Highland Park Twisted Tattoo 16 Year

This is a remarkable spirit, matured for 16 years in ex-bourbon and Spanish Rioja wine casks. It evokes a sense of continuity and balance, reminiscent of ancient symbols. The inspiration for this fine whisky comes from a world-encircling serpent myth. While the classical background is interesting, my immediate association was with "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." The purchase was driven by this connection and perhaps the sight of smoggy, wildfire-tinged skies. The store experience felt disoriented, but the purchase was made with anticipation. Upon arriving home, the packaging's design drew a cool reception from my partner. Initially considering decanting, I decided against it and proceeded to taste it. The packaging's Nordic aesthetic might not be to everyone's taste, but the whisky itself is worth the effort. Now, onto the spirit itself. The aroma exhibits the typical Highland Park characteristics of honey and heathered peat. Deeper investigation reveals a clear sherry cask influence, though knowing it was finished in Spanish wine casks confirms this. The palate builds upon the foundation of the Highland Park 12, but with enhanced intensity. The extended maturation adds layers of honey, while fruity red wine notes seamlessly integrate into an almost citrusy sweetness. The spirit is a harmonious blend of two distinct flavor streams, creating a delicious complexity. The mouthfeel is exquisite and oily, complemented by the 46% ABV. The finish brings forth red wine tannins and peat, combined with vibrant citrus, creating a unique conclusion. Despite criticisms of the distillery's cask management, the inclusion of these wine casks has revitalized the expression. This trend is a welcome departure from the rebranding of the older Highland Park line. The Highland Park 18, even at 43% ABV, doesn't compare to this expression's quality. The heat is not an issue here. I am genuinely impressed by this bottling. After two servings, I felt as delighted as a child at a fast-food restaurant. I immediately purchased a second bottle. This limited release is exceptionally good.

Following a positive experience with the HP Full Volume, I'm revisiting the distillery. The Twisted Tattoo is 16 years old and bottled at 46.7% ABV. At $100, its characteristics are quite similar to the Full Volume. It incorporates some Spanish Rioja cask influence alongside the bourbon casks. Let's dive in. Nose: Creamy vanilla custard and red fruit jump out of the glass. Cranberry, raisin, red grape, and apple. There's some honeydew melon. Caramel, butterscotch, cinnamon, and baking spice. Plenty of oak. Walnut and macadamia. Not a lot of peat or brine, but there is a hit of sulfur. It's all good, but the sulfur is a bit too prominent. A slight deduction for that, but it's still decent. Edit: This really opened up over time—I've had it for about a year since the initial review. The sulfur notes have subsided, and the fruit notes now flourish. Palate: There's still a bit of sulfur, but it's overpowered by a much-welcome presence of peat smoke and brine. Sea salt. More of the honeydew melon, cranberry, and golden raisin. Lime and red grape. Heavy malt flavor with caramel, fudge, vanilla, coffee, butterscotch, and honey. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and white pepper. Some heavy oak. This is a great translation of the nose; all of the core notes are present, and the peat smoke and briny notes correct the overly sulfuric aroma. Finish: Moderate length, leaning toward short. Honeydew melon and red fruit. Raisin, cranberry, and grape are prominent initially. Sulfur with some smoke and sea salt. Cinnamon and black bean red pepper chili. It's a spicy one, and reflects a respectable proof. A touch of dark chocolate balances things out at the end. Finally, more of the nutty and oaky notes. Good stuff. This is a good whiskey. It's the first I can recall having that's been aged in Rioja casks. Yet, it captures the classic Highland Park spirit. It makes for a nice combination. It has its flaws, particularly on the nose, but it drinks well and meets many of my preferences. This one falls right in the range of the HP 15 and the HP Full Volume 17. I give a slight edge to those two, but this is just a hair behind them. That takes into account age, price, and proof. If you're a Highland Park devotee, this is an easy purchase. Otherwise, I'd consider this an experimental buy. Highland Park seems to be making a dedicated effort to shed its reputation for producing overpriced NAS malts that exploit an adopted Viking heritage. Over the past year, I've reviewed the 12-year CS Riptide, the 17-year Full Volume, and now this. I'm pleased to see the distillery responding to (admittedly deserved) criticism. The Twisted Tattoo is worth its salt, and for that, I commend them.

It's easy to fall for the marketing surrounding this distillery, one of my favorites, with their visually appealing bottles. This instance features a striking black decanter adorned with a crimson serpent, a creature from Norse mythology said to encircle the world. According to legend, this immense serpent was ultimately banished to the sea by Thor to await a final battle. This captivating narrative heightened my expectations for the whisky itself. This particular expression is aged for 16 years in Spanish Rioja wine casks, which sounds quite sophisticated. Presented at 46.7% ABV, it possesses a pleasing deep copper hue. The aroma is outstanding. It begins with notes of red berries, like strawberries, marmalade, and a fragrant peat. There's also salt, chocolate, and a strong mint presence. It gives off a sensation of coolness, as if it had been refrigerated. It carries hints of medicine, ash, and naphthalene. Upon initial tasting, a more oceanic character emerges, with hints of seaweed, pepper, and vanilla. White chocolate is also present. After a subsequent taste, the nose becomes remarkably saline. On the palate, it starts again with red fruits, shifting to white chocolate for a brief moment, followed by an explosion of pepper. It's intensely peppery, yet the significant wine influence accounts for the red fruit notes. Mint plays a crucial role, dictating the character of this dram. The finish is delightful, arguably the highlight of this whisky. It exhibits substantial tannins, alongside salinity and pepper. Notes of ash, cigarettes, ginger, and Spanish ham are detected. After a few more sips, it becomes decidedly medicinal, reminiscent of holding a pain reliever on the tongue. An abundance of mint reappears here. In summary, this is a pleasant, somewhat contradictory dram. It offers a good range of flavors and considerable complexity, but the palate feels merely like a bridge between the nose and the finish. I find it good and intriguing, though not my top choice from this distillery. Nevertheless, it earns a score of 90 out of 100 from me, so I believe it's worth trying at least once. Cheers!

I had hoped to share more insightful reviews, but the distillers app is a terrible tool, and we're still unable to add whiskey via a computer. While technically possible to install an emulator and use a desktop, it's just too much hassle for adding spirits. Moving on to a more recognizable name, Highland Park. It might rank second to Macallan in whiskey prestige, but unlike Macallan, they appear capable of producing quality spirits at generally fair prices. This 16-year-old expression, priced at $100, seems like a significant bargain. Nose: I detect vanilla, some red wine tannins, a hint of spice, and possibly strawberry. Palate: This offers a fantastic progression. It begins with sweet bourbon cask notes, including vanilla, caramel, and cream. It then shifts to vanilla and red fruits; I'd suspect sherry if I weren't aware it was a red wine cask influence. The finish develops into a really pleasant, long, and lingering oak character with a dryness reminiscent of red wine. Some bourbon elements persist. Given Highland Park uses peat, I assume some is present in the finish. However, without that knowledge, I'd attribute it more to the oak, but those sensitive to peat will notice it. I tasted this without prior expectations or opinions, just a straight pour. The only feedback I'd heard was from a few fans, though not individuals whose tastes I typically align with. Adding water is not recommended for this one; it amplifies the oak without adding much else. Overall, for $100 and at 46.7% ABV, I believe this is a winner. It represents excellent value, and I'm awarding it a solid 3.0. It's definitely worth acquiring at this price. Honestly, unless you are extremely sensitive to peat, I'd wager this will appeal to any scotch drinker and most whiskey enthusiasts broadly. I used to consider the Highland Park 18 the definitive introduction to scotch. With its increased price and consistent 43% ABV, this 16-year-old might now be the better choice in their range for newcomers.

I've sampled numerous Highland Park whiskies and they all share a distinctive, recognizable character. While this particular one is very good, having tried the 18-year-old makes it difficult to return to younger expressions or the various non-age statements. They all exhibit the typical HP profile, but the 18-year-old integrates everything superiorly. Until I experience something older from Highland Park, I wouldn't consider or recommend anything else. If the 18-year-old is out of reach financially, I believe the 12-year-old remains the best substitute. I'm still perplexed by Highland Park's creation of so many different NAS bottlings and special editions.

For those who enjoy HP12 and want to upgrade to HP18 but find the price prohibitive, this is a great alternative. It costs about $95 in my region. You'll find the familiar fruity, peaty, and spicy notes of HP12, but with a 46% ABV, it offers a bolder character, a more enduring finish, and a richer complexity on the palate. It takes water well if you wish to temper the intensity, but honestly, it drinks closer to a 43% ABV, so I don't think it's necessary.