Mark Adams
A sherried release from Highland Park, Dark Origins is a combination of 80% first fill sherry casks (of which 60% is European oak and 20% American) and 20% refill sherry. A dark expression which fits in with the distillery’s origins – founder Magnus Eunson being a smuggler who worked in the darkness of night.
Ladle of Contents
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
Nose:
Bitter chocolate, chocolate coated red apple, allspice, a touch of cinnamon and a pinch of pepper. A definite sherry bomb with a touch of smoke.
Taste:
A rather flavor some and sweet sherried dram in contrast to some of the heavily peated, more heavy hitter Highland Park malts. Dark fruit, jam sponge and dark chocolate.
Finish:
A bit short in the finish. Bitter chocolate with fruit and a touch of pepper.
Overall:
A good sherry bomb with some excellent varietal character. Spice and fruit underneath the dark chocolate. It’s also worth noting that as an 8 year old whisky this is fairly young still.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
A friendly bottle, slightly spicy chocolate malty notes with some fruity notes and a slight smoke in the finish. A good one.
Beautifully aromatic, fruity dark chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon and a hint of orange. Very moreish.
Nose:
Intense little bit of sherry bomb, with raisin and dried fruit notes. More of a warming feel here rather than outright sherried.
Taste:
Similar to the nose, a balance of hints of sherry, raisins and dates.
Finish:
Hot. Again there is a slightly warming feel in the finish, which is a result of the relatively young age of the whisky.
Overall:
Undoubtedly a more approachable dram if you’re new to the Highlands than some of the peat laden expressions on the range, this is a good introduction indeed.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
A nice little sherry bomb, more towards fruity rather than sherry, it’s nice and malty at the same time.
A very closed bottle, I detect some light smoke, orange peel, a light hint of spice and raisins. The nose had a raisin/date/caramel type aroma.
Nose:
An aromatic, warm and buttery nose with sweet and nutty notes. Raisins, apricot, dates and a light smokiness.
Taste:
Again a silky and smooth whisky, with an underlying smokiness. Sweet raisins and dates. The whisky is warming during the middle and finish.
Finish:
Long mouth filling finish. Raisins, cough mixture and a warming smokiness.
Overall:
A nice sherried whisky from a relatively low profile distillery as well. I might try some of the other offerings in the range now.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
Nice, fruity, malty dram. Some spices which give a vibrant finish. A bit more going on here than some of the other Highland Park releases.
Nose:
Sweet sherry, almond, raisins and dates.
Taste:
Palate filling finish. More raisins, raisin and dates with a touch of spice.
Finish:
The finish is easily the longest in the range, a touch of smoke and a dish of honey.
Overall:
Very good. Despite it being a fairly tame whisky it still hits the sweet spot at the end. Quite a lot going on here.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
An aromatic, peaty sherry bomb. Nose is peppery with some sherry notes, apricot and plum. As is the taste, with some citrus notes and a touch of herbs which give it a little bite.
Nose:
Nose is intensely peaty with some spicy notes and a hint of opium.
Taste:
Surprisingly smooth mouthfeel. The flavours are a little less bombastic than the nose would indicate, with some apricots and prunes giving a sweetness to the dram.
Finish:
Unfortunately the peat is too apparent in the finish.
Overall:
A decent whisky, though I’m not sure how much it beats a Glengoyne or Talisker for peat bombast.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
A soft fruity richness, hints of honey and almonds with a slight citrus zest at the end. The sherry spicy notes come through a little more here.
Bitter chocolate and raisins come through in the nose.
Finish:
Bitter chocolate and raisins with traces of pepper.
Overall:
A warm, malty drink.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
Sweet raisins, a little sherry and the pepper comes through a little more than I anticipated.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:weet, raisins and malt in the nose.
Taste:
Perfect balance between sherry and malt, a little sweetness.
Finish:
Round and warming finish with a little salt.
Overall:
Great introduction to the Highland Park range for fans of Speyside whiskies.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
A slightly oily nose with a slight fruity side, dates and some drying tobacco. The palate is clean with citrus notes and a tinge of smoke in the finish.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
A nice spiced flavour of raisins, mint and some underlying sherry notes. The finish is long, salty, herbs and such. Hints of pepper, oranges and some sherry.
More of a dried fruits and raisins in the nose, with milk chocolate.
Taste:
A very nice mouthfeel.
Finish:
Quite a long finish with a great balance between sherry, honey and pepper.
Overall:
Nice whisky, finishes with a bit of a heat which may have been caused by the water it was fermenting in.
Highland Park Dark Origins Review:
Chocolate, raisins and dried fruits in the nose. As with the nose there is a slightly peaty side to this.
Taste:
Malty, and oily to the palate. That’s a sherry bomb with a slightly mineral taste to it.
Finish:
Raisins and the spiciness of the salt and pepper comes through.
Overall:
A very tasty whisky.
