Highland Park Dark Origins
Roasted Chestnuts
0 285
Review by @markjedi1
- Nose~
- Taste~
- Finish~
- Balance~
- Overall85
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- Brand: Highland Park
- Type: Scotch
- Region: Island
- ABV: 46.8%
This Dark Origins from Highland Park is a NAS-release that saw the light of day last year. According to official sources it contains twice as many sherry casks in the mix (next to bourbon) than are used in the classic HP12. That should make for some more dark fruit, no? I am happy that it is bottled at a higher strength, though: 46,8% ABV.
The nose is warm and dark for sure. Pleasant. Loads of sherry influences which translates into raisins, roasted chestnuts, warm oak, touches of earth, nuts of all sorts, a doused bonfire on the beach. Hints of coconut and loads of cinnamon. After a few moments some chocolate kicks in. Yes, this is quite good.
It is creamy and very sweet from the start, but also very spicy. Loads of dried fruits such as raisins, plums and blood oranges. Nicely smoky too. A lot of woodsmoke that promotes the slightly bitter oranges. Liquorice, candied ginger: those are the spices on duty. Midpalate it becomes a tad dry. The oak starts to roar.
The finish is long and offers even more smoke. At the death, a salty edge appears.
Well, well, for a NAS-expression this is quite good. I would have been excellent if there was just a little less wood on the palate. Around 65 EUR.
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@Markjedi1 You have got the good Dark Origins. I think there is a lot of variations on that one. I personnaly have tasted it in British Colombia and in Quebec and the sherry influence, the smoke, the peat, the vanilla, the honey where in very different balances. One I would have rate in the low 80' and the other in the high 80'. To be honest, even the quality of the sherry was note the same. But the barley is superb in both. So thanks for another great review that is, as usual, spot on!