Highland Park 40 yo 2019 Spring Release 43,2%

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 43.2%

Special Features:

A long maturation in previously used casks followed by a final ten years in sherry casks shapes this forty-year-old spring release from Highland Park. It began with five refill casks containing whisky laid down before 1979. In 2008, the whiskies were married and transferred into first-fill American oak casks previously seasoned with sherry. The whisky matured in these for a further ten years.

The Spring 2019 Release comprises 1,684 bottles and was bottled at 43.2%. The embossed glass bottle contains 0.7 litres and is presented in a wooden box.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, honey-sweet fruit meets a savoury, earthy impression of charcuterie. Preserved peaches and a little mint mingle with hints of aged Sauternes and mead. Mild tobacco, herbal liqueur notes of Chartreuse and verbena, and a little caraway complete the picture.
• Palate: The palate offers soft berry fruit, dark chocolate and smooth vanilla. Sun-dried orange peel and freshly grated nutmeg complement the fruit and sweetness, accompanied by aromatic peat smoke. Moist fruitcake, varied honey notes and a delicate tea note bordering on old oak also unfold. Aged sweet wines such as Marsala and Malaga mingle with a suggestion of old Cognac. Dried fruit, jam, figs and sultanas add further detail.
• Finish: Dried fruit and hints of aged sweet wines linger on the finish. The aftertaste is not exceptionally long.

Distillery/Bottler:

Highland Park has been making whisky in Kirkwall on Scotland's Orkney Islands since 1798. For its distinctive smoke, the distillery uses heather-rich peat from nearby Hobbister Moor. The peat is cut by hand and used during kilning, when its smoke flavours the malt. The distillery also maintains traditional floor malting, regularly turning the malt by hand.

Cask preparation is another defining aspect of Highland Park's approach. The distillery uses American and European oak; the casks are made in Spain and seasoned with sherry for approximately two years before travelling to Orkney. The temperate island climate allows for cool maturation. When composing its bottlings, selected whiskies are married to balance the different cask influences.

Facts: