Highland Park Whisky Tastings – HP Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square

This is our second tasting of our day trip to the Capital, Jim and Nicola jumped in a taxi after our great tasting at Leslie’s Bar and headed down to Charlotte Square where we were to meet Pamela Wils of The Big Partnership who we cannot thank enough for this invitation.

This smashing event was taking place in the atmospheric surroundings of the Highland Park Spiegeltent, making it extra special.

This sell out Highland Park Masterclass was hosted by Gerry Tosh, Head of Brand Education at Highland Park.

Pamela led Jim and Nicola down to a reserved table at the front, how important did they feel?  At our table three drams were sitting together with a jug of water, the three drams were :-

Highland Park 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40% Alc/vol.

Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43% Alc/vol.

Highland Park 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 48.1% Alc/vol.

Each tasting will take you through the distiller’s award-winning single malts from Orkney. The combination of traditional Whisky-making techniques with obsessive attention to detail have made Highland Park arguably one of the most respected single malts in the world.

Jim and Nicola found that Gerry Tosh’s slant on Whisky tasting to be very refreshing and quite unique, and this will probably change how we do our tastings in the future.

We also enjoyed his view on Orkney and how the landscape/seascape and the light peat and the use of casks seasoned with Olorosso Sherry. American White Oak and Spanish Red Oak helps to make a sweeter and less smokey dram.

At times we thought that Gerry worked for either the Orkney or the Scottish Tourist Board his enthusiasm for Highland Park Whisky, Orkney and Scotland was very evident indeed, Jim wants his job.

Jim and Nicola now have to make plans and work out how they can visit not only Highland Park Distillery but to do a tour round Orkney, well we shall put an extra line on our lottery ticket this week.

Both Jim and Nicola found the 18 Year Old to be their favourite, but it was a tough choice.

To finish we must give a BIG THANKS to Pamela Wils for the invitation and Gerry Tosh for a very enthusiastic and entertaining tasting session, but lets not forget the team up at Highland Park for producing a wonderful dram.

The Whisky Boys would recommend that all our readers visit www.highlandpark.co.uk to get all the information you will need to know all about this grand distillery and its Whiskies, this is only second to actually visiting Orkney.

Again thanks to Pamela and Gerry.