The best thing in life aren’t NAS!
Highland Park Cask Strength Batch 2 / 63.9% ABV
Tasted neat
This 2021 bottling of Highland Park I believe was part of a mandatory bundle I bought to get access to an Akkeshi, and so there are a few things that trouble me about it:
- No age statement (NAS)
- 63.9% ABV implies it is likely quite young
- It wastes money on the embossed viking bottle (but this is very Highland Park)
- The label has absolutely no information on it
- It could be artificially coloured! Who knows!
That said, the official listing at least chimes in to add that this is from sherry seasoned European & american oak casks, “along with just a few ex-bourbon casks.” Not sure what that information is really worth.
- Color: tawny (1.4)
- Nose: hot, grapey, fennel, lemon, peaches and somewhere — hints of sherry
- Taste: mead, a nice oily mouthfeel, green apple, lemon-lime sorbet, some sherry
- Finish: medium, some vanilla and icing
This has the potential to be good, but it’s too young. I suppose you know that when you buy NAS; producers using old stock in a vatting usually find some way to hint about it, or even labelling to their youngest, which could be nicely aged itself.
Rating: 4/10
