An infernal trio of Highland Parks


October 8, 2026

An infernal trio of Highland Parks

In other words, a vertical tasting, 1968, 1974, 1996. Or rather the other way round… Let’s start, by way of an aperitif, with a little mystery blend…

Old Orkney Relics 30 yo 1996/2026 (41.7%, Decadent Drinks, blended Scotch, refill sherry butt, 492 bottles)

A bottling sourced from the stocks of Gordon & MacPhail, the previous owner of the brand, which pays tribute to the origins of the OO Relics name, hence Stromness. Single vintage/single cask blends are always a little mysterious, since that combination is normally the preserve of… single malts or single grains. So how did several whiskies end up together in one cask while all being from the same vintage? Had they been blended at birth? Or perhaps blended later and then re-racked into this butt? I may be missing something… Colour: gold. Nose: a surprising combination of young calvados, old fino sherry, smoked butter, pale ale, old hessian sacks that have been lying around in an ancient cellar, furniture polish and kombucha. It’s fresh and even rather joyful, and to tell you the truth I’m not detecting hectolitres of grain whisky. Mouth: I was a little afraid it might be too fragile, but not really, the fino side only grows stronger, as do the earthy and slightly smoky notes, before it heads towards some old mead made for the locals rather than the tourists. Notes of grapefruit liqueur and the return of the calvados (50% apple, 50% pear). Finish: this is, I was about to say inevitably, its slightly weaker part, as is often the case with these kinds of whiskies, but it still holds up very well, with lovely green walnuts and roasted tea. Comments: ‘almost’ 90, only the finish held it back a little. Indeed, that was to be expected…
SGP:352 - 89 points.

Highland Park 13 yo 1974/1987 (58.4%, Intertrade)

We had already tasted, earlier this year and in similar circumstances, the 16 yo 1970 Intertrade, which Nadi Fiori, the epitome of moustachioed Italian elegance, had graciously given the world… a very long time ago. Colour: white wine. Nose: you see, these are those Highland Parks that are all about chalk, light oils (the gearbox oil of a Miura, ha), mandarin and the proverbial heather honey. Formidable. With water: it remains pinpoint precise, yet oily at the same time. Above all, it’s very ‘HP’. Mouth (neat): a simply dazzling assortment of citrus fruits and some equally dazzling little saline bitters. Oily and almost thick in texture (we shan’t start talking about Italian engines again, rest assured). With water: in comes the smoke, together with shellfish, preserved lemons, tobacco and a few hints of not-quite-ripe mango. Finish: the finish is more mineral, so in a way it ends just as it began on the nose. Barley and mandarin sing in the aftertaste. Did we mention the heather? Comments: an improbable ratio of youth in cask to age in bottle. I think I like it even more than the 16 yo.
SGP:562 - 93 points.

Highland Park 54 yo 1968/2023 (46.9%, OB, refill and 1st fill sherry, 225 bottles)

Oh blast, I’ve just realised that we had already tasted this baby when it came out, in 2023. Having quickly reread my notes from back then, I’d say I haven’t changed my mind in the slightest, and in doing so hereby declare this to be the shortest tasting note in the world.
SGP:651 - 93 points (unchanged, naturally).

What to do? I have an idea, let’s change tack completely and try a straightforward, very young little whisky that really impressed me at the Whisky Show in London. That way, we’ll have had a proper ‘trio’ today after all.

Miraon (50.3%, OB, South Korea, rice shochu, cask #2604, 2026)

Some two-and-a-half-year-old ~~whisky~~ shochu made at Hwasimjujo Distillery. A first for me. Rice is indeed a grain, and here it is heavily roasted before being milled, brewed and distilled. Colour: gold. Nose: full-on smoky and slightly salty crème caramel, the floral side of rice spirit (ylang-ylang, perhaps), fresh mushrooms and a terrific combination of pine sap and fresh natural rubber. I promise you, it’s much less unlikely than it sounds. With water: earth, moss, leaves, green tea, fresh barley (I know, it’s rice) … Mouth (neat): brilliant arrival, very direct and ultra-lemony, before unleashing all manner of little earthy spices. Saffron seems pretty obvious too, as does roasted tea (Japanese hojicha). With water: even better. Aniseed, pine sap, cardamom, dried mushrooms, and of course lemons. Finish: same. Comments: very impressive for its age. We’ll see whether, once it reaches three years of age, they still choose to call it ‘shochu’, as they do now, or switch to ‘whisky’. I’d bet on the former, or perhaps K-Whisky. Ha.
SGP:562 - 87 points.

(Thank you mucho, Bora)

Check the index of all Highland Park we've tasted