This is a wonderfully rich and complex single malt. Opening with rich and spicy aromas of crème brulee, heather honey and crumbled cinnamon, intensely fruity notes follow - fresh pineapple dressed with a scattering of sun-kissed lemon zest. There's a hint of freshly-baked sponge cake too, warm from the oven, and you'll find cinnamon again, but toasted shards this time. Citrus and vanilla notes linger in the aromatic waves of peat smoke.
Named Best Spirit in the World in the Spirit Journal, on two separate occasions, the intense balance of the flavours found in Highland Park 18YO owes everything to the five traditional keystones of production, honoured for over 220 years. Slow-burning, aromatic peat from Hobbister Moor; hand-turned floor maltings, Sherry seasoned European oak casks, cool maturation in the temperate island climate and a long and unhurried harmonisation process. Highland Park 18YO is predominantly matured in 1st fill European oak Sherry-seasoned casks, delivering a remarkable complexity over time. It delivers lingering layers of sweet honeyed malt wrapped up in subtle floral peat smoke. Over 18 years, the cool Northern climate causes the whisky to age slowly and evenly, providing balanced maturation and depth of flavour.
Twice charred for a good measure. Black Barrel is a triple distilled blend of rich pot still and grain whiskey that is matured in a mixture of sherry casks and bourbon barrels.
Johnnie Walker Black Label's iconic square bottle makes it one of the world's most recognisable Scotch whiskies - and it's also one of whisky critic Jim Murray's favourite blends: 'If there is a silkier delivery on the market today, I have not seen it: this is sublime stuff...one of the world's most masterful whiskies back in all its complex glory'
An interesting twist on Johnnie Walker Black Label, Double Black was rolled out for general release in 2011. Double Black adds to the normal Black Label profile by including more Islay whisky and casks that have been heavily charred, giving a more intense flavour with a greater emphasis on smoke while keeping true to the sophisticated Johnnie Walker style.
Created using fruity Highland malts and lighter Speyside malts for sweetness and spice, combined with those from the Scottish islands for a signature smoky finish.
Johnnie Walker Red Label was launched in its current form by brothers George and Alexander Walker in 1909, though it had existed as Walker's Special Old Highland Red Label for some years previously. Alexander blended a type of whisky which is more suited to mixing with soda than the heavier, more old-fashioned whiskies, and named it after his grandfather, who had started the family business in 1820. Today it is the world's most popular whisky and is sold in more than 200 markets world-wide.
This unique blend contains only the finest single malt and grain Scotch whiskies, long aged in a variety of oak casks for many years before being blended and bottled in Scotland. The result is a whisky of top quality which is renowned throughout the world. Sweet vanilla toffee aromas with a pleasing spicy influence. On the palate it's creamy and warming, fruity with butterscotch. Finishes long and complex.
The whisky has a powerful, peat-smoke aroma, and is described as being robustly full-bodied, well balanced, and smooth, with a slight sweetness on the palate. International Spirit ratings competitions have generally given Lagavulin's 16-year spirit extremely high scores.