2021 Holiday Shopping Lists, the Single Malts: Highland Park Cask Strength

Have you ever had a whisk(e)y that was trying to be all things to all people? I at least have seen countless MGP-sourced white label bottlings that end up reading like some bizarre Law of Averages: 80-95 proof, Chill Filtered, 35-ish% rye mash bill, and finished for 6 months in heavily peated French wine barrels. And the results are usually a case study in mediocrity. I’ve long believed that it was basically impossible to make a great whiskey that also was universally enticing to most/all whisky drinkers.

Then I met Highland Park Cask Strength.

This is the one scotch I’ve known dyed-in-the wool bourbon snobs to covet and seek. This is also one scotch that unrepentant peat addicts and Speyside fans both are ecstatic to find. And strangely, I’ve even seen one hardcore cognac fan convert to our degeneracy of choice after trying this. This is the St. Paul of Single Malt in its ability to be all things to all people. Which makes this something of a safety choice for gifting, despite literally everything else about it bursting with boldness.

There’s Orkney heather peat here that gives peatheads smoke a’plenty, but the soft and subtle flavors the heather fires give is radical departure from the brined iodine of Islay whisky. There’s a luxurious, honey and fudge-like sweetness that’s perfectly balanced against the titanic oak notes that form the foundation. It also still has my favorite nose I’ve ever found on any whisk(e)y, even at this bottle’s near-depleted life stage. However, what’s always struck me is how rich and layered this whisky drinks, even at its stratospheric proof point.

So, while throwing a 126 proof, peated, uncut single malt at someone might seem like a daring choice, I’d in fact argue that if who you’re shopping for loves barrel/cask strength whiskies, this is a stone cold lock on par with the Lagavulin bottles I discussed yesterday.

While sadly I’ve yet to find a Release No. 2 bottling, I’ve read several sources I trust that all report it is cut from the same cloth as the illustrious prototype. I consider any version at its $90 SRP an automatic buy and a perfect gift.

Image courtesy of Jon who also writes on Low Class & High Proof.

Low Class & High Proof

I learned how to make cocktails watching Danger 5