Highland Park 10 Year Old Review

“The essence of Orkney’s magic is silence, loneliness and the deep marvelous rhythms of sea and land, darkness and light” ~  George Mackay Brown

What better way to start Sukasa Style’s inaugural Scotch Sunday post, with a quote about Orkney from one of its greatest gifts to the world, poet George Mackay Brown. The other great export is, of course, it’s Scotch: today we will give you our thoughts on Highland Park 10 Year Old (LCBO 334029) which sells for $59.95 for a 750ml bottle in Ontario.

Whenever we have tasted a dram from Highland Park we have not been disappointed. The first impression of this 10 Year Old –to our knowledge the youngest Highland Park that is offered in Canada—is that it was remarkably smooth. The nose was one of caramel and smoke while the palate reminded us of very dark chocolate with a dash of peat. All of this culminated in a finish that was warm, lengthy and spicy. The remarkable thing was that the Highland Park 10 Year Old reminded us of another departed and discontinued favourite, Scapa 12 Year Old. This isn’t an insult to either distillery as neighbouring Scapa, just south of Highland Park, remains a relatively unknown gem.

 

We recommend this amber beauty as a perfect single malt to introduce to novices, as an option for a daily dram and a must have introduction to the Highland Park portfolio given its price point.

Serve straight or with a splash of water.

Sukasa Stars: 4.5 / 5

Quality Price Ratio: Excellent