. Needless to say, I finished this bottle in just over 3 weeks (Note: I almost always pour 10-14oz from every bottle I open into samples for friends or for my long-term sample collection—so I didn't consume a liter by myself in that short timeframe). Overall, this is likely what it was intended to be—something a casual drinker can enjoy without being overwhelmed by any single characteristic. It's made for the masses and performs well—especially when you consider the price point. Pick up a bottle if you still see them on shelves or try a pour at a bar for $4-5, and you'll likely be pleasantly surprised. You can't really go wrong here. I'd give the liquid 3-3.25 stars, with an added boost for value pricing. Cheers.

Nose: Delicate floral honey, malt concentrate, citrus zest, and a whisper of smoky earthiness. What seems simple initially unfolds into a small, well-balanced aromatic collection. Faint barley sugar and a green scent, like bruised fern, appear subtly. Palate: A smooth entry led by sweet grains. Citrus, dark malt, and a vegetal note emerge during development, but it lacks body and strength. The influence of fine sherry barrels is hinted at by a fresh woodiness and bright spice, yet their impact is muted and spread thin. Finish: Brief. Grainy, fading rapidly into an indistinct, slightly astringent conclusion with a trace of smoke. Clearly identifiable as Highland Park, presented in a mellow, comforting style. It's less vibrant than the 10 or 12-year-old versions, and significantly less intricate than the 18-year-old. It begins promisingly but diminishes at each stage of tasting, ending with a very abrupt finish. The aroma is light and soft yet appealing, but the taste doesn't fully realize its clear potential. A 40% ABV was far too low for such a subtle spirit; at 46%, this would have been a noticeably superior drink. The finish is disappointingly short – one of the quickest I've encountered from this distillery. This is another entry in the seemingly never-ending series of Viking-themed releases from this distillery recently. I long for the time when the owners cease this marketing approach and allow the distillery to focus solely on producing the finest age-stated whiskies. The official tasting descriptions are correct, but 79 is a severe rating for this enjoyable whisky, which remains above average despite its flaws. Sampled from a 30ml pour. "Above Average": 81/100 (3 stars)

Reviewing another in the Highland Park Warrior Series. Svein is the first of the six in the travel retail exclusive line. Bottled at 40% ABV and is chill-filtered and, like all HPs, this is natural color, amber gold. This is the third one I’ve reviewed; the others being Harald and Einar. The nose has big-time citrus notes of lemon, orange, and a little grapefruit. Heather honey and heather peat. Malty, a bit of an alcohol nip even at 40%. Oak, barley sugar, toffee, and butterscotch. Pecans, hazelnut with a pinch of salt and a whiff of black tea. Slightly smoky, like a campfire from 2 campsites away. A thread of savory sherry running throughout, as well as some chocolate and creamy vanilla. The palate has a semisweet arrival with barley sugar, honey, and lots of toffee. A little sherry sweetness, but also some bitterness as well to help balance things out. Tropical fruits of tangerines, pineapple, coconut, and mango. Chocolate-covered almonds, oak, a touch earthy, light peat, but no smoke until you let it sit a good long while. A fairly light-bodied mouthfeel that is creamy and tongue-coating. The finish is medium length with tropical fruits, light peat, and light sherry. This is a good value scotch. I purchased this 1L bottle at auction for $45. I gifted it to a friend for Christmas, and he was gracious enough to send me a sample. That price and size for a HP is a good deal, plus this stuff is fairly tasty. It’s not going to punch you in the face with intense flavors, but it’s very drinkable. I could see this working well with a twist of orange peel and a dash of bitters over ice. 3.25 Cheers

A bottling from the travel retail "Warrior Series," this Highland Park narrates the tale of Sveinn Asleifarson, a formidable Viking pirate and mercenary known for his fairness during his raids on Scotland's Hebridean islands. Presented at 40% ABV with a tawny hue. The nose is quite appealing, featuring earthy, peaty notes. Hints of burnt hay, a stable, tobacco, an ashtray, vanilla, and the crest of a burnt brownie. Following the initial taste, the aroma shifts to resemble burnt popcorn. The palate is unexpectedly cool. It's very herbal and medicinal, with citrus notes emerging after a few seconds. There's pepper. A second taste felt like ice was dropped into the dram; it's remarkably cold! It also has vanilla ice cream notes. The finish is very straightforward. Dry and grassy, with notes of burnt grass, hay, and sulfur. Overall, I find this to be an interesting, albeit standard, whisky. The cool sensation on the palate was quite captivating; I truly enjoy discovering such characteristics in my whiskies. I rate it 84 out of 100.

Crème brûlée, orange zest, gentle smoky earthiness, honeyed texture...I enjoy it. It has a somewhat brief spirit-driven finish however the alcohol is well-balanced with the other elements. It costs just over $50USD here in NZ. This is my seventh from this producer and remarkably this is the only producer I have never scored less than a 4 on the platform (with quite a few drams sampled). Middleton comes in a close second with one 3.5 that truly could have improved rather than declined. Also remarkably I never considered them in my top 10 but really it should be in the top few. I think I just really appreciate the overall character and harmony of their whiskies. 3.75 and yet another 4.

Tasted next to the Alaskan waters Nose - sweetness here Taste - a hint of peat, light notes of floral, and maybe a bit of fruit Finish - smooth, short length with some honey and a quick hit of smoke on the back end of this Score - 3.0, not strong in any way, short flavors everywhere Scoring Legend 5.0 - Outstanding, unmatched to others 4.5 - Excellent, I will always keep a bottle in stock if possible 4.0 - Very good, quite enjoyable to drink, can consider as a solid choice 3.5 - Good, would taste again 3.0 - Average 2.5 - Acceptable, still drinkable 2.0 - Inferior, able to drink but not enjoyable 1.5 and below—wouldn’t drink again unless I am desperate