Tasting Notes

Producing WhiskyCast has given me the opportunity to taste some really amazing whiskies, and I’m pleased to share my tasting notes with you here. You can search my entire database of tasting notes from this page, and I hope you’ll find it useful.

Highland Park Valkyrie

Country: Scotland

Region: Highlands

Type: Single Malt

Bottler: Distiller

ABV: 45.9%

Score: 93 Points

Highland Park Valkyrie. Photo ©2017, Mark Gillespie/CaskStrength Media.This marks a departure from Highland Park’s traditional “house style.” It’s blended from the distillery’s standard new make spirit and its new make spirit produced with 100% peated malt from Highland Park’s own malting floors and Hobbister Moor peat. That peated spirit is matured in ex-Bourbon casks, while Highland Park uses ex-Sherry casks extensively for its standard spirit. However, the peatiness is muted in the final bottling.

The nose has notes of ginger root, caramel, a soft oakiness, dried fruits, muted spices, and is well-balanced. The taste has a thick, oily mouthfeel and is very spicy with clove, ginger root, and a hint of cinnamon at first. The spices fade to reveal notes of candied pear, vanilla, caramel, a hint of hot fudge ice cream topping, dried fruits, and figs. The finish is long with gently fading spices that linger for a while before touches of fudge, caramel candy, and dark chocolate come out. (April, 2017)