Highland Park Earl Haakon 18 Years Old 54.9% 1993

Professional reviews

BOW (90)

Serge Valentin (90)

Colour: full gold.

Nose: frankly, it really makes me think of a regular 18yo that would have been bottled at higher proof. Same kind of profile, just with more oomph. Please read above. With water: seriously, it’s almost the same whisky as the regular 18. Maybe it’s just a tad earthier – or maybe not.

Mouth (neat): creamy and punchy at the same time, peppery, with quite some orange marmalade in the attack. It’s quite smoky as well, rather dry. Once again, we’re quite close to the regular 18 but of course, the extra-12% vol. make more difference on the palate than on the nose. With water: well, it’s almost the same whisky now. Maybe a little more orange marmalade and kumquats. Also the mouth feel is a tad creamier but I didn’t try to use deionised water and probably didn’t manage to reduce this baby down to exactly 43%.

Finish: same comments. Maybe a little more pepper.

Comments: one cannot not wonder if this isn’t the regular 18, only bottled at higher strength. What’s sure is that it’s quite excellent. Excuse me? No, of course not 3 times better than the regular 18.

OTHER (84)