Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky

I'm no scotch drinker, but I inherited a bottle of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky from my brother that I am greatly enjoying. My brother knows (and appreciates) whiskey much better than I, and he HATED it. Hell he gave it away as he was so unimpressed with it.

I like it because its a bit on the mild side, exceptionally smooth, and it avoids much of the oak flavor so many whiskeys seem to feature.

Do any of the Scotch drinkers out there have any opinions on this product? I feel like I should not like it if the Whiskey snob in the family does not like it. Though that wont keep me from enjoying such a fine beverage.

This single-handedly got me into the world of single malts.

I encountered Highland Park at a tasting. It wasn't to my liking but tastes vary and I know a lot of people who do like it.

At the moment it has the distinction of being the northernmost SMW being produced. It's the only active distillery on Orkney.

I always keep a bottle of Highland Park 12 year around. It's a scotch staple for me.

A very fine whisky
Some feel the Sherry taste is a little strong from being aged in Sherry barrels.
However I like the taste and a great starter whisky for Single Malt Whisky (SMWAD).
All of us can always use a new AD

Hmm.. sounds like your brother has a bad case of islay overload

Highland Park isn't oversherried. IMHO, The Macallan 12 is oversherried.

The HP 12 year is a great all around whisky. The 18 year is magic in a bottle and definitely my favorite. I've never been trendy so the over-peated Islay stuff doesn't do much for me.

If you like this, you might also like:
- Macallan 12
- Glenlivet 12 and 16 Nadurra
- Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or
- Highland Park 18

I'm fairly new to Whiskey too, but HP 12 is THE whiskey that "turned me to the dark side". Maybe he is just a snooty guy who doesn't like approachable whiskey? I think its a very decent whiskey for a great price.

I was given a bottle of HP 12 as a gift and I rather enjoyed it. I admit I have a weakness for sherry aged whisky as my gateway from my bourbon days wasn't even a Scotch but was Black Bush irish whisky (which is aged in sherry casks). I was a big fan of the Glenmorangie wood finish series (and don't like their move to individual names - it was sure easier to figure out what I was buying when it said "X wood finish" on it)...

But I am not as fond of the iodine Islay malts as some - I don't avoid them but generally don't seek them out either.

The 12 is a great, reasonably priced dram (I usually get it for around $35). In fact I had some just last night in a perfectly yummy rusty nail - the smokey heather qualities of the HP12 married perfectly with the Drambuie. Like many have attested in this thread, it's ideal for turning people on to malts - nicely balanced, definitely not "in your face" but still with loads of character. The HP family has lots of other fab expressions too, I like the 18 quite a lot, and some of the independent bottlings (like the G&M 8 year and the 11 year cask strength) can be great too. I only wish the Hjarta was available in the US!

HesNot said:

I was given a bottle of HP 12 as a gift and I rather enjoyed it. I admit I have a weakness for sherry aged whisky as my gateway from my bourbon days wasn't even a Scotch but was Black Bush irish whisky (which is aged in sherry casks). I was a big fan of the Glenmorangie wood finish series (and don't like their move to individual names - it was sure easier to figure out what I was buying when it said "X wood finish" on it)...

But I am not as fond of the iodine Islay malts as some - I don't avoid them but generally don't seek them out either.

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I don't really enjoy the Glenmorangie wood finishes like I did in the past. I'm not sure if it's my tastes or their whisky that changed? Definitely not a fan of the new labeling. The Astar is quite nice.

I'm a fan for life. If you ever come across a sudden small windfall, consider treating yourself to the HP 18. It's divine.

HP was the third real Scotch I was exposed to following Glenlivet 12 and Glenfiddich 12. It's excellent. It doesn't have snob appeal, but that's to be left to the snobs. Don't worry about it and drink what you like. Take comfort in the knowledge that your're enjoying a good value for your brother's money.

murchmb said:

HP was the third real Scotch I was exposed to following Glenlivet 12 and Glenfiddich 12. It's excellent. It doesn't have snob appeal, but that's to be left to the snobs. Don't worry about it and drink what you like. Take comfort in the knowledge that your're enjoying a good value for your brother's money.

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This is exactly how I felt. I know tastes very, but I was curious what about it would turn someone off. Thanks for all the feed back one and all. I at least have some of the vocabulary to talk about it now.

Highland Park is the most versatile and one of the best Single Malts for newbies and veterans alike. If I could only have one Scotch, it would be HP.

jakko said:

Hmm.. sounds like your brother has a bad case of islay overload

Highland Park isn't oversherried. IMHO, The Macallan 12 is oversherried.

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This.

Mazeman said:

Highland Park is the most versatile and one of the best Single Malts for newbies and veterans alike. If I could only have one Scotch, it would be HP.

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jakko said:

Hmm.. sounds like your brother has a bad case of islay overload

Highland Park isn't oversherried. IMHO, The Macallan 12 is oversherried.

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This was my experience as well. After hearing so much about the greatness of Macallan I decided to start with it in my early stages of malt experimentation. It never quite did it for me - and I gifted at least one bottle to someone else like your brother.

HP, on the other hand does not suffer the monodimensional sherry profile of Macallan IMHO. It's got a lot of flavor dimensions going on. The best malt whisky I've ever tasted for under $40 US.

If you can find it.. the mac 10 is awesome another offering that isn't too sherried is the balvenie DW or the glenfidditch 15 yo solera but I still find myself looking wistfully at my HLP 12