Review by: The Muskox
This whisky was part of a tasting of the SMWS’s 2024 Festival Releases at the famous Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, DC, alongside fellow Malt Runner rye_am_legend!
Distillery: Highland Park.
Bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Region: Islands.
ABV: 54.7%. Cask strength.
Age: 20 years. Distilled May 2003. Bottled in 2024.
Cask type: Matured in a combination of refill ex-bourbon, heavy-toast/medium-char, and ex-Islay Oloroso sherry casks.
Price: $375 USD from the SMWS.
Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Fragrant and briny, with hints of sweetness. Heather honey, dates, sandalwood, and juicy black cherries. Castelvetrano olives. Oolong tea, or is it a little lapsang souchong? Red pepper flakes. Extra-dark chocolate.
Palate: Medium-light texture. Arrives with grapefruit peel and honey, then develops to intense Oolong tea. The tea turns slightly smokier, nuttier, and earthier towards the finish.
Finish: Long. More Oolong tea, dark chocolate, and some elderflower.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “My money Oolonger than James Cameron”
Conclusion: The clear winner of the tasting. This whisky has very nice complexity, but it’s the strength and purity of the Oolong tea note that wins the day for me. I remember finding more notes, but I was apparently too distracted by how good this was to write them down. rye_am_legend and I got our money’s worth here – we kept going back for more pours!
Final Score: 88.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 