The founding father of Highland Park, Magnus Eunson, was a butcher and a church officer. He was additionally a infamous part-time whisky smuggler and illicit distiller. Legend has it he would conceal barrels of whisky from excisemen below the pulpit.
Situated on the distant Orkney Islands, Highland Park is presently one of many northernmost distilleries in Scotland (simply half a mile north of Scapa distillery, which can be situated on the Orkney Islands). I’m unsure that Highland Park can truly lay declare to the title of northernmost whisky distillery anymore, as a distillery on the Shetland Islands (which lie about 50 miles to the north-east of Orkney), identified primarily for producing gin, is now additionally starting to strive their hand at making some whisky.
Some of the distinctive hallmarks of whisky from Highland Park you’re prone to hear about is their use of native peat. Not all peat tastes the identical. The particular smoky flavour you get from peat can differ by area, relying on the vegetation within the space the peat is harvested from. Peat from Islay, for instance, is prone to come into contact with water and include some decaying seaweed and mosses. This will produce a extra maritime or medicinal smoky flavour. Peat from Orkney, nonetheless, is alleged to be wealthy in heather. This provides the whiskies from Highland Park a extra aromatic, floral-tinged smoky flavour.
“Spirit of the Bear” was a part of the 2018 Journey Unique Assortment from Highland Park. It’s a non-age assertion whisky. Two different whiskies featured on this assortment are a 14-year-old “Loyalty of the Wolf”, and a 16-year-old “Wings of the Eagle” – all named for animals which have held a symbolic standing for the Vikings.
And Highland Park usually alludes to the Viking heritage of the Orkney Islands by incorporating Norse mythology into the naming and branding of its whiskies. Actually, the phrase berserk comes from the previous Norse “berserkr”, and means one thing like bear shirt, or bear armour. Some have advised that berserkers – warriors who fought with an imposing and frenzied fury in battle – wore the skins of bears (therefore the title), and believed that they drew their energy from the bear. The Spirit of the Bear pays homage to those myths and legends.
A newer Journey Unique Assortment has since been launched by Highland Park. This assortment is alleged to be impressed by the pure setting and local weather of Orkney itself, and encompasses a 14-year-old “Land of Orkney”, a 16-year-old “Sea of Orkney”, and an 18-year-old “Sky of Orkney”. It is best to be capable to discover them in your travels in duty-free shops all over the world.
When you’re fortunate, just a few bottles of those newer releases would possibly in some way discover their means into some native markets too. Despite being a journey unique, some bottles of “Spirit of the Bear” managed to make their means into just a few boutique whisky shops in my space. Furthermore, till fairly lately, it was nonetheless accessible for round $63 (the same worth to a bottle of Caol Ila 12). Whereas it appears to now be out of inventory in my neck of the woods, if one actually needed to trace a bottle down, I’m positive there are nonetheless just a few knocking about. “Spirit of the Bear” is bottled at 40% ABV, is pure color, and bought in 1 litre bottles.
Spirit of the Bear – Assessment
Color: Wealthy amber.
On the nostril: Fairly fruity. Notes of ripe honeydew melons, recent pineapples and blueberries. Lashings of creamy vanilla ice cream. Very delicate peat. There’s a particular spicy and peppery prickle within the background.
Within the mouth: Delicate and buttery in texture. Candy, with extra vanilla ice cream, and a bit burnt caramel – maybe Crème Brûlée. There’s a faintly smoky flavour that shifts into one thing resembling a barely bitter, darkish chocolate notice greater than something very distinctively smoky. A touch of pepper.
A barely drying end. I discovered there was additionally a lingering floral and almost-synthetic blackcurrant notice that was to not my liking.
Conclusion:
I personally discovered this whisky to be a bit little bit of a letdown. I’m not totally positive why this was the case, so I’m joyful to just accept that this will merely be the results of the whisky not assembly a few of my pre-conceived expectations. I ended up feeling just a bit underwhelmed each time I sipped on this whisky. It’s not that it was dangerous, however I’d have most popular (and I suppose I anticipated) the peaty flavours to be a bit extra pronounced. Moreover, the floral or blackcurrant notice I detected didn’t attraction to me and was troublesome to miss.
That stated, there are positives about this whisky. The vanilla creaminess and texture are fulfilling, and it additionally presents some attention-grabbing aromas and flavours. Whereas I wouldn’t actively search it out, I wouldn’t flip down a glass if provided – it’s simply that it wouldn’t be my first alternative.
I recall actually having fun with Highland Park’s Valkyrie, which I tasted a few years in the past – one other non-age assertion launch that was equally priced and which left a much better impression.
