Highland Park 27 Years Old Hart Brothers 1968 43% 1968

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Serge Valentin (93)

Colour: red amber. Nose: indeed, we have a winner. Many honeys, many precious woods, many soft spices, and many dried fruits, what a combination! I won’t quote them all (figs, like, manuka, like, cedar wood, like…) and rather focus on the tinier bits. Such as these hints of myrtle, or the peonies in full bloom, or the old amontillado, or the tobaccos, or the walnut wine, or these touches of dark pollen… It is a perfect nose, akin to that of some very great old cognac de propriétaire. Mouth: amazing! Only the tiny drying oaky touches make it maybe not totally and utterly stellar, but we’re well in the style of the luminous official ‘John Goodwin’ (and subsequent bottlings, such as the 50). Astounding honeys, dried fruits, precious oils and saps, herbs, oriental spices, oranges… I know, I’m being very generic now, please excuse me, but this is simply another example of a great-great malt whisky from the golden decade. And there are kumquats! Finish: long despite the lower strength, amazingly complex, and perfectly jammy, spicy, and herbal. A great example of a whisky with a worthy finish, which is more and more difficult to find these days. Because mind you, it’s in the finish that you find all the flaws, such as excessive youth, excessive oak, and whatnot. You’re right, even excessive prices (that leave bitter tastes). Comments: an old bottle of ‘Dragon’ quality, if that rings a bell. We have a winner!