Highland Park 1977-1988 Samaroli Fragments of Scotland 'Orkney'

An ultimate example of short maturation, 50% ABV. It's delicious. Highland Park HIGHLAND PARK 'ORKNEY' 1977-1988 SAMAROLI FRAGMENTS OF SCOTLAND 50% One of 648 bottles The aroma has a pleasant old-world feel, with fully ripened orange and dried apricot, refined yet strong and rustic barley notes, faint cinnamon, honey, and a gradually emerging peat with depth. On the palate, it starts smooth and expands richly and powerfully, revealing apricot jam, pineapple from the back of the palate, a sweet, full-bodied flavor with earthy elements, and peat that lingers with a long, pleasant aftertaste. [Very Good/Excellent] This is the Highland Park 1977 from the 'Fragments of Scotland' series, labeled as Orkney, bottled by Samaroli in 1988. Though aged for only about 11 years, it shows no signs of immaturity, with barley flavors that seep into the tongue and a well-balanced combination of fruits, peat, and earthy elements. The flavor profile is impressively diverse, with the fruitiness likely emerging from bottle aging, while the strong barley and peat notes remain well-integrated. The 50% ABV, combined with the bottle aging process, has created a perfectly balanced expression. I believe this is precisely the right time to enjoy it. While it's unlikely Samaroli intentionally bottled this for this moment, their approach of retaining body through dilution allowed the bottle aging to reach its full potential. This time, three bottles from Fragments of Scotland were opened simultaneously at Yurakucho: this Highland Park (Orkney), Glen Elg (Speyside), and Glen Garry (Eastern Highlands). Ideally, I would have liked to open and compare them all during the July anniversary celebration with Ardbeg (Islay), Longrow (Campbeltown), and nearly new Longrow (New Feuling Malt). However, it's characteristic of Yurakucho that legendary bottles suddenly appear when there's nothing else to open. This way, I can take my time and enjoy them repeatedly, which is a pleasant experience. I first tasted the Speyside-labeled Glen Elg, which I had previously opened at home and written about in an article. This bottle felt more concentrated than the one I drank at home, though its condition was nearly identical and had a similar tasting note, so I'll omit the description. Regarding the remaining Glen Garry, I'll introduce it on another occasion.