Colour: gold. Nose: relatively smooth and easy, with ripe melons and peaches, as well as whiffs of eucalyptus and camphor. That's nice. Also a little crème brûlée and touches of liquorice. I think there's much more happening than in the previous warriors. More and more overripe apples after ten minutes, as well as old walnuts. Mouth: a little thin but not as frustrating as the '40%'. Tarte tatin and orange cake, earl grey, mead and apple juice. A touch of salt, a little Ovaltine, some liquorice... And some honeydew. Finish: rather short and a little drying. Tea. Nice oranges, soft spices and honey in the aftertaste, though. Comments: certainly a very, very fine Highland Park but a little more oomph would have been welcome.
Gal Granov (89)
This marks the starts of the “premium” warriors in the series, the ABV is a wee bit higher (at 43 which is not a lot, I know, but better than 40%) and also there is more European oak in those to allow for richer sherry profiles. As for Sigurd after which this dram is named : Sigurd is considered amongst the strongest & most courageous warriors and ultimately one of the most feared Viking Earls.
Nose: Lovely ripe fruit salad going on here. Sultana and plum shine in addition to vanilla and pudding like aromas.
Palate: Sweeter and thicker indeed , not without ample spice ,enough smoke , damp wood, heather, sweet nectar, Kirsch and apple toffee.This is more like it!!
Finish : Sweet, thick and rewarding.
summary:I like this one a lot. It’s a step up, and you can feel the extra Spanish sherry casks kick in and give it that trademark HP sweetness, but with the right amount of smoke and wood to balance it all. Lovely!
Whisky Notes (87)
Nose: a complex, very refined nose, with plenty of layers and no dominating aromas. Moss, dried grasses and eucalyptus oils. Ginger and cinnamon. Light fruity notes (apples, melons) and a soft smoky overtone. Mouth: oily texture and a salty attack. Dutch liquorice. Honey sweetness underneath, as well as a hint of vanilla custard. Plenty of spices: nutmeg, pepper and ginseng. Becomes oaky and sappy as time goes by, with a smoky edge. Finish: soft, with the oaky notes building and just vague shadows of the fruit. Honeyed tea.
I really liked the delicate, almost soft but nonetheless complex nose. The palate was a little less smooth and had some loud oak.
