1988 Claxton's Dalswinton Series Highland Park 35 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Like Macallan, people have strong opinions about Highland Park: what it used to be, what it could be, what it should be. Official releases continue to hit some serious age statements, however, they're generally not 'all-naturale' and remain beyond the reach of most wallets (we note a recent 40 year old retailing for over 8K at the time of writing). Putting this bottling into further perspective, it's received significant praise from seasoned tasters, ranging from "a proud age, it is also complex and extremely entertaining", through to "A great old-school Highland Park" (whiskynotes.be) and "I think this is the most beautiful Highland Park I have ever had the pleasure to drink." (whiskybase.com). So if you're in the market for an iconic Orcadian in classic form, and at a very reasonable price, look no further. Claxton's capture the distillate's distinctive heather-infused smoky style that's also rich, malty,
and spicy at the same time. The image on the bottle references the Landale family's purchase of the Dalswinton Estate in 1919. Over the last 100 years, they've developed the manor house, buildings and surrounds into an illustrious rural property, as pictured on the decanter. Oloroso sherry matured. 43.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Other reviews... A great old-school Highland Park. Perhaps a little delicate on the palate, so no need to add water, but certainly delicious. It reminded me of the Highland Park 1988 from Signatory Vintage. - whiskynotes.be

...A very mature, well-integrated malt... Better than I even remembered. A style of whisky only achieved after long maturation, and even then you need good new make to begin with. You can leave that up to Highland Park. - wordsofwhisky.com

Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Rich fruits; cooked apples, pears, prunes.  Sweet tobacco with a hint of peat. Palate: Malty and rich with soft spices and oak. Fresh melon and sweet sherry notes. Finish: More rich fruit with heather peat and an oaky-spice aftertaste.