Whisky: Highland Park 16 Year (2006), Rites of Passage "Orkney" Cask 37

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 59.3%

Cask: First Fill Oloroso Barrel

Age: 16 Years (Distilled 21 July 2006, Bottled 22 Sept. 2022)

Nose: Smoke and leather over briny waters; a touch of diesel exhaust and coal soot delivered an acrid blanket for salted plums and cherries with a kiss of lime; polished or waxed leather lingered in the background.

Palate: Medium-bodied and oily with acrid coal soot, charred wood, maritime brine, and a tingling black pepper; salted fruits bobbed in the background with hints of tobacco and tires.

Finish: Medium-length and peppery with saline, smoke, and cured fruits.

Score: 6 (78)

Mental Image: On Deck with a Full Head

Narrative & Notes: A rugged affair with plenty of pepper and smoke over brine and more subtle fruits. I expected this to be sweeter and more cask-driven considering the hefty maturation and the darker color of the malt. Yet, the cask fell into the background beyond some leathery sulfur impressions on the nose. It has been a while since I came across a Highland Park with quite so much smoke and soot to it; my recent encounters have been with more citrusy and heathery profiles, elements that were present here but generally muted.

With more time to rest or a few drops of water, more fruit appeared with salted caramel to balance some of the pepper and charred wood. However, the whisky never quite achieved any sort of serenity or balance to the flavors— it was brash and hardy, a suitable in-your-face whisky.

Overall, the age and maturation had me expecting something very different than what I found— the whisky was enjoyable but lacked cohesiveness. One Whisky Base reviewer equated it to a peated Longmorn, which was not my experience at all but a fascinating idea— I was very clearly on the low end of scores for this one as I found it good, but less remarkable.

Image Credit: First Fill Spirits