HIGHLAND PARK 1981 - A.D. RATTRAY

It's such a joy when you get to those bottles that are just not the normal style of a distillery, don't you agree? This time I've digged out a Highland Park from my stash - a bottle aquired in an auction a while back at no where near the crazy prices of today. Think this one was about €100 when I bought it back in 2011 or so...(can't remember exactly - sorry).

Anyway, not making this into a price rant again - I've done plenty already... but I'd surprise myself if another won't show up at a later time ;-)

So I'll skip to the review now...

Spirit Safe at Highland Park, August 6th 2009 © The Malt Desk

Highland Park 1981 24yo (17.09.1981/28.09.2005) 51,5%, ex-bourbon cask#6062, 266 bottles, A.D. Rattray

Colour is pale gold

Nose:
Vanilla, tropical fruits, mainly pineapple, peat, blood oranges and peel, very fresh, honey floral and more peat. Water enhances the citrus fruit in this one as well as making the peat chimney even more noticeable on the nose

Taste:
Creamy sweet barley juice, more tropical fruits, extremely honeyed, carries both regular and citrus fruits through here. Sweet lightly peated barley notes. Water brings out just the right amount of spice to counter the very sweet honeyed style - everything is just in good measures here.

A good swimmer this one and a HP for chilly Orkney summer evenings and cold winters. A belter!

90/100!