Highland Park 12 Years

Highland Park 12 years old: return to normalcy?

When famous whisky writer Michael Jackson used the words “the greatest all-rounder in the world of whisky”, or words to that effect, I believe he describe specifically the Highland Park 18 years old. And no one would dare correct him, because it was very true in those early days of malt whisky on the rise. I always thought the sentiment could well be applied to the entire Highland Park range and output. It had a little bit of everything, but of nothing really too much. Excellent, jaw-dropping sherry casks, without fully being categorized as a sherry monster producer. Why not, you ask? Because there was always this delicate, heathery peat smoke to make it stand apart from more established sherry malt whiskies like The Macallan or The Glenrothes. Highland Park was a name whispered with respect. Still, the distillery was also one of the first to venture in a direction that made people sad. Lesser age statements, and crazy pricing on that. I remember that a friend of a friend shelved out an amount north of 200 euro for some special release HP (something named “ice”, if I remember correctly), only to become very disillusioned with what he found in the glass. This person gifted us a sample, and we tasted for ourselves. Fine whisky, no doubt, but nothing extra to make it beat the regular 12, 15 or 18 years old for perhaps one third of the RRP. This is how you alienate people from your brand. 

The world changed and single malt whisky became so mainstream that I am sure Highland Park got new fans in droves. Fans that know the distillery for the connection to Viking folklore. In all honesty, the distillery stayed very loyal to this concept and I think they executed it well. On the other hand, in the past 15 years I have only bought two HP bottles, the 10 and the 12 years old. Last week I bought myself a new 12 years old and we are going to taste it today. Why did I buy it, you ask? Well, for starters, the price was hovering around 30 euro. That is great value for a 12 year old single malt from such a prestigious distillery, is it not? But I was mostly seduced by the fact the bottle has returned to a very tight and straightforward design. Modest, core range, maybe more room for the whisky to speak, over the heads of all these Vikings? Count me in. 

Some history. The previous 12 years old carried the name Viking Honour and replaced the regular 12 years old in 2017. The oval bottle that was introduced first in 2007, was kept on for the relaunch in 2017 but now the glass was turned into a piece of art, fully covered with Viking decorations. The years that honour the distillery’s founder Magnus Eunson had truly made its way to the core range. The new 2024/2025 bottle returned to very clear glass again. The creamy colours of the packaging give it an elegant look. Will the whisky live up to the new design? Let us taste! 

Highland Park 12 years old, bottled at 40 % abv

First things first: Carrying as subtitle “Spicy & Well-rounded” this 12 years old Highland Park is supposedly a natural apparition, or as they put it: with “cask-driven natural colour”. Further, we read on the box this Orcadian single malt was matured in “hand-selected refill casks and first-fill, sherry seasoned European and American oak casks”. 

Upon Sipping: Despite there being no artificial colouring, the first thing I sniff up is caramel. Very pleasant and soft, leaning on milk chocolate character with slight whiffs of peat smoke. All very subtle, all very … weak, sadly. We know Highland Park produces for the masses, but even with 43 or preferably 46 % abv this would stand out in a crowd. Given time, I pick up the classical notes of heather and even slight hints of rubber. Whatever the case, it is recognisable Highland Park. It develops some briny notes along the way. The light chocolate character carries onwards to the palate, with a delightful sweetness and soft wood smoke on the finish. Yeah, this is a good candidate for your average daily dram. It does not challenge, it does not disappoint, but I am quite sure it will never bore you either. It has too much character for that, with a smouldering fire on the finish that is really enticing. 

Word to the Wise: Highland Park returns to form. Not talking about the whisky, that more or less stayed on high level. The availability of casks has of course changed over the decades. We cannot compare this “12” to the one that reigned in the 1990s and 2000s.

What I like most about it, is that the whisky is vested in the present and future. Not looking back anymore to that Viking heritage, which was important, but to turn your brand into a glass museum for ten years was a bit too much. Also, something must be said about pricing. This one remains affordable and therefor satisfying. All in all, a good expression. But please, Highland Park, up the abv! You are selling yourself short. 

Score: 84 points.