Highland Park Cask Strength #2, 63.9% - Whisky Wednesday

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Interesting conversation and sounded like a good dram. I hope to bring it home yet. Good to know you are talking with some Canadian Boys over whisky! Cheers!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Very decent whisky, just a shame about the shroud that's around it. I love you Canadian whisky drinkers!

[@billmonteith1161]

As soon as you compared to Bowmore I shouted out..Yes!! exactly what I thought with CS Highland Park. Love that deep orange citrus in both distillates. Thanks Phil

[@WhiskyWednesday]

It was a surprise to me, too! Some nice lemon and orange notes after the water.

[@Nikolay_Nikolov]

Nice review, Phil. As far as I'm aware all HP is E150 free. Oddly enough, the "natural colour" of Cask Strength release is stated in the tasting notes on the bottle back label. The "non chill filtered" is mentioned in the small leaflet that comes in the box. There was even something about whisky being non chill filtered in order to preserve its full profile thus admitting that chill filtration does indeed strip flavour off the whisky. The only essential info they have held back is the actual age of the juice in the bottle. Cheers!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Too little, too late for HP, some would say.

[@ItalNico]

My first bottle of single malt was an HP12 I received as a gift a few years ago. I've since become a whisky fanatic/anorak/snob and I rarely drink the HP12 these days. I may have to pick this one up if I can find it for a decent price here in the US. My first (and last) CS NAS I've purchased was an Aberlour a'Bunadh Alba that I hated so much it's now on the bottom shelf so I've been very hesitant to purchase another one without an age statement.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

The Alba Abunadh has held my interest for a while, but I refuse to pay the money that is being asked for it. This is decent stuff and is ⅔ the price of most CS Aberlour's. Worth the time for sure.

[@gareth630]

The last Bakewell tart I had was circa 78 wearing a leather mini ;-) The Bunnah 12 yr and the Bunnah 12 Cask strength are both different drams, so regarding age I don't get why they won't say what it is. I mate of mine got me a Penderyn cask strength at 64.2% a special they did for Whisky shop and from the label it was a 6yr, so what it was a cracker. I don't know what Highland Park are scared about, I just buy the Indi bottlings now.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Yeah, very much a missed opportunity from HP this. That Penderyn was lovely!

[@AlinJapan]

I found the HP Cask Strength #2 to have less heat and more flavors then the 1st batch so I picked up an extra bottle.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Need to try the 1st again. I just remember that huge fudge note in it.

[@WhiskyInThe6]

Not loving what HP is doing these days. Agree they need to put an age statement on this. Cheers buddy.

[@keithpetersen560]

I agree with your score and put an age statement on it. Consumers will still like it, because it's a reasonable price with a high abv. I own this bottle and I like it. I've read that batch 2 is actually 13 years? It seems that most like batch 2 more than batch 1 from what I've seen. I actually don't think it drinks hot. Great review.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Fully agreed with you there, Keith.

[@Jeremy-sf2xf]

I purchased a number two today and have been enjoying it. As I do when I buy a new bottle while enjoying it I like to watch reviewers on it. I have noticed quite a few reviewers say it doesn't say anything about color but it does. On the right hand side just below the part of non chill filtered it talks about the color. It says "The whisky's naturally deep colour is driven completely by our casks, without additives." This was one I will give you a pass on due to you not having a box of. This is comment is just a cut and paste from a different community I made

[@JohnsDrams]

I should fish out my sample. I've been finding there is a general apathy towards HP now, and I'm guilty of it myself.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

They've got good liquid in those walls, this is some of it, but lord knows what they're plan going forward is.

[@jasoncoates1835]

I have a Batch 2 box handy, let me lend you the text from the side panel. This one is predominantly sherry-seasoned casks, both AM and EU oak, with a "small quantity" of ex-bourbon. It is indeed non chillfiltered and natural color. You're not missing much without the box. 😅

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Didn't think so. Still, decent liquid that's missing the detail.

[@domanz1]

There is no shame in young age. Especially with a bottle clearly aimed at enthusiasts. We buy 10 y.o. and younger with decent strength because those scotch offer a different dimension that you can't get from too many older whiskies. Maybe ralfy is right in assuming, the people who make those decisions just don't know what they're doing. Because all those smaller distilleries being owned by the actual owners of the distillery, they are making different choices. Choices you'd expect from someone who knows what they're doing.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Precisely

[@Jeremy-sf2xf]

You seem to reply so I'm going to ask you. I am just really getting into drinking as a way to enjoy taste and all that. It used to be just give me a beer or dirty gin martini. But as I've been getting into whiskey mainly Scotch I guess I have been trying to get opinions and information on it If something is cask/barrel strength it means it is strength from the barrel. Do you believe it could have anything added to it at all even coloring has anything may lower the strength? I realize that may sound like a smart-ass question but it is not at all it is really me just asking for an opinion. I am a dumbass and can think of a better way of wording it. 😂

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Isn't a ailly question, it's a really good one. Whiskies bottles at cask strength or natural cask strength will not be coloured, purely just because the distillery is offering the product in a very natural state. If you were to add colouring to a whisky like that then it wouldn't lower the strength. The additional colourants are E numbers and won't impact alcohol. Does that all make sense?

[@chazchilly9697]

Phil…you know you’re living the good life when bottles of whisky are forgotten about on the shelf😄 …which glassware are you using?….curious if there is an online retailer you know to order those? Great video!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Too many open bottles, not enough time! This is a nosing glass from The Whisky Exchange, should still be available on their website. £10, I think.

[@ianmason2296]

I tasted a bottle of 12 yo from 2016 next to a new bottle a few months ago, and was shocked at how poorly the latest offering was in comparison.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Been tempted to buy an old bottle off auction for essentially RRP and compare old and new. Am I prepared for the dissapointment?

[@stevelandwonder4760]

Awful timing Phil - you've put me off...but I ordered a bottle yesterday. ;-D According to a User on Whiskybase this is 13yo...so you'd think they'd put that on the bottle. #1 is 12yo.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

By all means, the whisky is not bad at all. It's a good drink with some intersecting notes. I think I'm just tired of the HP thing now.