Highland Park 11 Years Old Single Cask 2519 for the Netherlands 66.4% 2008

Avis professionnels

Whisky Notes (84)

Nose: a rather raisiny start, with dried apricots, stewed apples and honey. Quite some juicy fruits. After a while there are nutty notes with a hint of dusty wood, leather and increasing wood spice. Increasing rubbery notes too.
Mouth: the fruity core is still there, albeit now with a boozy attack, a slightly winey side and some tannins. Figs and cherries, with hints of golden syrup. Fruitcake. Then clove, ginger and hints of aniseed. A touch of bitter chocolate and oak char in the end.
Finish: quite long, on liquorice, more wood char, burnt nuts and leafy notes.

I couldn’t decide between a sweet wine cask (rubber tends to do that for me) or classic Oloroso. I went for the more common choice of a (over-)sherried Speysider, say a 12 year old Glenrothes. I couldn’t detect much peated spirit here, it’s all on cask char. Not a bad dram, just not very balanced. Score:

BOW (90)