Scotland’s Highland Park Distillery just introduced Cask Strength No.4, a new expression to hit the market as the distillery prepares for its 225th anniversary in September.
A statement from the Scotch whisky brand notes that Cask Strength No.4 represents Highland Park in its purest form, not diluted or chill-filtered.
Cask Strength No.4 comes from a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-port casks and brings aromas of toasted coconut and Turkish delight, according to the distiller’s notes.
It matured mostly in first-fill Sherry seasoned European oak casks, along with first-fill ex-bourbon casks, first-fill sherry seasoned American oak casks, first-fill ex-port hogsheads and a small quantity of refill casks.
All the casks were selected by Gordon Motion, Highland Park’s master whisky maker.
“For me, a cask strength whisky really celebrates an individual’s whisky journey, best enjoyed with your own personal level of water and ice added,” Motion said. “The peat from our home in Orkney gives the whisky a completely different character with aromatic heather smoke and unexpected contrasts in sweet and smoky flavors.”
To celebrate the launch of Cask Strength No.4 in the brand’s 225th year, Highland Park partnered with UK-based woodworker Jamie Gaunt to design a commemorative piece shaped from the oak cask staves used to mature the whisky.
The sculpture will be on display at the Orkney-based distillery starting this summer.
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“The crafts of whisky production and woodworking draw many parallels. Just as I transform a piece of wood, wood has the same impact on whisky. Cask Strength No.4 is no different; each of the casks used in the whisky contribute to the complex flavors and aromas,” Gaunt said.
Motion described No. 4 as having aromas of crushed lemons and cedarwood, along with peat smoke. On the palate is pink grapefruit and rose water, balanced with toasted oak and heather-rich peat. A long finish gives way to sun-baked spices and licorice.
Highland Park Cask Strength No.4 clocks in at 64.3% ABV, and is now available for a suggested price of $100.
For more information, check out www.highlandparkwhisky.com.
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