Dram Review: Ferraretto Highland Park

[43.0%・NAS・Bottled Circa 1980s・Ferraretto Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Raisins and cherry syrup, red apple nectar and honey with nougat. Impressively soft, with just a subtle hint of grassy peat. Palate & Finish: There is this overly sweet dark honey that coats the ripe fruits. A soft but elongated follow through with the white peaches. The fruitiness disperses…

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Dram Review: Highland Park Vintage 1973 Cask Number 11151

[45.4%・27 Years Old・Distilled in 1973・Bottled in 2001・Official Bottling・Cask No. 11151・Single Cask Release of 500 Bottles] Nose: Proudly Sherried, quite leathery with the prunes lifting the acidity; sugared cream, milk chocolate and honey baked leg ham all in the background alongside cinnamon sugar and cardamom as there is a vague suggestion of peat blocks being lit…

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Dram Review: Highland Park Vintage 1973 Cask Number 11167

[50.4%・27 Years Old・Distilled in 1973・Bottled in 2001・Official Bottling・Single Cask Release of 524 Bottles] Nose: Rounded, expressive and leans on the confectionary style, the dram carries an old school oily body. Cream Sherry and sweet toffee joined by roasted malt. Honey and wax with jammy orchard fruits with slight inferences of some vegetal notes and Japanese…

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Whisky Review: Highland Park Loki Aged 15 Years

Style: Sweet and Complex Nose: Soothing, aromatic notes of fresh apples, honeydew and apricots, heather honey dripping lightly onto pine cones. Red fruits, a delicate but vibrant floral core builds up with a gentle, smoky kiss. Mmmm, all the signs of a good Highland Park… Lemon peel and peppermint edges, which is rounded off with…

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Whisky Review: Highland Park Freya Aged 15 Years

Style: Green Fruits, Oaky and Spicy Nose: Peppermint arrowhead stringing a thin thread of lemon honey heather behind. Raw but reasonably fragrant tropical fruits, followed by an unexpected blot of sooty peat. Once it opens up pineapple panna cotta gently dusted with icing sugar comes in focus. Black and white peppercorn, a light briny end…

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Dram Review: Talisker 12 Years Old (Bottled Circa 1980s)

[43.0%・12 Years Old・Bottled Circa 1980s・Official Bottling・General Release] Nose: Quite a bit more creamier with more Sherry influence than the current batches of Talisker entry level expressions, lovely submersion into citrus and malted barley, with sea salt and seaweed sweeping across.  Wet sand, burnt sugar and dried twigs, the ocean saltiness and minerals become more prominent…

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Dram Review: Talisker Aged 20 Years 1982 (Bottled in 2003)

[58.8%・20 Years Old・Distilled in 1982・Bottled in 2003・Official Bottling・Limited Release of 12,000 Bottles] Nose: The nose sets a powerful maritime theme, fish sauce in a good aromatic manner with clean minerals as the oak presses lightly. Barbecue smoke sipping out in time and is seasoned by black pepper and lime twist. Palate & Finish: Quite syrupy…

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Whisky Review: The Arran Millenium Casks

Style: Fruity and Spicy Nose: Youthful, spicy edge dangling on top while we have light kamquat and candied pear mixing chocolate malt powder on the nose. The aroma continues to dance on the spicy edge, citrus sweetness, milk duds and vanilla icing sugar beginning to emerge as it breathes out. Nutmeg, cinnamon and a touch…

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Whisky Review: Cadenhead Small Batch Arran 1997 Aged 19 Years

Style: Fruity, Oily and Spicy Nose: Fragrant apples, peaches and apricots lightly painted with honeycomb wax. Candied fruits adding more richness to the core. Lemon aloe vera, a powerful surge of spice, especially considering it is 52.4%. Then we have ginger, peppermint and a touch of nutmeg to finish. Fruity and spicy. Thoughts: Starts with…

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Whisky Review: The Arran Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2014 Autumn Release)

Style: Sweet, Creamy and Spicy Nose: Gentle flow of creamy apricots and poached pears on the nose, clean and fragrant. Very nice. Dry spices – nutmeg, ginger and a subtle hint of Tsao-ko. White flower, oak staves and vanilla sticks stirring at the back. Quite aromatic, simple but elegant. Palate: Starts with subtle sherry notes…

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