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| 10yo, 12yo, 18yo, 21yo & Dark Origins |
@WessexWhiskyClub found that he had exactly the same set of samples, mainly from our mate @GentlemanGrimm, so we decided to do a joint tasting! Together we tried the 10yo, 12yo, 18yo, 21yo and Dark Origins. "Just a minute" I hear you say, "It says Rebus 30 on the bottle - isn't it a 30yo, why have you called it a 10yo?". Well actually it is a 10yo, the 30 is to mark the 30th anniversary of crime fiction creation John Rebus.
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| 10yo, 12yo & Dark Origins |
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| 10yo, 12yo & Dark Origins |
The 12yo can be found on just about any supermarket shelf in the UK so we'll start with that one as the standard HP dram.
Whisky : 12yo
Characteristics : 700ml, 40% ABV. Not Coloured, NCF
Distillery's info : "The first proprietary bottling of Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky was as a 12 year old in 1979. It remains the core expression of the Highland Park range and is a smooth, balanced single malt, with a rich full flavour and a gentle smokey finish."
Price : £25
Colour : Dark Gold.
Brian's thoughts:
Brian's thoughts:
Nose : Honey and heather - there's a little bit of peat in there too.
Palate : Very smooth - lots of honey sweetness, with a bite of oak at the end - a little peat too.
Finish : Quite short - woody and slightly drying - it where I notice the smoke more than the nose or palate.
Dave's thoughts:
Dave's thoughts:
Nose : The smoke seems less than I remember. I agree with the honey and heather but I also get a waxiness.
Palate : Honey sweetness is right there in your face and the peat is not far behind - no bitterness for now.
Finish : I was expecting something a bit spicier to come in but it hasn't, I feel the smoke fades pretty quickly. I'd describe this as a really easy introduction to peated whisky.
Whisky : 10yo (Rebus 30)
Characteristics : 700ml, 40% ABV. Not Coloured, NCF
Distillery's info : "The Rebus novels have been translated into 36 languages and are much-loved, global bestsellers, so we were delighted to be invited to collaborate with Ian Rankin to celebrate this important anniversary of a great literary creation, with a very special edition of Highland Park. Our 10 Year Old single malt was selected as the perfect tribute to an iconic detective who, like our whisky, truly stands apart. REBUS30 10 Year Old celebrates strong and independent spirits who know their own mind… and, like that irascible rogue Rebus, aren’t afraid to speak it!" So nothing about the whisky then!
Price : £30 (This was a limited edition as the 10yo is not normally available in the UK market.)
Colour : Pale gold.
Brian's thoughts:
Nose : A lot more smoke on the nose with this one, also some apples and pears and maybe a lint of lemon? It's the first time I've tried the 10yo and I think I prefer it to the 12yo. Definitely more smoke and it's a little more complex with the fruit notes - yummy!
Palate : Honey and strawberries - but the peat covers everything almost immediately - lovely smooth dram. It hasn't got the woody spicy bite at the end like the 12yo and I don't think that's a bad thing. This is much better than the 12yo!
Finish : Finish is longer, smokier and has a nice fruity edge without the slightly 'rough edge' that the 12yo has. Everyone told me it was rubbish, I think it's better than the 12yo.
Dave's thoughts:
Dave's thoughts:
Nose : Much paler as you say (the middle picture above) and much sharper on the nose. The alcohol is much stronger smelling - burning. I would say this smells a little peatier too. The waxiness has gone too. It generally smells 'brighter' than the 12 if that makes sense?
Palate : It is still all honey sweet to start but the peat is there almost straight away and much stronger than the 12. I get a boiled sweets and a bit of spice too. I didn't want to like this...…. I don't get strawberries but I do get a fruity creaminess like strawberry and cream sweets.
Finish : The finish is longer - starts off sweet but it is waaaay peatier. Isn't this supposed to be crap? I didn't find the 12 rough. If anything my one was over polished and dare I say a little dull?
Promo Video:
Whisky : Dark Origins
Distillery's info : "A sherried release to match the distillery's origins – founder Magnus Eunson being a smuggler who worked in the darkness of night. Dark Origins is a combination of 80% first fill sherry casks & 20% refill sherry."
Price : £90
Colour : Bronze.
Dave's thoughts:
Nose : Nowhere near as sweet as the previous two drams - in fact, the heather is the strongest note for me. The pencil cases are back (the oak?). The smoke is more subtle than the 10 again. Nuts? Maybe even some almonds for me. Let's hope @GentlemanGrimm didn't put any cyanide in there!
Palate : I liked the nose - got some cola cubes too - but not as keen on the palate. I like the dark chocolate, a bit of spice and the nuts again but there is also dusty edge to it and I can taste those pencil shavings.
Finish : Fades quickly, the smoke has come back and more like wood smoke. I'm undecided on this one, I think it needs more than one shot at it.
Brian's thoughts:
Nose : completely different, getting a little dunnage warehouse (old musty books, pencil cases, wood) on this one, again like you say not a lot of smoke but yes maybe some peanuts.......
Palate : A little kick up in alcohol here from 40% to 46.7%, the sherry notes come through and there is a little smokey edge. Almost chewy in the mouth with all the notes of a christmas cake mix - dried fruit, cherries, sherry. Yummy!
Finish :Quite short - got a spicy note a little like the 12yo but not as harsh. I really like this one - a surprise! In a #BlindTasting I'd never have thought it was a @HighlandPark
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| 12yo, 21yo, 18yo & New Make Spirit |
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| New Make Spirit, 18yo & 21yo |
Whisky : 18yo
Characteristics : 700ml, 43% ABV. Not Coloured but Chill filtered.
Characteristics : 700ml, 43% ABV. Not Coloured but Chill filtered.
Distillery's info : "A perfect expression of harmony, complexity and refinement, the 18yo combines honey sweetness with delicious hints of cherries wrapped in chocolate, and subtle top notes of aromatic peat smoke."
Price : £200
Colour: Dark Gold
Colour: Dark Gold
Dave's thoughts:
Nose : Less sweet on the nose, than the 12yo, and spicier too - a cinnamon note for me - it also has floral heather and pencil shavings again. There is definitely more going on here
Palate : I get the salty note here - not sure about on the nose. Definitely floral and some initial spice (ginger?). It then becomes sweeter and a bit buttery to me. I think fudge sums up that sweet buttery flavour perfectly. This seems a big step from the 12 - lots more going on. It is also a BIG step up price wise.
Brian's thoughts:
Nose / Palate: A bit of dunnage warehouse in there and a little more peat than the 12yo. I'm also getting that salty note and some orange?
Grimm joined in for this one too!:
Nose / Palate: I'm actually getting that salty note you mention @MaltMusings which is interesting as I don't know if I've picked up on that before. I also get a bit of smoke, a slight floral note (heather probably knowing HP), orange and a slight nuttiness. Getting characteristic honey but also a slight fudge note.
Finish: Definitely a big step up from the 12yo and as I said before it's a favourite of mine. Definitely getting a nuttiness on the finish btw!
Characteristics : 700ml, 47.5% ABV. Not Coloured, NCF
Distillery's info : "This variant of Highland Park has been created exclusively for global travel retail and duty free markets. Released in October 2007, Highland Park 21 Year Old is a full flavoured, powerful , sweet single malt with a rich smokey finish."
Price : £200
Colour : Dark Gold
Dave's thoughts:
Nose : The profile of this is much more like the 18 than any of the others. I'm guessing it is stronger? Also, here I get @maltmusings' oranges, spice again
Palate : Fruity, spice, honey but also a slight burnt sugar bitterness. Then quite a bit of oak. The peat teases in and out, funnily it doesn't seem as peaty to me! The slightly bitter fruit really makes the mouth water. Noticeably less sweet than the 18 to me.
Finish : More of the bitter orange and some dark chocolate.
Brian's thoughts:
Nose : Dunnage warehouse and icing sugar
Palate : Lovely smooth orange marmalade on the tongue, similar to the 18 but this is @marksandspencer orange marmalade not @Tesco! There's some peat smoke here too - probabaly the most I'm noticed on all the HP drams we've tried. Less sweet and as you say it has a slightly bitter edge. There's a real thick mouthfeel to this one too - it seems to make your mouth water then dry it out when you swallow. Lovely oaky spice too!
Finish : A really nice long finish to it - gentle heather peat smoke and more of that orange - a lovely dram!
Promo Video:
Finally we had a try of the Highland Park New Make Spirit - this is 60+% ABV straight from the still.Dave's thoughts : It amazes me how savoury new make can smell and this is no different. Gristy and less peaty than expected. There is fruit in here but more rounded like plums or such like and not as sharp as oranges to me. It is more minerally than the finished whisky too (does that make sense?) The taste of new make is funny because that first taste seems a million miles from aged whisky but actually once you are past that, a fair few of the characteristics are there. I also think a reasonable slug of water really brings it out too. With water, it still has some meaty flavours going on but also the same honey you get in the younger drams.
Brian's thoughts : It seems really thick when you pour it. Interesting aroma, as you said savoury, smells like a piece of steak waiting to be grilled. A little peat but not much. Maybe some citrus too? It's really interesting that the new make smells nothing like the finished drams we have tried. The wood plays a big part in my opinion. How to the distillers know that the new make it good therefore the whisky will be good?
Overall:
Dave's thoughts : The 21 really was a lovely dram and I think it was my favourite I really liked the 18 too (not surprising as it is similar to the 21 but sweeter) The 10 is a nice punchy dram and much more interesting than the 12 and 3 of these vs one 18...I'm not sure The Dark Origins was more interesting than the 12 but as the 12 is often £25 per bottle I'd put the Dark Origins last...…..I think
Brian's thoughts : Mmmmm interesting how opinions differ! But that's what whisky is all about!
For me the 21yo and the 10yo come out top - both were really excellent drams but the 21yo costs 7 times as much as the 10..... The Dark Origins was a real surprise and entirely enjoyable. The 18yo has close behind but I'd pay the extra for the 21yo if I was going that way. The 12yo which we used as our 'standard' ended up being just that 'standard'. Yes it on sale for around £25 but I'd pay a little extra and get the 10yo.
Many thanks to @WessexWhisky for a great couple of evenings and @GentlemanGrimm for his generous samples!