Research Rant

A sign of the times, perhaps. :)

Newsgroup vitriol aside; I share your zeal for Highland Park and research, so I truly enjoyed the data that you were so kind to amass and share. Thanks! As a curious aside, your post prompted me to find and re-read an article about "a statistical classification of single malts" that I happened across, and was truly fascinated by, several years ago...

(yes, I realize that this is way hard-core, and I probably need to get out more)

I am now left to wonder to how (very?) much the conclusions may have differed, had JM's appraisals been used as the "dataset", as opposed to MJ's?

A weighty matter, perhaps best pondered over a Highland Park.

Bill T.

Hardcore?!?! Fig 1 looks the NCAA basketball tourney brackets after a dozen scotches, not to mention some peyote. :)

All joking aside, some of this article looks interesting. Will have to check it out when my brain can handle it.

Thx.

BFB NYC

Both wrong. It's an 83.

Sad underestimates. It's a 94.

Better, but still an underestimate. It, too, is a 94.

Sad overestimates. Mine was an 81.

I can never make up my mind either on these ones.

Bladnoch? Does anybody drink Bladnoch??

This whisky doesn't exist. And if it did, it would be perfumey.

FINALLY the experts are correct. Or at least one expert. It is a 69.

Just because it is 17 years old doesn't mean you have to give it a score between 86 and 93.

Both correct. Freshly opened bottle and first time you've ever had it:

1. Bottle opened for more than two weeks: 72.

I just don't understand how people keep rating this will'o'the'wisp in the

80's and 90's.

Imagine. A malt I haven't had.

Imagine. Another malt I haven't had. Apparently, the raters haven't either, and they are making it up as they go along.

If it's the first single malt you've ever tried, then the 91 is correct. If you've tried other single malts, then the 79 is correct.

If you average the scores, then the resulting 85 is perfectly accurate.

Wait a second. WHICH of the Glenfarclas 12yr bottlings are they referring to??? My scores range between 75 and 97.

rsv Speyside 78 92 Glenlossie 10yr Speyside 76 91 Glenmorangie 10yr Highland 80 94 Glen Moray 12yr Speyside 75 91 Glen Scotia 14yr Campbelltown 87 90 Glen Scotia SMWS cask Campbelltown - 94 Highland Park 12yr Highland 90 92 Highland Park 18yr Highland 92 95 (Knockdhu) AnConc 12yr Speyside 76 90 Lagavulin 12yr Islay 89 92 Lagavulin

16yr Islay 95 88 Lagavulin Dist. Ed. Islay 95 86 Laphroig 10yr Islay 86 90 Laphroig 10yr cask str Islay 88 93 Linkwood 12yr Speyside 83 90 Longmorn 15yr Speyside 87 93 Macallan 12yr Speyside 91 77 Macallan 15yr Speyside 92 Macallan 18yr (by year) Speyside 94 88 (Springbank) Longrow 13yr Spey-sherry - 91 Springbank 10yr Campbelltown 88 90 Talisker 10yr Skye 90 86 Talisker Dist. Ed. Skye 90 87...

The Highland Park I'm having right now is indeed good. Bravo, experts!!!

I've got 4 bottles of the Voyage and it is definitely a 90+ dram. While I don't doubt the existence of FWP, I have never encountered it myself .

While I don't doubt the existence of FWP, I have never encountered it myself .

Prove it! (i.e., mail me one)

Spec's in Houston carries it, as well as Wine on 9 in Howell, NJ. The best you'll get from me is a picture!!

The important thing is that you've remained humble. Just out of curiosity, which malts do you consider worthy of the 90s echelon (other than the couple you mentioned)? And what's wrong with Craggenmore? It is quite suitable to my layperson palette. Oh, and I quite agree with your (general) assessment of a'bunadh. Finally, does ANYONE dislike Highland Park?!

John

I don't dislike it. It's very drinkable, very classy. But I find myself thinking it would be even better with some extra peat and smoke, or with some Islaydine around the edges, or some other strong distinguishing flavor or aroma. I like malts best that make the palate sit up and take notice, rather than soothing it. So the thing that makes Highland Park so widely appreciated is precisely what makes it fall a little short for me. There's no edge, no sense of adventure. As I said, I like it. But I always turn to something pungent from Islay afterwards.

bill

Only those who don't like whisky at all :-)

"Bill Van" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@news.telus.net...

I agree. At least if we speak about the 12 years old. (Haven't had the older ones). As i ventured to say a few months ago here: I think it's a bit overrated. Higland Park 12 has a little bit of everything, but in my opinion it has too little of too much; no clear direction, no definite style. Yes, I like it too, but it's the one on my shelf that I usually pass by...

Gunnar

curiosity, which malts do you consider worthy of the 90s echelon.

I was trying a lot harder to be silly than humble, actually, but my deep humility must somehow have shone to the fore. And seriously--I really appreciate the time you took to show how vastly the expert ratings differ from one another. It makes numbers look ridiculous, so I figured I would fit right in.

In the same vein, I also ambivalently agree with Karl Atkinson that Highland Park IS kind of boring. Last night it was great, and I appreciate its consistent finesse--but last night I had had my first whisky in over a month, so everything was 90'sville. Still--much greater last night than the Highland Park was the Ardbeg 10, by the way! I've had this same Highland Park 12 at different instances and found it forgettable, but then again my memory isn't what it used to be.

Ironically--the third whisky I had last night meets perfectly Bill's specifications for: a Highland Park "with some extra peat and smoke, or with some Islaydine around the edges". It is the Ardbeg Uigedail! The Uigedail is delicate and sherried-mellow--in mouthfeel it is very much like Highland Park, with just an accent of that characteristic Ardbeg islaydine around the edge.

It sounds ideal, but unfortunately, the Uigedail too, is boring, in its own particular way. I'm serious. I picked it up this summer along with a couple Caol Ilas, and I kept sampling it and sampling waiting for the fireworks for this rare and highly anticipated whisky--but the Caol Ila 19 I also got was far more convincing. The peat in this particular Uigedail is a bit light, and though the flavors start out a complex combination of mellow warmth and island character, before long the flavor dissolves into in a kind of inert sherry-dullish finish that is unsatisfying, for me. This is true across repeated tastings in comparison with a variety of other whiskies. The Uigedail comes on promisingly (though lightly) in the peaty character department, and stays really tantalizing for a bit if you really slap it around the palate, but before too long the confused, almost tacky finish lifts it up by the scruff of the neck and drops it straight out of the vaunted 90's echelon. The Highland Park 12, by comparison, is really more assertive in its inimitable pretty heathery style--and lingers to a more consistent finish.

As Ardbegs go, I would much rather have the Ardbeg 10 on hand than this Uigedail--the 10 it is loaded with bright, pleasurable peat power and complexity that lasts and lasts. And it is LOTS cheaper.

Oh--90's whiskies!!!!!! I'm sure we each have our own--and your comparison, John, shows just how correct each one of us actually is. Recent ones are:

the Ardbeg 10 a Glenfarclas first-fill sherry cask Laphroaig cask strength a Mortlach or two a Caol Ila or two Aberlour A'Bunadh

I think the Dallas Dhu 18 I'm having right now is pole vaulting close to the

90 mark--it has missed narrowly on the last two sips, but the third try might put it over. I'll have to give Cragganmore another try too. The only times I've had it, it seemed to be light on body and flavor--but maybe the next one will be a 98!!!

when assigning the number to a scotch - what does it represent?

I am new to the game and would like to know

Hi all

Try some independent bottlings of HP. Any without sherry Then you'll discover how HP really is. At a vertical HP tasting I found that the common theme was citrus flavours. Surprising as I never noticed that in the the official bottlings (12 and 18) A vertical of single casks is always interesting. You get the whisky taste, not the nosers preferences....

Steffen

Bravo! Perfectly stated! AMEN and pass the Ardbeg 10, Laphroaig 10 cs and Lagavulin 16!