Highland Park 1989 23 YO Cask #10518

Highland Park 1989 23 YO Cask #10518, 47,9 %

Time now for an old whisky from Orkney, the Highland Park 1989 23 YO Cask #10518 from independent bottler Adelphi.

This whisky was matured in a refill bourbon cask. It was distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2013. The total outturn was 170 bottles.

The Highland Park 1989 23 YO Cask #10518 has been available to buy online, but seems to be sold out now.

Nose (23/25): Bourbon freshness mixed with that lovely heather honey and soft peat that is so typical for Highland Park. I also find citrus notes here and some light fudge. Surprisingly fresh and light-footed for its age. The nose keeps developing, and it is in fact very, very delicate and nice.

Taste (22/25): Again a surprise - more peaty to taste than what I normally find in whisky from Highland Park. Sugar, caramel, ginger and rich honey-flavored peat.

Finish (21/25): Long and warm finish. Less sweet towards the end. More earthy now, more peat and heather.

Balance (22/25): Not very often we come across bourbon matured Highland Park. They have only released one such whisky themselves, the fantastic HP Freya, but there are some independent bottlings to be found. Look for them, try them, let us know what you think.

Score (87/100)

Image from The Whisky Exchange.

Sláinte! - Thomas