Highland Park 21 year old
When you buy anything from Highland Park, you know you are in for a treat. They are one of the very few distilleries to malt some of their own barley which gives them extra input into the process. They are located in Kirkwall, which is in the Orkney Islands. These islands are situated just north of Scotland, about 10 miles from Caithness. Situated between the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and Norwegian Sea, there is something in the Kirkwall water that makes it taste incredible.
Highland Park makes whisky from 12 years of age all the way up to 40. The 21 year old liquid contains traces of citrus, dried fruit with a little bit of vanilla thrown in. A whisky for those with a mature palate, it is a Christmas gift that won’t be re-gifted.
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Image courtesy of http://www.dramming.com/2013/04/28/clynelish-23-yo-19892012-the-perfect-dram/[/caption]Clynelish 1989/2012 The Perfect Dram
Clynelish is situated near Brora, which is towards the northern end of Scotland. It pumps out over 4.5 million litres of pure alcohol a year, which makes it one of the most prolific. It is owned by massive conglomerate Diageo which also owns Johnnie Walker, White Horse, Haig and the Dimple Pinch as well as Smirnoff, Baileys and Guinness.
This 23 year old has fruity elements of apples, banana and lemon and you will also be able to detect ginger and nutmeg.
Give this to your father/father-in law for Christmas and you are definitely going to be his favorite son.
Glenfarclas 105 20 year old
Situated in the North East pocket of Scotland, Glenfarclas translates to valley of the green grass.
The distillery was purchased by John Grant in 1865 and his family has been operating it ever since. In 1973, it was one of the first distilleries to open a visitor center and if you visit Scotland, be sure to visit.
This 105 Cask Strength is a whisky you should be saving for very special occasions. It isn’t cheap so be sure to buy it only for someone you want to spoil and you know appreciates whisky. This isn’t a drink but rather an experience!
The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old
Located in Dufftown, Balvenie is also in the north east pocket of Scotland.
Established by William Grant, this is a sister whisky to other whiskies such as Glenfiddich, Grant’s and Tullamore Dew that are all operated by William Grant & Sons.
If you like your whisky smoky then this is the drink for you. The sherry casks make a real difference to the flavor!
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Image courtesy of http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/04/business/japanese-whisky-yamazaki-named-worlds-finest-dram/[/caption]Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013
If you are making whisky and you aren’t in Scotland, you better be special and Yamazaki is. This is the first commercial whisky distillery in Japan, and Suntory who owns Yamazaki knows how to make the good stuff.
The Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was named whisky of the year in the 2015 Whisky Bible. No attention to detail was spared with the sherry casks coming from oak that hail from northern Spain. The water comes from Mt Tenno in Kyoto.
Only 18,000 bottles were made, so it’s bound to become a collector’s item.
With its deep range of flavors, this isn’t just a drink but rather an adventure. Purchase for a very special friend or family member. It is so special that they may not want to drink it. You could return to them in 12 months’ time only to find it hasn’t been drunk yet.
The great thing about buying whisky as a Christmas present is that it’s something that is going to have a lot of practical value. Whether it’s happy or sad times, people turn to whisky. Hopefully there will be lots of happy events in 2015 worth celebrating with a drink.