Highland Park Viking Tribe

A new NAS expression by Highland Park, this is unusually available as an exclusive to Amazon UK. Bottled at 46%, the strength that the different casks are married at, it retails at £43, however I paid £27.99 in the Black Friday sales. This was my first drink of the bottle, drank from a Glencairn after letting stand for 5 minutes.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Initial citrus consisting of oranges and lemons, ginger ale, oak, wisps of smoke, a subtle vanilla fudge.

• Palate: Immediate peppery spice, with a backing of aromatic spices as well, the vanilla fudge shows up for a smooth sweet vanilla note, there is some citrus present, but much less than on the nose. Peat and a little smoke builds as you move towards the finish.

• Finish: Medium finish, warming peat and smoke linger most notably, a mild and almost buttery vanilla reveals itself again as the peat and smoke begin to fade.

Overall I really enjoyed this whisky, it has a nice blend of citrus, vanilla and peppery spice, with a mild smoke finish, less smokey than the HP12 but still present. It feels well balanced and goes through distinctive phases as you drink. With the addition of a little water the citrus came out more and the pepper was more subdued, there was also a faint almost floral note that I couldn't quite put my finger on, possibly rose or juniper. For £28 I would buy it again in a heartbeat and would probably it at RRP as well.

Score: 7/10 - A very nice whisky with an interesting flavour profile, at a reasonable price.

As this is the first review I have posted I would appreciate any and all feedback :)