Highland Park Ragnvald
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Distillery:
Highland Park
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Company:
Edrington Group
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Cask Maturation
Predominantly matured in the finest sherry seasoned European oak casks
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Strength
44.6% ABV
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Note:
Natural cask driven colour
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Price
450
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Country:
Scotland
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Region
Highland
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Adres
Holm Rd, Kirkwall KW15 1SU, Verenigd Koninkrijk
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Website:
highlandparkwhisky.com
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Type:
Single Malt
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Age:
NAS
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Volume:
70cl
Taste note
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Colour:
Full golden with rusty tints.
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Nose:
Could be described as “old school”, it’s full of old dunnage cask wood nose. Leather, casks, old stuff! Highland heather that’s wilting because it’s over hot smoke from a peat fire near the end of its burn. Coming out are old restrained sherry notes, and lashings of vanilla fudge from great first fill bourbon casks. Also aromas of dark chocolate, candied peel, fresh nutmeg and aromatic peat smoke. Really a nose you keep sniffing at and enjoying.
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Palate:
Thicker and old tasting on the palate, spicy and lively however. Green and red apples dipped in toffee custard. More raisins, vanilla, dark chocolate and caramel. The balanced peat smoke covers the palate and the higher alcohol percentage is doing this warrior some good.
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Finish:
Complex and lasting, sweet and fruity with vanilla cream running through and a blast of smoke at the end. Balanced so that no sour cask notes are to be found, ideal.
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Conclusion:
Ragnvald was most at home aboard his longship undertaking his many great expeditions throughout the Middle East & Asia. Corker of a whisky, just the old style I love, but that my wallet doesn’t. For that sort of price you’d hope for an age statement. Saying that, damn, it’s a fine old dram to sit with for a lovely long evening while it’s cold and wet out.