This Highland Park 1998 is the primary launch within the Orkney Sponge collection from Decadent Drinks. It’s a mash up of their Whisky Sponge and Outdated Orkney manufacturers.
Highland Park 23 yo 1998 (57%, Orkney Sponge 2022, refill hogshead, 277 btl.)
Nostril: a reasonably bare, old-style Orkney profile. A mixture of oily notes, dried herbs, contemporary lime tea and sea spray up entrance. There’s extra peat than you’d count on. Mild candlewax. Then sea salt crisps, hints of shortbread and mint leaves. Tiny hints of celeriac, heather flowers and breads within the background. Recent, pure and untainted by the cask.
Mouth: very nice. The waxy facet acquired larger now – an amazing mixture of lanolin and candles. Nonetheless these (mild) peaty and wonderful coastal notes, with a Fino-ish trace of sea salt and seaweed. Then some citrus, pine needles, wholegrain bread, barley water and combined dried herbs. Walnuts and whiffs of aspirin ultimately.
End: lengthy and agency, with extra citrusy freshness, salt and wee natural notes.
This can be a pleasantly outdated Highland Park., with waxy notes that take us again to the Seventies distillate. Pin sharp at occasions, all the time pure with good complexity. Very stable whisky. Nonetheless out there from Decadent Drinks (due to the value, I assume).
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