Highland Park 1997 Vintage

Highland Park 1997 Vintage, NAS, 40 %

This is a Highland Park made for travel retail only. I have tasted the 1998 from before. The 1998 was not exactly my kind of whisky, so I was very curious about the 1997.

I did call this one a NAS in the heading, but we do have information that it was bottled 2009 which makes it approximately 12 YO.

Since this one is released for travel retail only it is not available in Norway or Sweden.

Nose (21/25): At first I was met by a sharp smell. A mix of acetone and alcohol. After the initial sniff the smell became more complex. Both dry and sweet with oak, orange zest, chili, mango and melon. An interesting nose.

Taste (20/25): Alcohol bite and thin. Not a lot of taste actually, but I could detect brown sugar and crème brûlée. Dry.

Finish (19/25): Bitter and watery in the end. A sugary aftertaste together with burnt caramel. A lot of zest from oranges, lemon and lime. Dry. Oak and walnut shell.

Balance (20/25): I am sorry to say this was not a Highland Park to my taste. Too thin and dry. Very much like I remember the 1998. Well, not every Highland Park can be just as good as Freya ;-)

Score (80/100)

- Tone