Highland Park 12yr

[jwise]

This is now my second bottle of Highland Park 12, so as you might expect, I rather enjoy this whisky.



However, I managed to get through the entire first bottle before ever sitting down to do a proper review. I promised myself that when I picked up a second bottle (which I knew I would!), I would make the time to review it. So, without further ado:

Nose: salt and brine on the nose, with sweet nectar and honey. If there's peat in there, it has been melded so smoothly with the whisky so as not to come out from the crowd of aromas. I smell lavender, and flora, and frankly I can't wait to take my first sip!

Body: light construction, with growing intensity. Smooth.

Palate: The salty brine is still there, but not overpoweringly so. The whisky lets itself be known on the sides of the mouth, but gently so. On the second and third sip, the saltiness subsides and the more delicate floral flavors come out, along with the sweetness. There is a bit of smokiness to this whisky, but it never overpowers the other flavors.

Finish: the finish is long, releasing the most magnificent flavors. However good this whisky is on the palate, the finish is where the real explosion comes from. Without the finish, it would yield perhaps a 5 or 6 out of 10 stars. With it, I place this whisky around 8 or 9. Just for good measure, I'll call it an 8.5!