subject: New Smokies [print this page] Three new releases from 2012 Three new releases from 2012
The Johnnie Walker 18 Year Old Gold Label is a very gentle and smooth whisky. Amber gold in colour, this whisky has an ABV of 40%. The aroma is of crunchy honeycomb, exotic spicing, melted butter infused with rose petal and swathed by a light taste of woody mead. The palate is silky smooth with undertones of ripe peach and juicy mango. The rich taste lasts always with a whiff of smoke settled throughout it. The finish is soft and gentle, silky on the tongue with a slight smoky aftertaste.
Highland Park Thor 16 Year Old is one of the Valhalla Collection. It has an ABV on the higher end of the scale with 52.1%. This whiskys barley was malted by hand to give it a more balanced flavour; it was then smoked over highland aromatic peat from the Hobbister Moor. With these peaty, heathery characteristics in place, the whisky was then matured in Spanish sherry oak casks. Differing from normal bourbon casks, these oak casks lend the whisky a natural colouring. All of these preparations leave the finished product concentrated and bold. The flavouring is predominantly peaty and smoky with an undertone of thick, smooth caramel and rich toffee. The finish is mouth-watering, flowing over your taste buds with hints of sweet dessert toffee and floral, earthy heather before culminating in a wisp of a smoky finish.
Our final whisky of this week is the Highland Park 21 Year Old. The colouring of this whisky stands out in relation the two we have already discussed. It has an amber red colouring and an ABV of 47.5%. This whisky was again matured in Spanish sherry oak casks. Maturing for longer gave it the red tinge we see in comparison to the other Highland Park bottling. The nose is of complimenting dessert ingredients of tangy orange layered in creamy butterscotch and layered in rich dark chocolate. The palate is bursting with sweet candied orange segments, dark chocolate with a smoky overtone. All finishing with a complex, dry, sweet and smoky end.
A mix of lowland and highland whiskies here, all with either a strong smoky blast or a soft wispy undertone. Which one would be your whisky of choice?
