Whiskybase

Highland Park 30-year-old

Overall rating
91.73/100
votes
471
Whiskybase ID
WB317
Category
Single Malt
Distillery
Bottler
Distillery Bottling
Bottled
2007
Stated Age
30 years old
Strength
48.1 % Vol.
Size
700 ml 750 ml
Barcode
5010314058203
Added on
19 aug 2007 6:36 pm
Cask Strength
Highland Park 30-year-old
Photo by Whiskybase Shop
Highland Park 30-year-old
Photo by lincolnimp
Highland Park 30-year-old
Photo by Whiskybase Shop
Highland Park 30-year-old
Photo by brandyhill
Highland Park 30-year-old
Photo by TheOldBarrelhouse

Average value

€ 1770.51

Found 6 online shops. Lowest price:

€ 1250.00
gb Master of Malt £ 1500.00
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Whisky Reviews for Highland Park 30-year-old

87 users have left a review for this whisky and scored it an average of 91.73 points

  1. lincolnimp scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    This is the result of an HP tasting yesterday:-  

    1st -highland-park-30-year-old 48.1% 

    2nd - highland-park-30-year-old 45.7%  

    3rd highland-park-25-year-old 48.1%  

    4th - highland-park-25-year-old 45.7%  

    5th - highland-park-18-year-old 43%  

    6th - highland-park-21-year-old 47.5%  

    The 30 year 48.1% is the best but there is little between the 25 year and 30 year offerings.   The 18 year is good and better value than the 21 year.

  2. whiskydramo scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      92 92
      Heather, dried fruits, honey, juicy Mandarin orange, apples, smoky, earth.
      Bricks, dirt, malt, little bit of toffee twisted with citrus zest.
      Slowly I'm getting tobacco, more and more sherry wine.
      Cherry jam, dried figs, slightly salted huamei, English pear.
      Tea leaves from emptied glass.
    • Taste
      91 91
      Orange, thick honey, grass, apple, pepper.
      Slightly floral lingering, getting slightly more oily.
      Slightly earthy, dark chocolate, honey is still here.
    • Finish
      90 90
      Citrus zest. Earthy, smoke from wood, dark chocolate, light pepper, cinnamon, tobacco with a bit of mints and tannin.

  3. Lorion scored this whisky 94 points Expert Senior

    overwhelming. So complex, so intense, so good. 94 points.
    • Nose
      Enormously intense and full the nose presses open. First there is the oak. Aromatic, sherried and herbaceous. Eucalyptus emerges. It doesn't take long for overripe fruit to appear. Apple, orange, fig, apricot. Clearly fermented. Sweet caramel is mixed into this fruit compote. Brittle and trail mix. In the background are sherry-heavy wine aromas. After a while, the herbs come through again, this time with honey and cherries. And now - twenty minutes later - there's a faint, barely noticeable trail of smoke. Along with the flavoring, it's more smoked cheese than actual smoke. Dry Pipe Tobacco. Musty leather. Then peach. Incredibly interesting. Beguilingly aromatic.
    • Taste
      Very sweet but immediately accompanied by sparkling oak. Tobacco, orange concentrate, resin, fermented fruit, woody honey, a roller coaster ride. After swallowing, a nice bitterness slowly sets in, but still leaves enough room for the intense fruits and the sweet spice composition. The aftertaste is characterized by tobacco and baked apple. With more sips it becomes more herbal.
    • Finish
      Very long. Tobacco, fruit, dark chocolate . After minutes it gets drier.

  4. FineSpirits_butler1 scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    Very surprising HP for us.

    Sometimes this 30yo gets really impetuous! It seems to have a really strong character ...

    After the tasting I don't have the feeling that I got to know the whisky by now.

    Really looking forward to further tastings!

    Complex and demanding.

    Very good.

    Tasting with Armin Fuchs.
    • Nose
      Sweet tartness with jams and citrus emerge from the bottle.

      In the glass more jams at the beginning (currant, wild berries) but accompanied with strong and spicy Sherry casks.

      Dired heather and lots of blood oranges (meat and juice). Suddenly a peat wave wanders through the whisky and disappears again. These changes go on for at least 15 minutes - the peat comes really intense, tart and spicy, sometimes with some pear puree. The peat and the jams have some collisions as if they were fighting for the upper hand. Still quite 'nervous' and surprising until now.

      After some minutes there are more candied orange peels and hints of tart jams. Clear gooseberries now - with or without peat.

      Clear oak and salted and peppered cherries. Even some sea air with some 'peatwood'.

      Finally some settling is happening and sweet/spicy (pepper) raisins appear and very tart honey mixed into some alcohol (maybe (sparkling) wine or even something stronger).

      The peat doesn't 'cut' other aromas now and the quite wonderful spice mixtures can be now experienced coated by lemon juice and some oranges. Some upholstery and more and more dark chocolate from minute to minute. More interwoven now.

      Some barley from time to time, tart hazelnut cream, honey poured over cherries, spicy wood, hints of rum and honey cake.

      Not elegant, more rough and tart (maybe even rude at the beginning) and the HP character shows itself more on the spicy side.

      Later even some burnt caramel and hints of latte macchiato.

      Many spices such as mustard seeds and hints of cumin, etc.

      Unusual nose.
    • Taste
      Orange peels, pepper, wood, cherry juice and sweet cherry jam at the beginning.

      Then there come the old Sherry casks with something really 'old' such as scouring powder with an old cloth and some moving resin.

      Very dark chocolate, spiciness and tart leather.

      A lot of citrus and a lot of fire - really intense!

      Later some gooseberries again and tart fruit sweetnes.

      Peat and then spicy honey - getting sweet in a slow pace.

      Espresso powder, plum puree in a chocolate coat.

      Bread with dark jam.

      Charcoal and some bark, dark cognac and brandy beans.

      Finally there is the 'clear' HP character not only from the spiciness but overall!

      Nice oiliness.

      Dark and voluminous.
    • Finish
      Sherry casks with peat and a lot of spiciness.

      Tartness with orange peels and spice mixtures. Cherries, hints of woody vanilla.

      Cognac, brandy beans and a tart sweetness, later with pickled fruits.

      The feeling of honey.

      Then comes a wonderful coffee-chocolate with some tart leather and later joined by some peat. Some sourness from the wild berries, the wood has also some 'soft' components in all its spiciness (oaky).

      Getting dry late. Long and warm - slow finish (now more elegance but also a bit furry from the intensity of the huge palate).

      Chocolate bakery and later really dark chocolate with the mouthfeel of it - wonderful.

  5. LiquidThoughts scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    He is just mine again, on the one hand a little sweeter instead of bitter, but also a nice antidote in acid and teenage and a little dryness, dream part, I would drink every day if I could.
    • Nose
      Good Corner sweeter directly than the 2013er, has proper orange-ginger jam, blackberry jam, dark toffee, dark honey, cherry sweets, dried fruit, trail mix, cinnamon, rosemary, lavender, touch of noble herbal soap, white tea, roiboos, eucalyptus, light raisins, juicy pear , Plums, incense, honeydew melon
    • Taste
      Strong onset, dark honey flows, rose water, orange peel, white tea, light raisins, candied pear slices, plums, ginger, cardamom, baked apple, cinnamon, marzipan, leather, does not seem as overdried as 2013, fennel, grapefruit, slightly sweet, dark malt , Candle wax, waffles with apricot jelly
    • Finish
      Sweet, melon, green and red apple, now lighter malt, even light citric acid, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, tea, very long

  6. markjedi1 scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    This truly is a grand Highland Park, but unfortunately the price has become unreachable (to me, at least). I cannot afford 750 to 900 EUR for this bottle (it is not an Auchentoshan after all!). 
    • Nose
      Yes! That nose! Strike that. That Nose! Creamy and sweet on all kinds of dark and candied fruit – peach, apricots, sultana – with a good dollop of heather honey and a truckload of toffee. Add some brown sugar and beeswax, liquorice and milk chocolate. The whole if finished with some leather. This is simply magnificent and easily entertains you for a full 15 minutes. Delicious.
    • Taste
      On the palate it is quasi creamy and immediately pleasantly sweet, but with a trace of salt and a touch of smoke. Mildly drying as well. Quite spicy. The fruit from the nose reappears, but is somewhat overpowered by the spices, unfortunately. Nevertheless, it remains a grand malt, do not worry!
    • Finish
      You can easily call this a long finish, with sweet peat and dark fruit at the death.

  7. ovanpuyvelde scored this whisky 93 points Expert Senior

    Tasted it at a Highland Park VIP tasting at Whisky-Live in Spa (Belgium), February 4th 2018. I now tasted most of the standard range of this distillery and in the high range this 30-year-old is my favourite one. It beats the much more expensive 40-year-old in my opinion. The 25-year-old (first fill European oak) and especially the 40-year-old (refill European oak) are much more oak driven with peppery/woody notes, especially in the finish. The 30-year-old (refill American oak) is all about smoothness, call it EVERLASTING smoothness! A true delight and I’m happy to have one bottle at home.
    • Nose
      93 93
    • Taste
      94 94
    • Finish
      94 94

  8. alex..w..fan scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    22 23 23 23 91

    Great sherry whisky! Almost ideal!

  9. MrDvorak scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    The aroma contains expensive perfumery, burnt heather and persimmon. The flavor echoes the aroma, adding nuances of fruit pie and orange peel. In a long, almost endless finish, burnt herbs and southern bold raisins.

    A very multi-layered and complex history, the profile of the distillery is guessed by its nuances, one of the best thirty on the market.

    RATING: 92pts - | 90 - 92 (A-) → Excellent | - Here the golden pantheon begins.

  10. SAND scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    (Tasted blind)
    NOSE: Raisins, fruit cake, some orange zest. With more air come more fruits, both red and green. (89-90p)
    TASTE: Green apples, gooseberry jam, summer honey sweetness (90-91p)
    EXIT: Sweet fruit juice, lemon juice, sweet tannins, a touch of smoke. Long. (90-91p)
    SCORE: Very juicy, balanced and elegant. 90 points.

  11. wbarchive_875995 did not rate this whisky Expert Junior

    Deep perfume with nuances of dried flowers, honey, varnish, persimmon and burnt wood.

    RATING: 92pts - [n24,t22,f23,b23] → |90-92: Excellent|

  12. lincolnimp scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    I recently did a head to head HP 18, 21, 25 & 30 year but 25 &30 had both the 45.7% and 48.1% versions so 6 drams in all, the 30 year 48.1% won that H2H.

    Now I try the 30 year against the 40 year 48.3% and for me on taste alone the 40 year is way out in front, it is more complex, thicker on the palate with basically a perfectly weighted profile in my view.  I am not sure of the casks used but if similar the extra 10 years is telling. I have to say the 30 year is more vibrant, more fireworks on the palate its just the overall package of the 40 that wins by some distance.

    Now if you bring price into it, the gap narrows considerably.

  13. lincolnimp scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    I have already reviewed this from my last bottle but this is another bottle.

    I think the 48.1% original 2006 bottle is better than the 45,7% later version
    • Nose
      93 93
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      94 94

  14. dRambo scored this whisky 94 points Connoisseur

    Götterstoff - the first nose blind and you know immediately, something you get in early 2018 no more than 500 unfortunately. Very intense Malt - 1cl can easily 1hr until you understand him halfway - I'm sorry now, because the current prices are no longer affordable. Should you just pour in when you're alone at home - the woman came in grad and had a question - my answer came via SMS - I will not swallow it;)
    • Nose
      Cedar wood, honey, orange peel, finely interwoven strongly degraded smoke, fine fruity Sherry sweetness with tobacco and leather, above all - ripe sweet old fragrant lemon, oak with fine aniseed, jasmine flowers, orange blossom, green tea, rose water. If it lasts longer also darker notes of plum jam, orange marmalade and a lot of nutmeg and tobacco come.
    • Taste
      Flower nectar, old sugared lemon - somehow crystalline, red groats with juicy spinach, nutmeg, delicate leather notes - astringent - but not dry oak - with some wax, lemon, some anise, a hint of licorice - so mouth-filling - so perfect and detailed without the big and to be particularly complex in this single aspect - here still the time stands for me and it is 70s party Lemon, orange marmalade, something - rather a hint of cigarette ash, more leather and a lot of tobacco - dance with dried dates and figs, laurel leaves, birch sap and beeswax alternately on the tongue
    • Finish
      sweet, citrus and orange oil, beautiful soft but aromatic complex oak spices, chocolate and nuts, also tart notes from bark to tree sap - very long and very varied

  15. FineSpirits_butler1 scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    Re-Review after some tastings - now the character is developed ...
    • Nose
      93 93
    • Taste
      94 94
    • Finish
      94 94

  16. KayMeertens scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      Plum, marzipan, spice, toffee, apricot, peat, leather, cherry and strawberry.
    • Taste
      Plum, leather, peat, spice, strawberry and marzipan.
    • Finish
      Strawberry, plum, peat, marzipan, leather, caramel and pepper.

  17. lincolnimp scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      94 94
    • Finish
      94 94

  18. lincolnimp scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    This is still my favourite HP, it is better than the much vaunted 25yr 50.7 IMHO, however that may be because it is by character more mellow than that particular 25 which is why i like it better.
    • Nose
      Notes from February 2009.
       
       
    • Taste
      Dark toffee, orange, sherry, fruity, heathery undertones.
    • Finish
      Long, warming, very mellow for its strength. quite sweet.

  19. FineSpirits_butler1 scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      93 93

  20. iDad scored this whisky 96 points Member Senior

    It is complex without overburdening - near perfect. (maybe as it gets). Perfectly aged, perfectly balanced. 
    • Nose
      Sweet, Christmas at grandmas  (the one you wished you had) a hint of chimney fire and butter biscuits - vanilla, rum, cinnamon, clove but also some racier spices - hard to name them all - a quarter mile downwind an oriental bazaar fruity tea, sweetened with wild honey in your hand, dry sand and dried flowers around somewhere... A dream.
    • Taste
      It gives to you exactly what its smell promise in the mouth. And more. A little sea-salt and chocolate  - in fact more tha one a whole spectrum from darkest to white. 
    • Finish
      Warm and dry, the taste stays and ever more tastes and memories come to end a perfect indulcence.

  21. markjedi1 scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    Wow, the 18, 21, 25 and now the 30 Year Old. It keeps
    getting better. Unfortunately, this is the end of the line for me, for I cannot
    afford the 40 and 50 Year Old (hint, hint). This is certainly one of the best Highland Park I have had
    the good fortune to try.
    • Nose
      Oh, God, what a great nose! Very creamy and sweet on
      honey and heather like we are used to from HP, but with loads of extras. In no
      particular order: brown sugar (cassonade graeffe), peach, beeswax, vanilla,
      liquorice, Orkney peat, milk chocolate, biscuit, mint, aniseed, toffee,
      apricots, leather, nutmeg. I could go on. I think the word complex was invented
      to describe this nose.
    • Taste
      Very creamy on the palate with the same fruit as on
      the nose and more. Everything comes back and is upholstered with dried fruit
      like raisins and dades, but also figs and oranges. Make that orangettes. A
      great whiff of smoke and briny element. Yep, my night is made. The oak makes it
      slightly drying, but not disturbing in the least.
    • Finish
      Wonderfully long finish op spices, peat and all the
      sweetness your heart desires.

  22. zzqfyl scored this whisky 92 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      93 93
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      91 91

  23. hyc scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    Smell ---------------------- 93
    taste--------------------93
    End rhyme--------------------92

  24. Malan scored this whisky 96 points Member Senior

    A dream... !

  25. Seele scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    N ginger juice, honey, plums, medium sherry, caramel, some spices, burning herbs
    T is round in the mouth, but the wine is sticky, berries, a little floral, star anise, with a hint of pepper in the back?
    The F is very long, and the light pepper and smoke flavors are very delicious. It is a wine that blends well. After drinking, the mouth is full of saliva. The medium-severe sherry and the style of the plateau are very good.
    • Nose
      93 93
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      92 92

  26. saothangbay scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      93 93
    • Finish
      92 92

  27. lipphi scored this whisky 92 points Expert Junior

    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      92 92

  28. Funtik scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    22.5 22.5 22.5 22.5

  29. mihatozzz scored this whisky 95 points Expert Junior

    A stunning whisky, deep and multifaceted, very gentle and delicate, a wonderful example of age-related "sherry"

  30. Thermidor scored this whisky 92 points Connoisseur

    This is the epitome of sherry HP. It tastes quite produced or managed, in that it's a sleek thing with nary a flaw nor an odd note that would add some personality, but it doesn't bother me, since the end product is just so fine.
    The nose is sometimes almost like an old sherried Glenfarclas with its gingerbread notes, but then the HP peat reminds you this is a bit more robust affair than what they do over there.
    I would not see myself paying the price of a full bottle these days, but buying and drinking one of those minis they bottled at the same % in 2011is something I recommend for any whisky fan.

    Tasted with HP 12yo 2018 (83 pts.), HP 25yo bot. 1995 (91), and HP 25yo bot. 2006 (92).

  31. dram_on scored this whisky 90 points Expert Junior

    I opened my bottle on Christmas night, and so this is a review of my first dram. I do expect it to get better, potentially a 92/93-er. I let my dram sit for an hour before trying and reviewing. It's very strange to find a whisky where the scores improve from nose to finish. I do need to clean my palate for my next dram as I had spicy food for dinner.
    • Nose
      87 87
      I didn't get much but maybe my nose was malfunctioning tonight ...
    • Taste
      91 91
      Caramel, honey, some smoke, salt, peanuts, not quite milk but not quite dark chocolate, burnt bread, oranges, malty
    • Finish
      92 92
      Very long, medium mouthfeel while in the mouth but super oily once the whisky goes down

  32. pere scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    A very good Highland Park. Better than the 40yo https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/1706/
    • Nose
      Sherry sweetness, wood, honey, heather, spices, sweet fruits, ginger, cardamom.
    • Taste
      Sweet, oak, toffee, spices, fruity, still quite fresh.
    • Finish
      Exotic fruits, oak, spices, a hint of pepper, very long and smooth, good balance and not too oaky.

  33. MarvinJL did not rate this whisky Member Junior

    Very very good Highland park. Never too late to hv gotten a dram. Better than current HP30 and 25.
    • Nose
      96 96
    • Taste
      97 97
    • Finish
      96 96

  34. TsiAI scored this whisky 91 points Expert Senior

    Eyes: dark amber
    Nose: Peach flesh Peach flesh Peach flesh is completely ripe juicy peach, followed by baking flavor, walnut pie, walnut pouch. The sweetness is medium to high, maple syrup, fleshy fruit, some dried and preserved fruit, the sherry bucket is quite obvious. From the middle, the feeling of fermentation and aging becomes stronger, while the smell becomes dry. Orange peel, crushed thyme, nectar, aroma wood, roasted wheat. The taste of the late stage fermented tea (black tea, Pu'er) is extremely obvious
    Palate: The sweet fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus, green tea, muskmelon and apricot kernels. The bitterness was obvious from the beginning. Then came the messy kitchen spices (similar to cinnamon, cloves, thyme, cumin), fermented tea cakes and tangerine peel. There are also incense wood like black smell, black cleverness, orange peel and dust. At the end are maple syrup, cinnamon bread, brown sugar cubes, and nectar.
    Body: Medium-thick wine body, smooth and dexterous, slightly sticky, with tannins. The oiliness is impeccable.
    Finish: long, like the residual feeling after drinking a bite of grapeseed oil, old-fashioned dessert, orange peel, orange petals, 100% black, woody spices

    Nose: 91/100
    Palate: 92/100
    Finish: 91/100
    Body: 91/100

    Overall: 91/100
    If the weight is light, it is as clever as Hailanpa 12, with a burst of flowers and fruits, but it is more long and winding. For the bitterness, I just thought it was not dealt with before. Now I think it may be part of the flavor. I personally prefer citrus peel (bitterness & aroma)

  35. RossMcNeil did not rate this whisky Member Junior

    True Classic.
    • Nose
      97 97
    • Taste
      96 96
    • Finish
      96 96

  36. PP_Takeda did not rate this whisky Member Junior

    N- 96
    P- 97
    F- 96

  37. Hirado47 did not rate this whisky Newbie

    N: 96
    P: 97
    F: 96

  38. miguelangelo did not rate this whisky Newbie

    N- 98
    T- 97
    F- 97
    Really good HP. Top among other 30s of similar profiles.

  39. pianoman scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      Very elegant and aromatic with a great depth. Juicy oranges, some beeswax and water mint. Honey. Exotic grasses. Apricots, honeydew melon. Dark chocolate. A hint of cinnamon, a hint of woodruff.
    • Taste
      Oily, spicy. Oranges, blossom honey on fresh toast. Some white pepper. Apricots, grapefruit. Roasted pine nuts. Dark chocolate, Darjeeling tea. A trace of aromatic smoke.

  40. ConvalRen scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      93 93
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      95 95

  41. IIIZIII scored this whisky 94 points Expert Senior

    A definite winner over the 25 Yo
    • Nose
      Lots of chocolate, brown sugar, almost no peat. The peat mellowed out completely and very much integrated. Caramellized apple, vanilla, no alcohol on the nose. Peat and bread, freshly made crispy bread. As it mellows out the chocolate takes over.
    • Taste
      A little milky finish, malty, sweet and a slight bitterness. No alcohol bite, barely warming compared to the abv.
      Amazingly aromatic fruits.
    • Finish
      Long finish, mainly with those chocolate covered raisins

  42. HwiskyNut scored this whisky 93 points Connoisseur

    3334'93 - blind test (thanks IMP)

  43. Baanaanaabob scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    Toffee orange caramel jam honey Christmas cake, this is excellent

  44. penumbra scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      Sweet orange peel, heather, frozen lemon cheese, cream cheese, sweet corn, freshly ripe cherries and blackberries, cinnamon, cigar ash, activated charcoal, sea salt, orange-flavored soft cookies, almond cookies, honey cake, caramel macchiato, Many spices.
    • Taste
      Many ripe berries, fresh figs, florals, custard mousse made with petals, oak soaked with honey, coffee grounds, nutmeg, delicate smoke, a little pepper and ginger.
    • Finish
      Long, hazelnut, pomace brandy, chocolate hard bread.

  45. AlexBonoGreen scored this whisky 93 points Member Senior

    The HP 30YO is one of the finest samples of aged Molts. The rare case when some hitch at the start of the aroma results in the most perfect expression on the palate and the longest sustain in the magical aftertaste. Dense, thick aroma was almost the weakest link in this whisky. The fragrance lacked depth and layering. The taste is just bombay, aftertaste is beyond praise.
    There is a canvas, but at the same time, the stages of whisky are not boring, and all this is perfectly balanced. Bravo HP! EVALUATION: 93 (22.5, 24, 23.5, 23)
    • Nose
      90 90
      Bold yellow raisins, sweet sherry aroma, tobacco, in the first plume are branded Orkney peat with coastal notes, ozone and heather sweetness, which, however, quickly evaporate. A bookcase, slightly dusty, overripe persimmon, a bag of well-dried potatoes. There are even a few medical nuances, photo processing reagents, red-hot asphalt, dried greens, dates in stunning Belgian dark chocolate. While the flavor is playing, but not exciting. I remember that HP25 struck with its harmony. Let's wait for the disclosure ...
      Only in 30 minutes, as the theory says, the aroma came to the active phase. The spring clicked, and the snuffbox opened ... Or rather, a humidor with expensive cigars, light smoke, medicinal herbs, decoctions of them, tar, coffee caramel, tart aroma of flowers in the front garden at the height of the heat.
      The aroma is resistant to water, the picture has almost not changed, if only a few shades and accents have changed, they have shifted in the direction of aged port wine and cigars. 22.5! I was waiting for more, to be honest. Many components, but they do not capture. It happens, you have only stars in your team, but the team does not play. A little lacked the depth inherent in this age.
    • Taste
      94 94
      Taste is an elastic, ethereal substance that lies on the tongue with a ball of mercury and gives a stunning background. Here and ripe candied pears, and prunes, and notes of sherry, red port wine, delicious smoke envelops the palate. Many different candied fruits, sweet cherry, as if linden (honey), herbs.
      There are a few perfumes and wax nuances in a tannin tree cloud, but this can hardly prevent you from enjoying the taste. This is the whisky that does not want to swallow, it is amazing in consistency. 24!
    • Finish
      94 94
      The finish is deep, tannin. The feeling that the receptors absorbed the aroma and taste of whisky, they, like memorex, remember the imprint of a mercury ball). Tobacco, cigar smoke, dried fruit, prunes and candied pear and peach, and shades of raspberry at the end create a magical finish.
      23.5! Very wise aftertaste!

  46. waal scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    Aroma / Nose feeling:
    As hoped and expected, the Orkney malt scores immediately after pouring with very gentle, pleasant tones. Malt, nuts, vanilla, dried hay, wild-herb tea are accompanied by gentle smoke. The 30-year-old also captivates with delicate sweetness, old leather and at the same time with some of citrus freshness, which even makes the old malt a little bit fresh (ignoring for a few moments the predominantly noticeable age).
    The nose suggests a creamy scotch that looks very harmonious and dignified. Honey, orange and light pepper alternate and give a very complex overall picture. Rounded by a slight mineral impression, vanilla sauce with caramel pieces, candied fruit, suddenly very present coconut, milk chocolate and candy.
    94/100

    Taste / mouthfeel:
    No no no! I feared it. The first sip - so disappointing! I taste almost nothing. Extremely watery and peppery. Was that it?
    I taste oranges and the single malt gets a bit bitter. Little vanilla, a bit of malt and a lot of exhausted barrel announce my taste buds. Over time, the Highland Park is sweeter. In addition to some leather, for me it is mainly the oak that stands out.
    I read other notes and compare with my impressions. I can not understand. Does not seem to be my day, because of the 25yo I was so excited ...
    86/100

    Finish / aftertaste / Length:
    The acid gets stronger, which is not really appreciated by me. The mineral impression glides from the taste in the medium to long finish over and is accompanied by tart, herbaceous notes. Unripe pear, green wood and old camembert may sound worse here than the flavors actually taste.
    Again, I compare with other notes. Huh? Do I have something different in the glass?
    The finish I like better than the warm taste.
    87/100

    Overall impression / comment:
    I need another sample of this 30yo and have to reaffirm or disprove my impression on another day. Somehow I am confused. After all, I started from "a bank".
    Today the 30yo was too weak for me and in the watery, herbaceous taste it loses me too much compared to the nose.
    If I did not analyze but enjoy, then the Malt would be a welcome guest in the glass. Especially the nose is worth to enjoy this single malt. So wonderful multi-layered aromas and this mature impression. Right, really nice. Basically, the taste and the finish is really fine, but not really complex for today. But this should not give the all-encompassing quality / rating a broken leg. That's why…

    Points:
    (benevolent) 89/100
    • Nose
      94 94
    • Taste
      86 86
    • Finish
      87 87

  48. gallfux did not rate this whisky Expert Senior

    Really beautiful and damn delicious malt.
    • Nose
      At first an adhesive note. I think so for a few minutes. After a few minutes, it has completely disappeared and gives way to an aromatic oak. Some nutmeg. The fresh flower meadow of the 18ers is more discreet here. The malt is set. Then comes sweetie. Dried apricots. Forest honey, caramelized mirabelle plums. Marzipan. The smoke is very restrained.
    • Taste
      Wow. Immediately a mix of sweetness and spice. Toffee. Apricot compote. Sweet orange juice. Then it gets spicier and the oak comes on. It gets pepperier and tingles. Now also drier. Leather. The smokiness is as well as in the nose very withdrawn.
    • Finish
      Nuts. Oak. White coffee. Amazingly little bitterness.

  49. ctu scored this whisky 92 points Connoisseur

    The best HP I've ever tasted. Wonderful balances and essential tastes.
    • Nose
      Refined, complex and deep. Exotic fruits, honey, antique leather, raisin and milk caramel.
    • Taste
      Creamy. It's similar to the nose, but with more spices, vividly acids and a touch of salt.
    • Finish
      Long, sweet, creamy, peaty.

  50. WhiskyBjorn83 scored this whisky 84 points Expert Senior

    06-08-2017
    • Nose
      79 79
      smoke, sherry
    • Taste
      88 88
      fruits, butter
    • Finish
      90 90
      sherry, smoke, a bit oily

  51. DenisLeonov scored this whisky 94 points Connoisseur

    Balance sheet 23 Tasty to the point of disgrace! 94 Empty glass of wine smells of tea leaves
    • Nose
      Wow! Great! Exotic fruits, grass, a little peat, some spices (a hint), honey, sweet orange, not washed animal, berry pie, wax, I swam ... dried apricots ... 24
    • Taste
      Wax and cinnamon, wood.
    • Finish
      Finish spicy, dry, salty ... smoke ... dried fruits 24

  52. dRambo scored this whisky 94 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      96 96
    • Taste
      95 95
    • Finish
      95 95

  53. Calmar scored this whisky 95 points Connoisseur

    A brilliant sample of island whisky, restrained, but superdeep and endlessly opening aroma, the taste / finish is more likely to be taken up - very dignified, calmly and without unnecessary fuss plunging you into the depths and climbing to the tops - great; In comparison with the modern version (45.7%) of the 30-year-old is more sherry, wet, more spiritual than that, the masterpiece is uniquely ... covered ... as old man Valantin said ...- please call the anti-maltoporn brigade !!
    • Nose
      Restrained, moist, raw wood, old furniture made of mahogany, furniture varnish, honey notes, something like buckwheat; polish, engine oil, old leather goods, the lightest shades of lemon peel, caramel, burnt sugar, slightly dried mushrooms and prunes, rye rusks;
    • Taste
      Thick, oily, sweet, lacquer-oak with prunes of prunes; kvas wort, kaleidoscope of lacquer halftones.
    • Finish
      Spicy, warming, dried fruits, pu er, prunes, a little cola, kvass, spicy oak, long, slightly astringent.

  54. lachaineduwhisky did not rate this whisky Expert Senior

    Enthusiasm: Nose and finish: 5/5 Mouth 4/5
    Whisky n ° 1447
    • Nose
      Rich, intense, perfumed - solvent limit at first. Sherry and grapes, then red fruit jam. Fugitive note of exotic fruits. Where is the peat? Creme brulee. Relief, dynamic. Deep on the toffee. Leather. Superb.
    • Taste
      Spicy, very spicy even, but lacks a little kick and complexity paradoxically, compared to what the nose suggests. Fade, with a beautiful texture.
    • Finish
      What a finale! Generously spicy and honeyed, with a slight bitterness very appreciable.

  55. славон scored this whisky 91 points Member Senior

    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      91 91

  56. Andytka3 scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

    N-
    Green kumquat, lifted vanilla, soothing cool breeze of floral. Mellow,
    full, solid and profound. Need breathing time for the aroma to open up.

    P- Honey, refined fruits of dried fig, plum, apricot. Perhaps some honey, and peppery. Very delicate.

    F- Long, very smooth with obvious honey. Creamy spice coating, sweet and peppery. Lasting liquorice.
    — at The Whisky Bar, Kuala Lumpur.
    • Nose
      90 90
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      93 93

  57. Imp scored this whisky 94 points Connoisseur

    Head to head comparison with HP 25 yo 48.1% - http://madmaxhwisky.blogspot.com/2016/11/highland-park-25-yo-481-vs-highland.html 

  58. Deloti scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    Good dram - 4cl sample
    • Nose
      Typical expected peat, toffee, flower pollen, sherry, raisins.  
    • Taste
      Bittersweet. Honey, pepper, salt, nutmeg, baked apples, rubber. Simplistic but quite balanced. 
    • Finish
      Long and very dry on white pepper, oak, ashes and spices

  59. nico2711 scored this whisky 99 points Member Senior

    • Nose
      100 100
    • Taste
      100 100
    • Finish
      100 100

  60. Armin Fuchs scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    Tasting with FineSpirits_butler1 on 6. January 2016.

    The bottle is opened now for a few months -

    now the character is complete and very satisfying - great!
    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      93 93
    • Finish
      93 93

  61. WhiskyLovingPianist scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    N: It’s a dense malt that understandably needs time. A gloriously varnished & polished dram, powerful yet controlled. Notes are on buttery-heather-honey, caramel~mocha with dried orange notes, cloves and cinnamon wood. With water it’s more fruity and woody. The sherry influence is clear with minimal peat. Not overly complex but beautiful.

    T: Ooh yes, there it is - old oak. Arrives beautifully. That aged pedigree brings lots of ripe fruits, in a style so synonymous with vintage G&M bottling from the 60’s & 70’s. One big difference though is this is no slack 40%’er, this is bottled at ‘craft strength’. With water, it’s a thick, sweet, dense, woody malt which becomes so squidgy you could almost take a bite. An hour later and the richness of this ‘vatting’ is clear. it’s calibre surges through with the spirit, ‘oaked’ to perfection in my book. In my experience, 30 years seems optimal for the HP distillate and this is a prime example. Becomes a touch oily/briny into the finish

    F: Soft and sweet, vanilla, caramel and toffee, a little more orange,… & toffee ice-cream and more heather honey. Its not a long finish but a graceful one. Some of the most beautifully behaved casks you’ll likely to find in one ‘collection’. Theres no indication of batch size but there can’t be many [if any] ‘duffers’.

    C: So lets recap: beautiful, glorious, optimal, graceful,…. all true and yet uncannily it doesn’t excite me. It even becomes a tad predictable [sacrilege i know], which is fortunate though [for my wallet] because it currently carries a price tag of £495 [Dec ’15]. And to think it was £190 only two years ago, and much less a year before that. But when all is said and done, this is seriously good malt.

    Scores an A-

  62. dram-drinker scored this whisky 91 points Photo Moderator

    This 30yo is bit dryer than the 25yo thus I prefer the 25yo a bit over this 30yo and the 25yo is even just half the price.

  63. mds51 scored this whisky 95 points Connoisseur

    The best Highland Park I've tasted so far, a poem from a malt.
    • Nose
      Oranges, heather, wild honey, apricots, plums, cherries, toffee, a touch of salt, soft cake, limes, blackberries, freshly cut cereal from the field, aromatic oak, dark chocolate
    • Taste
      Instantly puts a grin on your face. Syrup-like, sweetness, oranges, cherries, plums, subtle smoke (very subtle), a light spiciness, nutmeg, cinnamon, gingerbread.
    • Finish
      The sweetness gives way to the barrel, as well as the 2013 30-year-old.
      The bitter notes from the barrel come to the fore, coffee and dark chocolate emerge and form an incessant finish.

  64. franpincoffee did not rate this whisky Expert Senior

    http://whiskycast.com/ratings/highland-park-30/

    The nose is full of figs, honey, and plums, and the honey notes continue on the taste with a touch of cinnamon, hints of smoke, and a wisp of lemon zest. The honey’s still there on the finish, along with a light touch of smoke and mild spiciness. If Winnie the Pooh were a Scotch drinker, this is the whisky he’d drink…

  65. Wild Thing scored this whisky 96 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      98 98
    • Taste
      96 96
    • Finish
      97 97

  66. Armin Fuchs scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    As FineSpirits_butler1 wrote:

    got as a 'service' of a very kind barkeeper in Tokyo …

    some day in the future more about this Whisky!

    (Bottling for Japan)
    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      91 91

  67. FineSpirits_butler1 scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    Had a quick single dram with Armin Fuchs some weeks ago.

    First impressions were very good and I'm looking forward to it being opened and tasted carefully.

  68. Ciro scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      91 91
    • Finish
      92 92

  69. talyn256 did not rate this whisky Member Senior

    Refined and restrained with the flavours coming out slowly and gently. A quiet sipper and contemplater for special occasions.
    • Nose
      Grassy and gristy, with honey-roast ham, sultanas and sea-spray. Some herbs and spices as well: cardamom, paprika, thyme, and mint.
    • Taste
      Barley candy, spiced honey, tinned peaches with cinnamon; leading to a smoky mix of cacao, tobacco leaf and burnt coffee.
    • Finish
      Very long and oaky with toasted hazelnuts.

  70. iDad scored this whisky 96 points Member Senior

    • Nose
      98 98
    • Taste
      96 96
    • Finish
      97 97

  71. WhiskyCask did not rate this whisky Member Senior

    Here are my detailed tasting notes on the HP 30:
    http://maltandoak.com/two-30-year-old-highland-parks-wow-and-wower/

  72. Achany scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

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

  73. GlenGabriel scored this whisky 94 points Expert Junior

    • Nose
      96 96
    • Taste
      95 95
    • Finish
      94 94

  74. iDad scored this whisky 96 points Member Senior

    One of my all time favourites, in my opinion ist comes very close to the perfect whisky. It has all the positive connotations of age without feeling old. It has complexity paired with harmony.
    • Nose
      98 98
    • Taste
      96 96
    • Finish
      98 98

  75. Noface83 scored this whisky 92 points Specialist

    • Nose
      94 94
    • Taste
      91 91
    • Finish
      92 92

  76. Wild Thing scored this whisky 96 points Expert Senior

    One of my sweetheart. Maybe even "dearest"
    • Nose
      A wonderful blend of sherry and sweet honey. Oranges, apricots. Chocolate and nuts. Vanilla and caramel, old leather. Light smoke and some oak.
    • Taste
      Very spicy and creamy. Oranges, apricots, caramel and sherry have a light salt note and a hint of citrus. Above all lies fine smoke.
    • Finish
      Long and spicy with a hint of nuts and some smoke.

  77. Whisky Viking scored this whisky 90 points Member Senior

    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      93 93

  78. Aetius scored this whisky 91 points Expert Senior

    Very well balanced, but somewhat shallow and not very complex. Well rounded, but just a bit dull.
    • Nose
      Fruity, lemony and strong oak notes dominate, with hints of toffee, vanilla and burned sugar. A surprisingly floral touch for a 30 y.o. whisky!
    • Taste
      Sweetness and fruit, fruit and sweetness, slightly burned or toasted at the edges, and with a strong side of oak.
    • Finish
      It finished as it started, and the oakiness, sweetness and lemony fruitness are still there in the finish.

  79. pilgrim77 scored this whisky 91 points Expert Senior

    Incredible nose...mixing sweet honey with rich sherry. Soft tropical fruits hide in the background, but disappear when a drop of water is added. Warm and spicy on the palate, with a long softly smoked finish. Water brought out additional bitterness on the palate. I preferred this one neat, with no water at all (a rarity for me). A true elder statesman of the whisky world that doesn`t disappoint. 
    • Nose
      94 94
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      92 92

  80. zinaf scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    great whisky. unfortunately I had to rush it and could not tasted at home in a quite environment - whisky fest sofia 2012.
    • Nose
      oranges; sweet; later lots of nutts; dried apricots; dark chocolate - all this goes round and round in circles.

      water - no change
    • Taste
      it's got some bite this oldie. really coating the mouth; very nice indeed; 

      touch of salt, citrus, handful of spices but not dominating - elegant. 

      sweetness

      time - spices, nutmeg, 

      20+min - the wood becomes much louder - much more spices come to the fore.
    • Finish
      lingering on nuts; touch of spices

  81. Drochaid scored this whisky 92 points Connoisseur

    Tasting NotesAppearance:Natural colour; dark red golden, clear and brightNose:Very rich, mature oak; chocolate; fudgePalate:Full, rich burst of flavour; soft honey; nutty toffeeFinish:Rich, long and surprisingly sweet for its age

    Highland Park 30 Year Old merits time and attention. It has
    spent 30 years maturing so treat it with respect; you` ll discover the
    characteristic fudge sweetness together with complex aromatic spices and
    dark chocolate orange. It has a drying finish, leaving a gentle smoky
    flavour and a mildly salty aftertaste - the result of 30 years ageing in
    the Orkney sea spray.
    http://www.highlandpark.co.uk/the-tasting-room/core-expressions/30-year-old

  82. Cast Olila scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      90 90
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      90 90

  83. GLEN MAUR scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

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

  84. saintjimmy scored this whisky 92 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      Dark chocolade, burnt sugar, honey and soft smoke.
    • Taste
      Full bodied, very spicy. Liquorice. Burnt sugar develops towards toffee and caramel. 
    • Finish
      very long. Getting a bit bitter at the end.

  85. mmaclean did not rate this whisky Connoisseur

    "Until the arrival of the 40yo, this was the ne plus ultra of the

    standard range of proprietary bottlings from Highland Park. A whisky of

    extraordinary depth and intensity of flavour.
    Whisky Bible 2010: Best Single Malt (28-34 Years); 95.5 Points"
    TWE

  86. Bachess scored this whisky 88 points Administrator

    A bit nervous for such an old whisky. I also tasted some lemon hints that I didn`t expected.
    A long and peppery finish.
    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      89 89

  87. Feusi scored this whisky 92 points Connoisseur

    Chocolate, caramel with refreshing citrus, oily orange notes. Heavy and oily feelings remain very positive and long on the palate. Sweet and very long finish, slightly smoky notes.

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