We’re seeing an improvement trend within the new Highland Park Travel Retail series with Loyality of the Wolf 14 Year Old on the cusp of being real good whisky. Will the next whisky in the series, Highland Park Wings of the Eagle 16 Year Old continue this thread?

Highland Park Wings of the Eagle is 16 Year Old, fully matured in sherry casks (both American and European oak) and bottled at a very respectable ABV of 44.5%. Sounds promising but does it deliver?

Highland Park Wings of the Eagle 16 Year Old (44.5%,€84.90)

Nose: Hello sweetie! This nose is rich and brimming full of sherry notes. Dried red fruit and berries, sweet earthy peat and after a minute or two there’s dark chocolate, espresso, nutmeg and a dash of grounded cinnamon. Well balanced and rich.

Palate: Gentle spiciness after having harsher spiciness in the younger siblings, nutmeg and cinnamon, peat smoke, sweet dried fruit and dried berries, oak spice, dark chocolate and soursweet fruitiness, ending with drying spice and chocolate.

Finish: Medium length, lingering dried berries sweetness, drying baking spices, oak spice and chocolate.

Thoughts: Now this is a whisky I can wholeheartedly recommend to any whisky lover, newbie or aficionado, to taste, drink or buy when encountering it. The profile is different from HP 18 for Wings of the Eagle is far more sherried, but it’s rich, well balanced and has enough “meatiness” to truly enjoy it. While I’d love it to be 46% and non chill filtered, it still hit the right button for me. Good job here by the distillery.