The Highland Park 12 yo Saint Magnus is in my collection for several years now and once in a while you have to open something special. And so it happened. The 12 yo Saint Magnus is finally open! (I was a bit curious about this Highland Park, since there are not much reviews on the internet about this one).
This 12 yo came on the market in 2010 as a limited edition. The design of the bottle is based on a 150 year old bottle of Highland Park, and so is the label. The bottle is made by hand, you can see the natural dents and small air bubbles in the glass. For the design of the Highland Park bottle is used old footage from the archives of the distillery. The Saint Magnus bottle comes in an open wooden gift box with a minimalist design that reflects the Saint Magnus saga.
This whisky is dedicated to the craftsmen who built St Magnus Cathedral.
Saint Magnus is one of the six canonized Norsemen born in the 11th and 12th centuries when Orkney Islands belonged to Norway.
Highland Park 12 yo, Saint Magnus tasting notes:
Nose: First impression is lemon, rubber, and smoke! Then some softer tones like caramel, orange and honey. There is some sherry influence as well that brings you chocolate and raisins.
Taste: A little bit of peat and spices. Then you get salty caramel, orange and a hint of white pepper. At the end a bit of honey again.
Finish: A very long and enjoyable finish with flavours of salty liquorice and pepper.
Even though the abv is 55% it doesn’t need any water. This whisky has much depth and it does surprise you every time you take a sip of it. Lots to explore in this whisky, even though it is only 12 year old. It is totally different from the 12 yo in their core range, which is really smooth. It’s delicious!
