K&L Exclusive: An Official Highland Park Single Cask Release – Scorch Whisky News
A Long-Awaited Official Single Cask from a Cult Icon
2011 Highland Park 10 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Cask #5434 First Fill European Oak Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($119.99)
“By every measure this cask is an A+. It is simply one of the best we’ve seen from Highland Park.” — Andrew Whiteley, K&L Spirits Buyer
“If you want to be ahead of the curve grab this one now before the rest of the world figures it out.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer
Here it is, the unicorn cask we’ve been waiting years to see on our shelves—an official cask-strength, first-fill sherry butt from the jewel of the Orkneys, Highland Park. There’s simply no overstating how much this incredible cask brings to the table. Unbridled power, kaleidoscopic complexity, and expert craftsmanship are all on full display in an unequivocal score for avid Scotch enthusiasts, made all the more jaw-dropping by a price that we simply never see on official HP distillery bottlings these days. Needless to say, this one will sell like wildfire, so don’t think twice.
K&L Notes: It has been quite some time since we’ve had an official Highland Park Single Cask straight from the distillery, and we are thrilled to offer this at the sharpest pricing we’ve seen in the program in years. This epic, first-fill, full-sized, European oak sherry butt delivers a massive Orkney experience at a whopping 66.1% ABV. The jewel of the Orkney Islands is famous for its heather peat, offering a gentle floral toned smoke, and its impeccable use of sherry maturation, both of which are on full display here.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: July 26, 2023
This is a powerhouse single cask from Highland Park. It’s the kind of exceptional cask that provides so much oomph that it could easily have been the glue to hold an entire batch together for HP. It’s a miracle they sold it to us as a single cask and at a sharp price to boot. It will simply overpower your senses upon first pour. 66.1% ABV straight out of the bottle is just a little too high. With time in glass, it opens dramatically. The color is a stunning, deep red copper. The nose is a complex and densely packed amalgam of roasted nuts, toffee, dark chocolate nibs, glazed donut, nougat, sun dried fruits, and a bevy of exotic spices all underpinned by a bed of roasted malt and covered in a blanket of gentle smoke. The first sip at cask strength will bowl you over, blow you up, and generally knock you out. It’s flavorful, but nearly impossible to tease apart. Add a healthy dollop of branch water, swirl, and sit. The rewards are great. The heather florals in the smoke come forward, plum compote provides more fruit sweetness, that dark chocolate takes a slightly sweeter turn without losing its power, like going from 90% dark cocoa to 72%. More candied citrus comes forward, the sweet baking spices remain but also add a complex tobacco leaf component. Texturally, it’s still massive and rich, but the intense alcohol is gone, the European oak has imparted so much stuffing to this whisky, you can proof it at will to however you like, and you’ll still have an amazingly weighty and characterful spirit. The finish is long, the perfect balance between sweet spice, hot cinnamon, savory peat, sweet fruit, and gentle smoke. By every measure this cask is an A+. It is simply one of the best we’ve seen from Highland Park (and the entire Edrington portfolio).
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: July 22, 2023
These OB Highland Parks that they’ve been releasing are some of the most intense and complex malts coming stateside. It felt like they we’re just going to keep getting more and more expensive, but we’ve managed to find this awesome cask for an altogether reasonable price. Dark European oak from a blue-chip distiller for $120 at full cask strength (66%!!!) for under $120? It’s bucking the current trend of no-limit price increases on rare whisky, that’s for sure. Let’s taste! It’s a gorgeous chestnut oloroso shade. The nose is big, but you can tell it’s still wound up in that high proof. Let it sit … Oh, yay! Twenty minutes later it’s firing up nicely. Dense nutty oloroso character, dark roasted baking spices, old teak furniture, sweet strawberry jam, chocolate covered raisins. It really needs air though, don’t forget. On the palate, it’s screaming with an absolutely tarry texture. Big, spicy oak, dark cherries, nutty toffee, and juicy sherry character. It’s super-intense, but the tannin isn’t overpowering, and the powerful European oak is balanced with the perfect earthy peat note. It does make me want to reach for the water to open her up. The first drop unleashes leather, chocolate, sweet dark berries, and softens the oak on the nose considerably. Adding a bit more water. Again, some time needed after water for it all to open properly. Wow, now the palate is absolutely bangin’. It holds the texture extremely well with two small dollops of water. The edginess is gone and the deep complex sherry plays wonders with the gorgeous HP malt. This is an advanced contemplative malt that rewards the patient immensely. Sure, it tastes great right out of the bottle, but if you can keep from hammering the glass down, there’s considerable nuance and unbelievable depth. It feels more multilayered than some of our previous casks, even at the lower price and age. It’s kind of weird to me that these don’t sell out instantly—there’s almost nothing on the market like it at this price point. The closest thing of similar price and quality would be one of the single barrel Glendronachs and those sell out in an instant. This is every bit as complex and intensely sherried as those wonderful malts and similarly priced. If you want to be ahead of the curve grab this one now before the rest of the world figures it out.
Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 19, 2023
That 66.1% ABV makes this cask look like a bit of a bruiser, but give it some time (and maybe a few drops of water) and you’ll warm up to it. The nose has so much dark honey, and I love it. Toasted oats roll through with buttered rye toast, chocolate, dark orchard fruit, and a slight floral note. The palate begins roasty-toasty, incorporating salted dark caramels, dried berries, and cherries. This dram gets very nutty in the mid-palate with earthy and leathery notes as well. This is a powerful cask of Highland Park getting a proper sherry treatment.
Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 14, 2023
This cask ticks every box I have for a Highland Park bottling, and at the current price, it’s simply too good to pass up. Right away, dense sherry hits the nose with sticky fudge, dried fruit, and Seville orange peel. The peat marries beautifully with that dark sherry character, all carried to a heavenly crescendo by the rich malt profile. Perfectly roasted barley brings voluptuous dark chocolate, toffee, hazelnut, caramel and just a touch of iodine. A touch of water frees up the ocean moss character and makes the sea salt and savory flavors of the malt shine. We now see dried heather and marjoram accompany that intensely flavored malt. Truly, this cask has everything you could want. Get yours before they’re gone!
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