It celebrates its infamous founder, magnus eunson, a butcher and church official by day, a whisky smuggler and distiller outwitting the excisemen at night. Highland park the dark is a 17yearold single malt scotch whisky aged in firstfill, sherryseasoned european oak. Highland park s latest release, dark origins, is now available in the united states. The distillerys ornate wrought ironwork gate certainly attests to the 1798 story. The whisky is in honor of highland park founder magnus eunson. Highland park discovers its viking soul scotch whisky. I managed to total score this better bottle of dark origins the same as did jim murray. Sep 05, 2014 highland park have now added another noage statement bottle to their range. Highland park usually delivers quality, at least in my book they do. Dark origins is inspired by the cunning spirit and courageous personality of highland parks infamous founder, magnus eunson. It might be a simple, opaque black bottle, but its styling sports an understated kind of sexy. Highland park dark origins is a new core bottling that celebrates the early days of magnus eunsons illicit distilling on orkney, back before the distillery was even founded in 1798. Highland park have now added another noage statement bottle to their range.
Highland park single malt scotch whisky dark origins 93. Orkney is the most northerly of scotlands whiskyproducing regions. Highland park is known for its careful balance of smoky and sweet flavors. This is the dark origin of the new highland park style. Compared to standard expressions of highland park, dark origins uses double the number of sherry casks than highland park 12 year old in the vatting, giving it a darker, deeper color. Highland park announces dark origins highland park single malt scotch announces the launch of a new core expression inspired by its founder, magnus eunson. This is the third single malt whisky which i tasted at the beyond islay tasting event hosted by ryan engen who is the director of spirits, for liquor stores n. This latest addition to the core expressions uses twice as many first fill sherry casks than in the classic highland park 12 year old resulting in a naturally darker, richer flavour. The name dark origins refers to the illicit distillery run by founder magnus mansie eunson that would later become highland park. In the first release of a onetwo punch that will highlight the distinct seasons on the orkney islands, highland park released the dark, a 17yearold single malt scotch whisky. It pours a dark, reddish gold in the glass and has smoke, dried. The name of the distillery is derived not from the region of scotland known as the.
Highland park dark origins i do like highland park, though i never get around to trying enough of their whiskies. Aged in 100% sherry season casks, this is a limited release, collectors item offering complex notes with smoke accents and a long finish. Highland park dark origins single malt scotch whisky scotland. A dark expression which fits in with the distillerys origins founder magnus eunson being a smuggler who worked in the darkness of night. The most significant being its placement among the core range, rather than offered as a special edition. Highland park dark origins celebrates the origins of highland park back before the official founding in 1798. What separates it from highland park 12 is that they used. Magnus worked as a butcher and church official by day, but by night he was a legendary whisky smuggler and distiller outwitting the exciseman. Maybe the highland park dark origins is both a nod to the past and a hint at the future. Product description dark origins is inspired by the cunning spirit and courageous personality of highland parks infamous founder, magnus eunson. Nonage stated, single malt whisky releases are on the rise, and so far, consumers have shown that they have a good level of comfort buying scotch whisky that doesnt disclose the age of the whisky inside. I get raisins, dates, polished wood and, oddly enough, menthol cigarettes. Highland park dark origins single malt whisky drink. Situated in the orkney archipelago in northern scotland, highland park distillery was founded in 1798.
This latest addition to the core expressions uses twice as. Highland park dark origins single malt scotch whisky pays. Chocolate and some nutmeg off the bat before the smoke develops, balanced by dried apricot, plum and, increasingly, zesty orange too. It celebrates its infamous founder, magnus eunson, a butcher and church. Highland park dark origins was the first of the three to be released, with bottles gracing store shelves beginning in 2014. This is the third single malt whisky which i tasted at the beyond islay. Magnus was the original founder of highland park at the end of the 18th century. The highland park distillery, located in the scottish island city of kirkwall, is scotlands most northerly whisky distillery. Mar 21, 2018 in the first release of a onetwo punch that will highlight the distinct seasons on the orkney islands, highland park released the dark, a 17yearold single malt scotch whisky that will be.
Dark origins is inspired by the cunning spirit and courageous personality of highland park s infamous founder, magnus eunson. Highland park viking honour 12 year old single malt scotch whisky with glass gift pack, 1x70cl 40%. Highland park dark origins single malt scotch whisky. Every sample of highland park 15 yo and 18 yo which i have tasted, has been much cleaner than is this, the cleaner of the two bottles of highland park dark origins from which i have sampled. Dark origins is currently part of the brands core expression lineup. Orkney, scotland the remarkable complexity of this whisky owes a great deal to its maturation in a high proportion of the finest quality first fill sherry seasoned european oak casks. Highland park dark origins single malt scotch whisky rating was calculated by to be 93 points out of 100 on 5212015. Orkney islands freydis is a handselected cask from the best of highland park s collection. Book depository books with free delivery worldwide. Highland park dark origins scotch loves those first fill. Highland park whisky the single malt scotch with viking soul. Sometimes considered a part of the highlands region, the archipelago of some 70 islands is found just off the northern tip of.
Its called the highland park dark origins, and has been crafted to celebrate the cunning and courage of a chap known as magnus eunson. A sherried release from highland park, dark origins is a combination of 80% first fill sherry casks of which 60% is european oak and 20% american and 20%. I like a good sherry maturation, and i love a whisky with a light to medium. The name of the distillery is derived not from the region of scotland known as the highlands the orkney islands are not a part of the highlands but rather from the region known as high park, where the distillery was founded. Bergey highland park is the northernmost distillery in scotland, situated just a short distance north of its neighbor, scapa distillery, on the orkney islands.
Review of highland park 12 year singlemalt scotch whisky. Highland park dark origins single malt scotch whisky is 5 star scotch malt whisky 100%. The scotch highland parks recent offerings show considerable emphasis on the design of the bottle and packaging, and dark origin is no exception. Packed in a dark black bottle, dark origins looks distinctly different from the other releases in the core highland park portfolio. Dark origins, which first emerged from the distillery in early july, makes use of twice as many first fill sherry casks for maturing the whisky as compared to highland parks. Highland parks valhalla range per highland park, no caramel is added to any of their whiskies, but they are chillfiltered, with the exception of dark origins. Single malt scotch whisky made in scotland with viking soul since 1798. I enjoyed the highland park character i found in the 12 year so i figured i would enjoy the extra sherry maturation in dark origins. A sherried release from highland park, dark origins is a combination of 80% first fill sherry casks of which 60% is european oak and 20% american and 20% refill sherry. This northerly island location gives access to unique heather peat from the distillerys own moor, water from the same spring that has fed the distillery for more than 200 years, and the cool, maritime climate that allows the spirit to interact. Highland park valkyrie received a score of 99 points at the ultimate spirits challenge, making it an extraordinary, ultimate recommendation. The dark origins is supposed to be a richer, darker whisky with more first fill sherry casks to give it a deeper sherry character. Compared to standard expressions of highland park, dark origins uses double the number of sherry casks than highland park 12 year old in the vatting, giving it a darker, deeper.
Establishing a secret bunker in the hills of high park in orkney, magnus mansie eunson became a famed dark distiller back in the late 1700s, creating whisky for the people of orkney. Dark origins does not bear an age statement, though it will be replacing highland park 15 year old on the market around the end of the year. Dark origins uses double the amount of firstfill exsherry casks versus their 12year expression. The entry is smooth with palate of sherry, honey, iodine,and smoke. In comes highland park valkyrie and, later this year, a 100% exbourbon matured bottling, full. Highland park dark origins has an ok range of flavors and aromas but it lacks that defining character you used to find so prevalent in the older releases and maybe thats a sign. Oct 08, 2014 the dark origins in question actually refer to the use of sherry casks for maturation. Also of note is all of highland parks whisky is distilled and aged at the distillery.
The origins of distilleries are often, as they should be, obscured by the clouds of halftruth and myth. Highland park 1988 26 cadenheads small batch cask strength. In comes highland park valkyrie and, later this year, a 100% exbourbon matured bottling, full volume. While scotlands most northern distillery isnt new to noage. Nonage stated, single malt whisky releases are on the rise, and so far, consumers have shown that they have a good level of comfort buying. Every sample of highland park 15 yo and 18 yo which i have tasted, has been much cleaner than is this, the cleaner of the two bottles of highland. Was it founded by famed priest turned smuggler magnus eunson, or by farmer david robertson in 1798. Established in 1798 on orkney, highland park is one of the most remote scotch whisky distilleries in the world.
Keep in mind that, other than a few special bottlings, all whisky distilled at highland park is aged in exoloroso sherry casks. Orkney islands freydis is a handselected cask from the best of highland parks collection. Heavy sherry aroma with spices, baked apple and distant peat smoke greets the nose. Nov 12, 2014 the name dark origins refers to the illicit distillery run by founder magnus mansie eunson that would later become highland park. Sep 17, 2014 we return now to this northernmost outpost of scotch to learn about dark origins, a new sherried core edition to its line up set for an american debut october 1. Aged in 100% sherry season casks, this is a limited release, collectors item offering complex notes.
Highland park dark origins, ardbeg dark cove, and laphroaig lore. Highland park unleashes the dark, a 17yearold single malt. Im a big fan of the highland park 18, which i think is a much better value and in some ways at least as good as the macallan 18. So long as the room isnt too dark, the bottle is an eyecatcher. While scotlands most northern distillery isnt new to noagestatement expressions, dark origins is different for a variety of reasons. Fancy bottle, marketingdriven nas presentation and a hefty price tag. Its a nice nod to the origin story of the distillery, but a slight departure from the norse imagery and mythology that has proven so successful for highland park over the past few years. The highland park dark origins celebrates magnus eunson, the founder of highland park, and his journey to make one of the greatest spirits in the worlddark. Highland park dark origins is a new core bottling that celebrates the early days of magnus eunsons illicit distilling on orkney, back before the distillery was. Theres also a new whisky for the us market, magnus based on exsherry and exbourbon american oak.
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