Highland Park Saint Magnus 12 Years Old 55% 1998

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (89)

A sequel to the excellent 'Earl Magnus' 15yo from last year. Mostly Spanish oak casks, of which 20% first fill. Please not that the picture is of last year's version but it should be very similar.

Colour: gold.

Nose: really punchy, starting quite smoky with hints of barbecued spare ribs with honey sauce and a noticeable kirschiness. It’s no gentle whisky – or is it a gentle brute? It’s also rather flinty and liquoricy, with some leather as well as quite some grass and spicy oak. Very nice but a tad rawish so far. With water: gets grassier, as expected, closer to the malt, with some smoked apples (or something like that) and maybe hints of banana skin and heather honey. Smoother but still quite ‘terroir’. Also damp clay, slight mouldiness, very pleasant.

Mouth (neat): really punchy, starting all on spices, cinnamon, nutmeg and a tarry smokiness that reminds me of some sherried Islayers in a certain way. The cinnamon is really big. Only marginally honeyed so far. With water: now it’s really excellent, with a great earthiness, roots (is that terroir speaking? ;-)), marzipan, a waxiness, notes of bitter oranges…

Finish: long, with a wee dash of pepper and ginger added to the combo. The peat is more obvious too.

Comments: it’s got an obvious relationship with last year’s ‘Earl’ but this one is maybe a little rawer – and, I think, peatier. Global quality is similar in my view, and this one swims very very well. A true islander.

Gal Granov (93)

Nose: Sweet and peat. Big prunes, dates and dried fruit. honey, date honey (Silan), also some cherry notes.

Palate: Big impact. Wood,spice, the dried fruits. quite spicy, chilly on the sides, sherry, and smoke , peat. this is one of the more peaty HPs I’ve had. very enjoyable. well made, complex, and yummy. Bring me more. i am in love.

Finish : milk chocolate mixed with spice (think Cinnamon, with a capital C), wood and some bitter cocoa.

Bottom line:

A true Ace. This one is a really really good 12 year old, a lot of sherry, and the smoke/peat combination is much bigger than other OB Highland Parks. IMHO.

Words of Whisky (94)

BOW (92)

Saint Magnus is the second part of the Highland Park tribute to the Inga saga (the first release was called Earl Magnus). All of these releases are bottled in a hand-made brown bottle with a label design based on a 150 years old bottle of Highland Park.
Saint Magnus was matured mainly in Spanish sherry oak, of which 20% were first fill casks. It is bottled at 55%.