Highland Park 1994 16 Years Review (2012)

Country: Scotland

Brand: Highland Park 1994 Travel Retail Bottling

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Region: Highland

Age: 16 Years

ABV: 40%

Colour: Old Gold/Amber

Nose: Light. Familiar combination of Malt, Peat, Sherry and Light Smoke. Dried Fruits like Apricots and Sultanas. Biscuits. Hints of Wood and Spices. There is something there that reminds me of walking alongside a quay in a harbour but I’m not able to pin it down. All in all it’s not an unpleasant nose but it’s not spectacular as well.

Taste: Quite Sweet with Honey, Heather and some Peat Smoke. Herbal Tea comes to my mind. It’s rather uneventful I’m afraid.

Finish: Very short. Sweet at first, than dry. A bit of Honey, Licorice or Anise and Earth. Rather disappointing.

Rating:  82,5 

Nose: 22 - Taste: 20,5 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 21

General Remarks: This whisky is a special bottling for the Global Travel Retail aka Tax Free Shop. It matured for 16 years. I suspect in Bourbon Casks. It was distilled in 1994 and was bottled in 2010. You might remember that Highland Park is the Most Northern Scottish Distillery on the Orkney Isles. It was founded in 1798.

I added a few drops of water that brought more Peat and Malt to the nose. You can nose this one with-and without water. Taste-wise a few drops of water don’t add anything, so better drink it straight.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I don’t know what it is with these Global Travel Retail expressions from Highland Park. So far I tasted the 12 Years, distilled in 1998 and now the 16 Years distilled in 1994. They simply aren’t in the same class as the Standard Distillery 12, 15 and 18 Years. The Travel Retail expressions are a bit light and frankly boring. Were older Refill Casks used or batches with a less distinct quality? To be honest I think that lots of people would have difficulties in recognising the Retail expressions taste wise as Highland Park during a Blind Tasting Session and that says something for a Distillery quite capable of delivering quality whiskies with a distinct Distillery character. Or is it just me? Anyway, this is not a bad Single Malt but is it really worth the US$ 70,- they’re asking for it? I don’t think so.

Jan van den Ende                                                                  March 3, 2012