Highland Park SMWS 4.231 “Harbour-side takeaway”

Thanks to Tim W. for the sample!

And what do welcoming people with their own airport say to me when I call them while flying? That’s right: Hi! Land, Park! Thus that’s what I’m going to do for these reviews.

It’s the last of the series, don’t worry, you don’t need to read that pun again.

Takeout. The idea is you go to a restaurant, order, get it to go. In European countries, they may call it takeaway. In case you get the idea that out doesn’t mean away, I guess.

As someone who lives in cities with harbours, yet without tons of fresh seafood (they are lakes or rivers), I have limited availability to have a harbour-side takeaway.

So Highland Park SMWS 4.231 “Harbour-side takeaway” may be lost on me. I’m no seaman, contrary to my profanity-laden speech patterns nor my many raunchy jokes.

However I do have experience with a few cask strength Highland Parks, so I feel I’m up to the challenge. Let’s see how this tastes, shall we?

Price: $167.99 CAD

Region: Island

Date Distilled: January 2005

Age: 12 years old

Cask Type: Refill hogshead

Outturn: 301

Abv: 58.6%

Colour: 10Y 9/6

Nose: Oreo crumbs, cloves, pear syrup, sandalwood

Light chocolate, some spice, and some rich, thick strong pear notes. It’s sweet dominant. I’m left asking: What harbour are they at?

Water brings out sandalwood. I can’t find a connection between being at the harbour and sandalwood, however, it would have been incense traded to various countries, so I can at least see that connection. That requires water though.

Taste: Chocolate Drumstick (the ice cream), apple cinnamon, rich caramel, lemon custard

More cocoa, more spice and apple, and more dessert. Again wondering about these takeaway places. Maybe they sell ice cream?

Sweet dominant. More sweetness and more caramel with water.

Finish: Mint, chocolate cookie, shrimp, nutmeg, red liquorice

Finish is spice dominant but connects to the rest with the chocolate ramping up. And the mineral starts coming out. Yay, something I’d buy in a harbour! Maybe? I think shrimp is something like that, right?

Conclusion: Water makes it sweeter. Cocoa heavy dram. Hits that cocoa note again and again. As someone who loves sweets, who loves to bake, and who loves that light, light element of cheap chocolate, this is up my alley. Not to mention it’s never really doing something simple.

There are very few moments with this whisky that I’d characterize as boring. It may be too sweet for some, so knock some marks off if you’re not looking for a dessert dram. Which I typically am.

84/100

Scotch review #969, Island review #113, Whisky Network review #1526