Highland Park Loki – Valhalla Collection (48.7%)

You have to love the Whiskyfabric, that group of whisky enthusiasts who’ll both go out of their way to meet you wherever you might be in the world to share a dram with you, and send samples halfway around the world just to allow you to taste some nice bottle they have. Jesper Thomsen is a founder of Facebook’s very loyal and active Highland Park Appreciation Society, and is a total aficionado of the distillery.

After publishing my reviews on Freya and Odin, Jesper told me that he would have a hand in completing the reviews on the Valhalla Collection. Indeed, on my very short visit to Copenhagen Jesper went out of his way to meet me and give me a sample of the Loki (and a local whisky from the Braunstein Distillery, to be reviewed soon, as it looks absolutely amazing). It was great meeting up with him, and I hope next time we actually have time for some dramming.

 

Copenhagen meetup

Copenhagen meetup

The Loki is the second of the of Valhalla series, and it honors the trickster of the Norse mythology.

So did it trick me?

Photo Credit: blog.thewhiskyexchange.com

Photo Credit: blog.thewhiskyexchange.com

Highland Park Valhalla Collection Loki, 21,000 Bottles (48.7% ABV, NC)

Appearance: Amber with thin legs coming slowly off a necklace that remains for quite a while.

Nose: A slightly smoky old sherry greets  your nose. Heather honey, actually very Highland Parky (maybe the most of the three I’ve had so far), with the signature Highland Park sherry on the nose. Actually, pretty much what I would have expected from the 12 year old had it been presented at 48%. A very deep sweetness opens up with time.

Palate: Lovely as the peat is dirty and quite “in your face”, with a fizzy pepper and a layer of sweetness that washes over your tongue. It has a slight herbal quality as you roll it around in your mouth.

Linger: Peat and pepper all the way down the gullet, with a dryness on the inside of the cheeks. Pretty long and quite spicy, albeit in a gentle way.

Conclusion

After the very special (and different) Freya and the Odin, the Loki is the Valhalla Collection’s expression that’s most in line with Highland Park’s classical distillery character. You’d recognize this as a Highland Park with little hesitation. A great sipper,  with more peat than the day to day Highland Park.

With the Loki, I’ve covered almost all of the Valhalla Collection, leaving only Thor to be tracked down in good time.

Thank you so much, Jesper,  for sharing this fascinating dram with me!

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