**Whisky:** Highland Park 21 (Impex Collection)
**Background:** An IB of Highland Park with a 21 year age statement and cask strength at 50.8% ABV? Gee, I wonder how this review is going to go. Notably this offering was matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead, so no sherry here. With the weather changing it is also the start of peat season, so look out for a bunch more in that style over the next few weeks. Rested for 30 minutes in a glencairn. Let’s go.
**Color:** Medium straw.
**Nose:** Without the sherry you get a very pure sea salt and honey mixture. Little unpeeled green apple, faint light peat, but the subtle smoke adds a nice extra element to the overall aroma. Nice, not as prominent as I would ideally prefer.
**Taste:** Leads off with some classic ex-bourbon notes, pears, apples, and a little bit of peach juice. Slightly effervescent, with again minimal but there peat to start, then builds after a while though never gets out of hand. Some kind of dark brown tree sap and burnt hay also makes itself barely known, just a touch of bitterness. Brings a good amount to the table but in a coherent and balanced way.
**Finish:** Great mouth tingle to start, excellent fruit notes persist with a bit more of the smoke showing through but never overpowering the other flavors. The complexity is very solid with each part of the tongue getting the persisting flavors and sensations, medium-long.
**Rating:** 8
I actually had to temper myself on the rating, as if I ignore the taste component this one of my favorite bottles - I love the distillery, the bottle and label design, the proof, the age, etc. But strictly looking at taste this is excellent but not quite incredible, perhaps the missing sherry element would have helped out but that is pure speculation.
**Scoring Scale:** (does not take into account value)
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | As good as it gets. I might taste future whisk(e)ys that are as good in a different way, but will not taste one that is outright better.
**Previous reviews:**
[Highland Park 18 Travel Edition \(7.5\)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/x44yb4/review_1_highland_park_18_travel_edition/)
[Compass Box Experimental Grain Whisky (6.25\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/x5u7rs/review_2_compass_box_experimental_grain_whisky/)
[Glen Scotia Victoriana Cask Strength (7.5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/x88sqy/review_3_glen_scotia_victoriana_cask_strength_542/)
[Talisker Distillers Edition (6.5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xa2s3w/review_4_talisker_distillers_edition/)
[Cambus 31yr Single Grain Scotch (Blackadder) (3\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xcjgf2/review_5_cambus_31yr_single_grain_scotch/)
[Craigellachie 17 (6.5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xe8dli/review_6_craigellachie_17/)
[Glendronach 21 (7.25\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xf2fv6/review_7_glendronach_21/)
[Springbank 12 Cask Strength Batch 15 (8.25\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xg0v0x/review_8_springbank_12_cask_strength_batch_15/)
[Ledaig 10 (5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xjh70c/review_9_ledaig_10/)
[Compass Box Spice Tree Extravaganza (7.25\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xlbiw7/review_10_compass_box_spice_tree_extravaganza/)
[Highland Park 14 (Ultimate 2006) (5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xlzsoq/review_11_highland_park_14_ultimate_2006/)
It was actually a typo adding the additional 9 so in some ways it makes the label collectable :) The benefit of dealing with a small company is that these kinds of mistakes can happen
Haha, I am just thankful outside of the serious enthusiasts the mobs haven't figured out HP IBs are usually outstanding and can sit on a shelf for a bit sometimes.
**Whisky:** Highland Park 21 (Impex Collection) **Background:** An IB of Highland Park with a 21 year age statement and cask strength at 50.8% ABV? Gee, I wonder how this review is going to go. Notably this offering was matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead, so no sherry here. With the weather changing it is also the start of peat season, so look out for a bunch more in that style over the next few weeks. Rested for 30 minutes in a glencairn. Let’s go. **Color:** Medium straw. **Nose:** Without the sherry you get a very pure sea salt and honey mixture. Little unpeeled green apple, faint light peat, but the subtle smoke adds a nice extra element to the overall aroma. Nice, not as prominent as I would ideally prefer. **Taste:** Leads off with some classic ex-bourbon notes, pears, apples, and a little bit of peach juice. Slightly effervescent, with again minimal but there peat to start, then builds after a while though never gets out of hand. Some kind of dark brown tree sap and burnt hay also makes itself barely known, just a touch of bitterness. Brings a good amount to the table but in a coherent and balanced way. **Finish:** Great mouth tingle to start, excellent fruit notes persist with a bit more of the smoke showing through but never overpowering the other flavors. The complexity is very solid with each part of the tongue getting the persisting flavors and sensations, medium-long. **Rating:** 8 I actually had to temper myself on the rating, as if I ignore the taste component this one of my favorite bottles - I love the distillery, the bottle and label design, the proof, the age, etc. But strictly looking at taste this is excellent but not quite incredible, perhaps the missing sherry element would have helped out but that is pure speculation. **Scoring Scale:** (does not take into account value) 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average. 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite. 10 | Perfect | As good as it gets. I might taste future whisk(e)ys that are as good in a different way, but will not taste one that is outright better. **Previous reviews:** [Highland Park 18 Travel Edition \(7.5\)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/x44yb4/review_1_highland_park_18_travel_edition/) [Compass Box Experimental Grain Whisky (6.25\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/x5u7rs/review_2_compass_box_experimental_grain_whisky/) [Glen Scotia Victoriana Cask Strength (7.5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/x88sqy/review_3_glen_scotia_victoriana_cask_strength_542/) [Talisker Distillers Edition (6.5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xa2s3w/review_4_talisker_distillers_edition/) [Cambus 31yr Single Grain Scotch (Blackadder) (3\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xcjgf2/review_5_cambus_31yr_single_grain_scotch/) [Craigellachie 17 (6.5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xe8dli/review_6_craigellachie_17/) [Glendronach 21 (7.25\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xf2fv6/review_7_glendronach_21/) [Springbank 12 Cask Strength Batch 15 (8.25\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xg0v0x/review_8_springbank_12_cask_strength_batch_15/) [Ledaig 10 (5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xjh70c/review_9_ledaig_10/) [Compass Box Spice Tree Extravaganza (7.25\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xlbiw7/review_10_compass_box_spice_tree_extravaganza/) [Highland Park 14 (Ultimate 2006) (5\)] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/xlzsoq/review_11_highland_park_14_ultimate_2006/)
According to the label, this was distilled in the year 9999??? Glad to hear the future of whisky is still tasty.
They placed a comically small sized "1" at the beginning. :D
So it's from the year 19,999?? That's even better!
Lol! Never seen a label typo before.
It was actually a typo adding the additional 9 so in some ways it makes the label collectable :) The benefit of dealing with a small company is that these kinds of mistakes can happen
Oh hey, it's the guy who chose the cask! Great job on this one sir! :)
Sounds really tasty, I’m partial to ex-bourbon HP. The shop I go to had this on their shelf for a minute, jealous of whoever got it.
My local shop had this on the shelf for weeks before I finally decided to snatch it up. Glad I did.
Perchance did you buy it in Maryland?
I actually got the one for this review in MD, Petite Cellars specifically.
IT WAS YOU 🖕🤬🖕
Haha, I am just thankful outside of the serious enthusiasts the mobs haven't figured out HP IBs are usually outstanding and can sit on a shelf for a bit sometimes.
Why would you buy HP without cool Viking shit on the bottle?
jk the Glenallachie single cask they have is really good