Recent Release: Highland Park 1984-2013 28yo Douglas Laing Executive Decision #9968

A Highland Park with an estery maturity unlike typical Douglas Laing releases. Highland Park HIGHLAND PARK 1984-2013 28yo DOUGLAS LAING EXECUTIVE DECISION #9968 48.5% one of 133 bottles, Hogshead The aroma features sweet plums and orange liqueur, faint peach, diluted caramel, a rustic grain note from the depths, vanilla, nuts, and a sense of richness. On the palate, it delivers a matured, strong fruitiness with estery notes, pear, pineapple, a touch of cream, fruit cake, and a subtle peatiness from the background. The sweetness is refined and not overpowering, with a moderate oak presence and a clean but short finish. [Good/Very Good] This is a 28-year-old Highland Park from Douglas Laing's premium range, Executive Decision, released after their separation from Hunter Laing. While the aroma isn't particularly distinctive, it does convey a sense of maturity through notes of ripe fruit, caramel, nuts, and rustic grain, creating a fairly rich profile. On tasting, the estery maturity becomes more pronounced with a diverse array of fruits, complemented by creaminess that evokes fruit cake nuances. While the peatiness typically associated with Highland Park emerges from the background to support the flavor, it's surprisingly smooth. The body isn't as thick or robust as one might expect from a long-matured Highland Park. Though the flavor profile showcases an impressive array of vibrant, floral fruits characteristic of long-matured whiskies, this often comes at the expense of body depth—a trend that seems to apply here as well. Interestingly, while this type usually expresses its elegance more in the aroma than the flavor, this sample strongly conveyed its sophistication through the taste, which was intriguing. It's a whisky that might be perceived as having significant maturity depending on when it's tasted, prompting me to try it again after some time. #Highland Park (HIGHLANDPARK)