Highland Park 1981/2011 (48.5%, Scott's Selection)
Colour: straw. Nose: it's much shier than some other 1981 HPs I could try, on clay, wet rocks, sunflower oil and sandalwood. Perhaps a few hints of gorse flower and beach pebble too. Elegant, easy and charming, but also perhaps a little shy and simplistic too. Mouth: a little more weighty on the palate, still rather on the lighter side though with these quite chiselled and sharp mineral notes, delicate ointments, white flowers, orange peel and hints of citrus curds. A very gentle waxiness and soft coastal vibe emerges over time. Finish: medium, crisply cereal, a little coastal and nicely chalky. Comments: simple pleasures in this unassuming old HP that's very shy and comes across as a little younger than it is. One for general dramming with the hip flask or tumbler.
SGP: 462 - 86 points.

Highland Park 1968 'The Dragon' (49.2%, Robertson's Of Kirkwall, 1990s)
Colour: deep reddish amber. Nose: sherry dominant, which is perfectly fine when the sherry is this sublime. All these very typical and beautiful old school characteristics all at once such as umami seasonings, black olive tapenade, walnut wine, cedar wood and cigar humidors along with many other tobacco impressions, salted dark chocolate and a wonderfully thick and damp earthiness. Delicate herbal peat and phenolics in the background. Mouth: big and stunningly salty. Full of salted liquorice, soy sauce, many more umami notes, resinous hardwoods, green walnut liqueur and tiny gamey and meaty touches too. A single, beautiful and rather emphatic whole. Finish: long, getting rather tarry and peppery now, some dried red berry fruits, more salty things including dark chocolate and liquorice again. Perhaps some treacle too. Stunning leathery, salty and earthy aftertaste! Comments: everything was as expected here. Not sure how clearly the Highland Park character comes through, but the sherry cask was exquisite and the power lies in the cumulative immensity of the whole whisky.
SGP: 563 - 93 points.