Whiskybase

Orkney Islands 1999 BR

Overall rating
87.75/100
votes
138
Whiskybase ID
WB108315
Category
Single Malt
Bottler
Berry Bros & Rudd (BR)
Vintage
1999
Bottled
2018
Stated Age
16 years old
Calculated age
18 years old
Casktype
Refill Butt
Casknumber
28
Strength
53.6 % Vol.
Size
700 ml
Barcode
5010493047050
Added on
25 feb 2018 11:29 am by RoyalScotsman
Orkney Islands 1999 BR
Photo by ted.striker
Orkney Islands 1999 BR
Photo by RoyalScotsman
Orkney Islands 1999 BR
Photo by StyrianSpirit
Orkney Islands 1999 BR
Photo by DocF

Average value

€ 96.20

Found 3 online shops. Lowest price:

€ 139.00
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138 × member ratings

174 × in collection

Whisky Reviews for Orkney Islands 1999 BR

42 users have left a review for this whisky and scored it an average of 87.75 points

  1. LDB scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    This is an adult HP with everything that goes with it! It puts the 18-year-old OA in the shade, not only because of the alcohol strength (which is almost shockingly well integrated, so that there is no desire for water), but simply because of the intense aromas, which is probably also due to a very good selection of casks and careful maturation came about.
    • Nose
      91 91
      Delicate smoky note, creamy, honey-like sweetness with salt - fresh sea spray in blooming heather, with excellently integrated alcohol. Dry pine forest with ripe pineapple on top.
    • Taste
      90 90
      Creamy with a significant amount of smoke, at the same time the beautiful sweetness of the ripe lemons with freshly sliced vanilla pods - everything interesting and tightly interwoven.
    • Finish
      89 89
      Smoke and fruit aroma change seamlessly into a distinct spice with a somewhat resinous, ginger-like sharpness, it remains complex and lasting.

  2. thanasist scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    Does anyone have any clue why the stated age of this bottle is 16 y.o. while the distillation took place in 1999 and bottling in 2018 ? Normally it should be 18 or 19 y.o. 

    Tried it end of September. One of the best whiskies I had for some time. No matter if it is 16 or 18 y.o. it is superb and doesn't make you regret the money spent on it. I am not a big fun of HP but this one definitely made me want to try more Orkney IB

  3. gallfux did not rate this whisky Expert Senior

    Short Comparison between the Cask Orkney (WID: 113256), the Full Volume (WID: 101678), and the Berry Bros & Rudd (WID: 108315)

    The Cask Orkney and the Full Volume are almost inevitably similar. The Cask Orkney has a bit more freshness and citrus in it. The smoke feels a bit cooler in the Cask Orkney. The full volume has more grain and oak notes, is slightly muted and fuller. It seems to me that the Full Volume has a little more wood influence.
    I tend to like the Full Volume in direct comparison even a bit better, because it works a tick older than the Cask Orkney. Both are really solid malts. There will not be a big bottle, so I do not have to ask myself which bottle to buy.

    The Berry Bros & Rudd tolerate some water. Otherwise he seems somehow alcoholic. He opens with water. The water then has herbal, forest and meadow notes. It's such a cross between Cask Orkney and the Full Volume for me. He also has a freshness similar to the Cask Orkney, but this seems somehow elegant in the Berry Bros & Rudd. In addition also wood influence like with the Full Volume. In addition, the smoke may be stronger than the two before it. The sherry is not really something to hear. Overall, the Berry Bros & Rudd is probably the most complex whisky in comparison, as it brings a mix of freshness and wood with it. But it does not necessarily have to be a big bottle.

  4. DocF scored this whisky 91 points Expert Senior

    Pure Highland Park almost without Sherry influence. Who does not need it -> great catch.
    • Nose
      Sharp without water. Already tried - not my thing. With water: green, resinous, sections of plants and coniferous forest, freshly sawn branches, autumn leaves ragged in early November, for HP strong smoke, earthy, and acacia honey. In the second attempt, the last sherry remnants are recognizable, with much fantasy ripe orange. (For the Battler: Something about the empty Strathisla bottle smelled.) A little later wet pebbles and a truckload of malt. Even more acacia honey.
    • Taste
      Soft with enough water. I suspect around 48%. Directly the "smell" of damp earth and old foliage, garden waste, and a smoke, as if someone had left a splash of Laphroaig in the glass. Acacia honey, coniferous forest, linden blossom. No sherry.
    • Finish
      First acacia honey. Fir needles, bark fragments, resin, dirt and smoke in the hair and all garments. Old, dry wood, a burned and smoldering campfire. Later comes out again old foliage.

  5. DerDennis! did not rate this whisky Specialist

    He is really good. Very balanced in terms of nose and mouth. Great mouthfeel. He likes me better with water.
    • Nose
      sweet, fresh, citrus, menthol, very pleasant, medicinal smoke and light sherry note. Grapefruit, orange peel, nutmeg, pepper, nutty .... spice cake.

      With a little water it becomes fruity ... pickled pears, chocolate
    • Taste
      sweet, oily, spicy ... chili, light tingling, pleasantly woody and smoky, nutty, dark fruit note ... prunes, honey.

      Water produces oranges and milk chocolate ... like these orange sticks
    • Finish
      medium long, smoky and earthy, light sherry, pleasantly woody and dry

  6. Eilean a' Cheo scored this whisky 91 points Expert Senior

    Naked characterful Highland Park.. quite peated
    • Nose
      91 91
      Wet leaves, earth, verbena, lemon peels,paraffin, peat, cough syrup, heather honey
    • Taste
      92 92
      Waxy smoked lemons with a pinch of salt plus liquid herbs.. the peat grows bigger.. wonderful taste..and quite powerful
    • Finish
      90 90
      Lemony, waxy, peated with a herbal dry elegance

  7. KayMeertens scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      Reed, baked apple, vanilla and barbecue ash.
    • Taste
      Grape juice, apple, peat ash, cake and Printen, especially the spices.
    • Finish
      Peat ash, grape juice, apple, vanilla cookie, gingerbread, straw and spices.

  8. ted.striker did not rate this whisky Connoisseur

    Green Welly Stop writes: „A Mis-print on the label, this is an 18 year old whisky.“ (https://www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/orkney-1999-berrys-cask-28.html#additional)

  9. mawean did not rate this whisky Expert Senior

    Are you sure it is a mistake? Sometimes whiskies are removed from the casks to stop maturation (when further maturation would give too much wood influence) and sold at a later stage. This is why there could be a discrepancy between "stated age" and "year of bottling minus year of destillation".

  10. Segens scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

    @thanasist: It is simply an error on the label. As you said it should either be 18 or 19 years old!

    Orkney Islands 16 yo 1999/2018 (53.6%, Berry Brothers, refill butt, cask #28) 

    Colour: light gold. Nose: much less sherry influence in this one. It’s more on sea air, sandalwood, minerals, bath salts, pine resin and heather honey. There’s also a pleasing lick of peat in the background as well with a medicinal aspect to it. With water: some very soft spices and a growing herbal peat note. Dried seaweed, lapsang souchong and a touch of metal polish. Mouth: great texture! Waxy, lightly peaty, barley sugar, orange oil, some herbal liqueur and buttered brown toast. Gets increasingly mineralic with time. With water: lemon curd, perfect balanced peatiness, some green fruits, barley water and lime jelly. Terrific. Finish: long, earthy, lemony, slightly oily and with a drying, heathery smokiness and some fragrant dried herbs. Comments: A rock solid HP that gives the terrific distillery character a loud and clear voice. 

    SGP: 454 - 90 points.

  11. Issie did not rate this whisky Connoisseur

    • Nose
      Lemon, earth, lemon peel, lemon candy, lemon peel, alcohol is very clearly present, after the lemon and the alcohol have settled down a bit , eventually honey too
    • Taste
      Apple, honey, apricot, lemon, herb candy, herbs, some wood, pepper

  12. Whiskinger did not rate this whisky Expert Junior

    16 years should be the correct age, no mis-print.

    There's another BBR "Orkney Islands" from 1999, bottled for Switzerland from cask 42 in 2018 , with a stated age of 17 years. The cask content was very likely taken from the oak barrels some time ago and then bottled all together in 2018.

    Link: http://www.whizzky.net/whisky.php?ref=15833-Berry-Bros--Rudd-Orkney-Islands-1999-17-Year-Old-Cask-42-Charles-Hofer-SA-Switzerland-Exclusive

  13. Monte Gehro scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    Notes from a blind tasting.
    • Nose
      Initially alcoholic, fresh, citrus, vanilla, honey, plus sour and fermented fruit. With time and hand warmth on the glass, a subtle smoky note develops.
    • Taste
      Creamy, with vanilla, fresh ripe citrus, forest honey, finishes with nice oak spice.
    • Finish
      Slides out nicely, sweet and spicy

  14. manmathiou scored this whisky 86 points Member Senior

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      85 85
    • Finish
      86 86

  15. Killswitch scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      87 87

  16. Whiskyisfordrinking did not rate this whisky Expert Senior

    I like it very much. In the nose a nice salty sea breeze, very different in aroma, sometimes smoky, sometimes sweet, sometimes salty. In the finish, more strength and salty nuts. Yes, really a nice whisky!

  17. aryehf scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    From a blind sample.

    Reminded me a good bourbon cask Ben Nevis, very good.
    • Nose
      90 90
      Grapefruits, mineral, tropical fruits, papaya, melon, glue, funky, pastry, malty, waxy, nectarine, menthol, pears, green apples.
    • Taste
      90 90
      Creamy, menthol, mineral, funky, tropical fruits, melon, distant smoke, a bit medicinal.
    • Finish
      89 89
      Medium-long, oak, grapefruits, melon, honey and vanilla.

  18. LDB scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    This is an adult HP with everything that goes with it! It puts the 18-year-old OA in the shade, not only because of the alcohol strength (which is almost shockingly well integrated, so that there is no desire for water), but simply because of the intense aromas, which is probably also due to a very good selection of casks and careful maturation came about.
    (Edit 2021: points still confirmed!)
    • Nose
      91 91
      Delicate smoky note, creamy, honey-like sweetness with salt - fresh sea spray in blooming heather, with excellently integrated alcohol. Dry pine forest with ripe pineapple on top.
    • Taste
      90 90
      Creamy with a significant amount of smoke, at the same time the beautiful sweetness of the ripe lemons with freshly sliced vanilla pods - everything interesting and tightly interwoven.
    • Finish
      88 88
      Smoke and fruit aroma change seamlessly into a distinct spice with a somewhat resinous, ginger-like sharpness, it remains complex and lasting.

  19. ChrisE scored this whisky 82 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      82 82
    • Taste
      83 83
    • Finish
      81 81

  20. anonymerlemur scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    The malt is very restrained on the nose, but relatively complex. No taste notes get the upper hand, but the malt is still composed of aromas such as honey, vanilla and forest
    Color: yellow gold
    • Nose
      88 88
      Very low intensity but high complexity: vanilla, honey, dried fresh wood, forest smell, fresh moss, some smoke.
      The malt becomes a bit pungent with water.
    • Taste
      88 88
      Now the intensity is a little higher, the mouthfeel is waxy, creamy and peppery. Flavors: spice, very sweet. some smoke, vanilla cream, oak wood, forest herbs, pine needles and a lot of honey.
    • Finish
      87 87
      The finish, like the taste, is more intense than the smell and of medium length: oak with bitter notes, some smoke and herbs

  21. MickMatrix scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      90 90

  22. Dottore scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    This is actually exactly how I imagine a Highland Park. In general, I like the distillery character best in bourbon / refill barrels around the age of 18, at least with the newer bottlings. Here an unnamed HP, where the designer of the label reveals a few math problems. For me in the nose very typical HP. Hay, heather, light smoke, maritime, salty. Nice pastry notes. Some wheat beer. In the mouth, the beautiful pastries and cereal notes also show, here clearly on the sweet side. Again that slight yeast note, yeast dumplings with vanilla sauce. Only without the plum in the middle. Then slowly turns into bitter wood tones, which then also dominate the finish. Again a slight note of savory biscuits, brine stick. For me the nose is the absolute highlight, but overall great bottling. 90 points

  23. Teomarg scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      90 90

  24. martinbutterfly scored this whisky 85 points Expert Senior

    ***
    ????: white, sweet wine,
    ????: sweet-varnish, slightly salty, behind
    ????: sweet, bourbon-varnish, already slightly bitten, but still fresh and intense, just OK
    ????: slightly warming, not too long
    *
    Basic, correct, ok. But no major revelations ... I guess expectations were higher. Maybe I didn't have a day with her. Detriment...
    *
    ????: 4/10
    ????: 85/100

  25. whiskyinstitut scored this whisky 84 points Connoisseur

    The cheesy notes don't really fit my picture. If that doesn't bother you, apart from that, it's incredibly creamy on the tongue.
    • Nose
      83 83
      Cheesy to tropical fruity first nose, whereby these are rather unripe fruits, musty warehouse floor, yeasty, herbal tea, soapy and floral at the end
    • Taste
      84 84
      Creamy and pleasant in the mouth, light smoky notes, again a bit cheesy, decent heat development with the second sip, becomes increasingly creamy, no dryness
    • Finish
      86 86
      Unexpectedly a lot of heat and smoke in the finish, again a little floral in between, slightly mineral

  26. Svarttt scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    Nice half board!
    • Nose
      88 88
      Funnily enough, overripe banana, pineapple, with something that could possibly be described as a sea breeze in the background.
    • Taste
      87 87
      The peat only makes itself felt in the taste. Everything gets even better with a little water. Nice fruity with subtle sweetness.
    • Finish
      86 86
      Medium length, sounds nice with a fruity, subtle ash note.

  27. Whisky_Funeral scored this whisky 87 points Member Senior

    • Nose
      86 86
    • Taste
      85 85
    • Finish
      83 83

  28. P.A.O.K.you_are scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      86 86
    • Finish
      84 84

  29. butt scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      91 91

  30. spigray scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    came back to this after the bottle is open half a year or more now. I had to admit that it´s good whisky but it was not what I expected from a HP. I remember that it was totally hot outside when I opened the bottle and now in spring I am very curious how this dram may have changed!
    And what can I say: Forget about all the things that I have written after I tasted this one immediately after opening the bottle in the heat of last August......
    • Nose
      89 89
      Much less aggressive than I remembered it. Also much fresher, all these aromas of rotting leaves and rancid nuts are totally gone. Still slightly alcoholic. nuts and bananas, sunflower oil, a faint smokiness, carbon paper, moss, earth
    • Taste
      90 90
      Oh, it´s amazing how good I find the palate this time. absolutely fresh, salivating. malty, pastry, nuts, baklavas, slightly salty, bananas. great harmony!
    • Finish
      90 90
      the finish is long, very clear, slightly dry with a green banana aftertaste.

  31. McMoulis scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      88 88

  32. EJS scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

  33. mr.p9 scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  34. rpvdwel scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      86 86
    • Taste
      85 85
    • Finish
      86 86

  35. hans1971 scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  36. JacobaEd scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      86 86

  37. Hvdree scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      85 85
    • Finish
      84 84

  38. spigray scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    I had to come back to this malt after letting some oxygen do its work, cause I could not believe that this whisky could be rated that high at the quality that it showed directly after opening the bottle. the heat of the last days could have affected it negatively. so let´s see.....
    • Nose
      88 88
      The character has stayed the same but the aggressive offnotes a toned down quite a bit.
      Still I need water!
      ok , now we can become friends. It´s a very mossy and sappy nose with green bananas, quite mineralic what I always appreciate with a faint, distant smoke. hints of honey and some light marzipan. cannot get anything of the sherry but but normally I don´t need that in good distillates. Two points up for the nose!
    • Taste
      89 89
      The taste was not that bad a few days ago, let´s see if it has improved too...
      The smoke is more evident than on the nose! it´s quite malty and a little nutty with a good spoonful of honey. Also the sherry influence gets noticeable on the tongue and we have a few nice woody tastes.
      the palate did not change that much but I still go up one point cause there´s more harmony in it now.
    • Finish
      86 86
      very clean, a bit dry, medium length

  39. Benny85 scored this whisky 87 points Member Senior

    when i first opened this bottle, i found the alcohol a little dominant, but given some time and drops of water the highland park delivers quite well.
    sherry influence is really subtle but still noticeable. flavors overall give u a nice mix of grass, flowers, light sherry, bits of smoke - especially when u smell the empty glass after some time.
    definitely recommended. fair value imo!
    not sure if its a ninety in my book. maybe more like an 88,5 pts. as of now.

    edit: upon finishing the bottle i found a slight bitterness a little off-putting. final mark 86 - 87 pts -

  40. spigray scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    this is not quite my cup of tea I must say. could be that it´ll change within a few days now that it´s open.
    For me this smells and tastes slightly aggressive, the cask did not do very much on this dram no matter wether this is 16 or 18 yo. In fact it smells and tastes rather young.
    but let´s wait a few days, we all have made our experiences with freshly opened bottles! and the weather is rather hot at the moment!
    • Nose
      86 86
      initially very sharp on the nose with austere smoky smell of a freshly opened bottle. we´´ll have to wait!
      after a while it did not change significantly.
      autumnal smells of rotting leaves, damp earth, field fires. mossy notes too. and alcohol.
      we´ll need water: yes, it opens up a bit, the mossy notes are getting stronger, roasted hazelnuts, chocolate. quite austere! Another drop of water - even stronger moss.
    • Taste
      86 86
      dark honey, malt, faint smoke, roasted hazelnuts, chocolate. sour bread dough. It definitely needs water, very sharp and aggressive if you sip it neat.
    • Finish
      86 86
      medium, clean

  41. StyrianSpirit scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    That is, in the first experience, an absolute smell of smelling. Great. Meadow and hay meet on beach and sea surf. It is even spicier on the palate and on the finish.
    • Nose
      91 91
      Hay, grass, with time comes a light sweetness of unripe apricots. Erika on a dry meadow. Finally, the smoke announces a gentle fire from meadow hay and herbs. Lemon freshness. Already seductive.
    • Taste
      90 90
      In the mouth comes the island malt with neat smoke, which is now easy in the medical. Salt spray follows - not for nothing is Orkney almost across from Wick. The herbs are added later, the hay as well. The slightly damp meadow and the fruitiness of just unripe apricots are far from being as present as in the nose.
    • Finish
      89 89
      In the medium-length finale, this Orkney malt is as on the palate a ping-pong of the smoke, meadow hay and herbal flavors.

  42. malt_fan_06 scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    Ordinary stuff, but not anymore. Spirit driven, in spite of the Sherrytonne, in which he probably matured.
    But not fish nor meat: neither as clear and clean as many Bourbon HPs are still really warm-sherrytönig as the OAs are often. Purely too sharp, with water a tick better.
    But about 90 P? Not for me. Since I know many much better HPs ...
    • Nose
      88 88
      Fine maritime tones, some fine-drawn sherry, fudge, mineral. Rather restrained and not overly complex.
      Far too sharp.
      With water he opens something, hay and some heather come to it.
    • Taste
      87 87
      Pfeffrig and also noticeably alcoholic-hot in the beginning. Again an interplay of mineral and fine sherry notes.
      With water much rounder and much more accessible, good drinkable, but remains a rough, unpolished journeyman.
    • Finish
      86 86
      Dry, very mineral, salty, peppery, maritime.
      Gets sharper with water.

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