Has the quality of Highland Park changed?

[cheekobonavista]

Hi folks,

Unlike many of you posting on here, I'm not a whisky connoisseur. However, I do enjoy drinking, reading about, and thinking about whisky.

In any case, my query this time is about Highland Park. I took my first dram of Highland Park 12 several years ago at a bar. It was delightful. Not long after that, I bought my first bottle. It became one of my favorite whiskys, very smooth, balanced, the hint of smoke on the finish was magic.

Fast-forward a few years, and a lot of scotch, I've bought my second bottle. I was a bit put-off by the new marketing. The classic bottle was more suited to my taste, and the Viking bit just seemed silly. Still, I assumed the content of the bottle would be the same.

I'm not saying I don't enjoy this bottle of Highland Park 12, but it doesn't seem to be of the quality I remember from my first experience. The whisky seems lighter, less flavorful, and while the finish is still good, I wouldn't say "magic".

Has anyone else noticed this change? Has the quality declined, or has my palate changed?

I'm especially curious because I intended to buy this bottle of Highland Park 12 as a warm up to Highland Park 18, which would be the most expensive bottle I've ever purchased. I've read great things about Highland Park 18, and I've been slowly working my way up to more premium Scottish whisky. Since I liked Highland Park 12 a lot, I thought Highland Park 18 would be a good direction to go in my first >$100USD whisky. If there has been a decline in the quality of Highland Park 12, I'm worried that will extend to Highland Park 18, and the funky bottle of Viking whisky I purchase may not be the stellar dram I've been reading about the past few years.

Does anyone have any input? Have you found Highland Park 12 to decline in quality since the new Viking marketing? How about Highland Park 18?

Appreciate your opinions and the discussion.

[webdunk]

There's a common argument that whisky in general isn't what it once was. I've not yet done a back to back tasting of a single malt from many years ago and today's bottling, but I have tasted a number of blends from 70s/80s and compared with today's. Without exception, the older ones were 'better' for me.

You could try to find an old bottling of HP12 at auction or in the dusty corner of a shop and compare to see if it has changed for you or if it's your palate that has changed over time (I know mine has).

And finally, I wouldn't let your thoughts on HP12 put you off (or on to for that matter) HP18. Get a sample before you buy the 18 either from the shop or from a bar and make up your mind before the bigger purchase.
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Inverness Whisky
@in5tadram

[lincoln imp]

As Webdunk says quality is going down in the view of many generally across most distilleries, this in no small part is due a shortage of good sherry casks but also the way the industry production methods have changed and the grains used in production is a contributing factor.

HP18 has changed over the years and yes while it might not be as good as it was in say 2000 it is still a nice dram.

Unfortunately HP generally is not worth the money and the only recent one that was is the Dragon Legend which retails in UK for £40. I got a bottle for £30 on offer, worth considering if you are on a budget.
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Pour me a glass please.

[Alexppp]

Some whiskies can now be a bit harsher than they used to be, owing to greater demand. How? By a more rushed distillation, the use of more tired casks and a lower overall age. The last two might need an explanation for the non-whisky geek. By 'tired casks' I mean casks that have already been used for a few rounds of maturation already, and will therefore have less flavour to impart the spirit. By lower overall age - as the age statement of the bottle refers to the youngest whisky in the vatting, if there is greater demand distillers won't have the freedom to use some older casks to round out or 'beef up' the batch. Overall then, if we are to believe the supply and demand line, a whisky (though ostensibly the same as a few years ago) can taste younger, harsher, less mature and less rich for all these reasons.

Does that mean that whisky in general is not as good these days? No, I don't believe so. There are natural batch variations in lots of whiskies - some are better, some worse, and some are definitely more consistent than others (Glenmorangie 10, Glenfiddich 12 and Balvenie 12 Doublewood are great examples of mass-produced malts that have remained consistent in my opinion). I believe that, to an extent, views have been affected by the natural tendency to say 'things were different back in the day'. It's fashionable to say that Talisker 10 and Lagavulin 16 are not what they used to be for example - now, I can't vouch for 20 years ago as I didn't drink whisky then, but compared to 5 or 10 years ago? No, I can't detect any decline (have compared different batches of the Talisker for this purpose).

As far as Highland Park is concerned, I haven't had a bottle of the 18 recently so I can't compare, but I have a new bottle of the 12 and am enjoying it very much. If I'm honest, more so than one I did about 6-7 years ago, though this is not 'scientific' by any means as I haven't compared them head to head and there are so many different factors in play. (As far as the bottle designs are concerned, personally I thought the old HP bottles were among the ugliest out there )

Basically, the incredibly unhelpful conclusion from all this is that sometimes there is batch variation, sometimes there is a decline, and sometimes it's all in our head because our palates change (especially as you become more experienced with whisky and have been exposed to more styles). Is there a way to tell definitively which is which? Aside from saving samples from different eras and comparing them enough times to form a consensus, no.

P.S. To address Webdunk's claim about blends being better in the 70s and 80s, I believe that makes a lot of sense - single malts were less popular in those days, and blends probably had a bigger proportion of quality malts than they do now.

[Brummie]

In their very nature different batches of single malts can vary and I have no doubt over the years distilleries have tweeked the recipe of some of our favourite single malts, perhaps due to changing taste preferences perhaps related to availability of certain types of casks to mature the whisky in or perhaps due to the icreasing popularity of single malts and the availability of whisky matured in specific types of casks. This isn't exclusive to HP this will go on in all distilleries I would think.

I believe Highland Park did have an issue a number of years back with the peatiness of its Orkney peat and had to source peat from the mainland and I have noticed a very slight varying peat level in the likes of the Highland Park 12 and 18 over time but not a varying quality. For your money the Highland Park 12 is a superb whisky and the 18 although expensive these days is still an outstanding whisky.

[Dave h]

It does interest me the vast number of HP NAS bottles being released. Were these intended for the 12 or 18 but simply have change character so theyve been forced down limited releases, keeping punters interested in collecting a few in a collection. Has something changed that the taste profile of an 80s 12yo was indeed different to today. But you'll be guaranteed to be getting the finest 12 or 18yo on offer today.

As mentioned, I like the Dragon Legend, sort of got lost and confused with the multiple NAS releases that I've sort of given up on HP and now look elsewhere. Failed ballot draws, I've been caught up in the marketing ... and today I only have a Sigurd unopened, no idea what age that might be but given the price I gambled that it was an 18 yo that didnt fit the 'profile' of the recognised 18yo.

Just a unproven theory. I'll only taste a 12yo these days in a pub or hotel. The 18yo is a great dram, dont worry, just buy it and drink it, it is 100% worth it. It is a beauty, dont over think it, you will not be disappointed.

[Whisky Rogue]

I have recent purchases of Highland Park 12 and 18 and both are brilliant whiskies, don't read too much into whether they have changed over the years, most whiskies have, what matters are the are both still quality whiskies, go for it and enjoy!

[cheekobonavista]

Thanks for the replies. I retract my previous comment. I've nearly finished this bottle of Highland Park 12. The heather, honey, and hit of smoke on the finish, have once again blow my mind.

Tonight I've tasted Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso, Kilchoman Machir Bay, and Laphroaig 10. Even against a cask strength sherry monster, and two Islay whiskies, the Highland Park has held up as a sweat, refreshing, and delicious dram. I look forward to treating myself to Highland Park 18.

Cheers!