A few New Libations with Highland Park 18.
HIghland Park 18 is one of those rare spirits that reaches near perfection in its execution. Having been declared the world’s best spirit by Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal the past three years in a row, it’s a remarkable scotch filled with magnitudes of flavors.
Aged in Spanish Sherry Casks, Highland Park 18 starts off with a luscious nose of caramel paired with hints of minor peat. Never to disappoint it follows this up with flavors of sweet cinnamon, married with nuances of sea salt and finishes with additional sherry birthed sweetness.
Highland Park 18 is a precise, and elegant spirit that’s executed as exact as a artist’s brush.
Final Score: 9.5/10
With the characteristics that the Highland 18 inherits during the aging process, it lends itself to working well in cocktails. Here’s a few new recipes that play off of this.
Pairing the Highland 18 with both the Balvenie 12 and Glenfiddich 15 which are also aged in sherry casks, playing off notes of fig that both feature, with the addition of fig juice here’s a re-visioning of the Zombie replacing the rums with three different types of scotches.
Old MacGregor’s Trading Company
½ oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Fig Juice
1 oz Highland Park 18(Sherry Cask)
1oz Glen Fiddich 15 (Also aged in Sherry Casks)
1 oz Balvenie 12 Year
½ oz Solerno Blood Orange Liquor
½ oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 Dash Whiskey Barrel Bitters
1 Dash Fee Brothers West Indy Orange Bitters
Flamed Orange Peel
Spray of Sailor Jerry Rum around Rim of Glass
Serve in highball glass.
Old MacGregor's Trading Company. A combination of Highland Park 18, Glen Fiddich 15, Balvenie 12, Solerno, Yellow Chartreuse and Fig Juice.
Following up Old MacGregor’s Trading Company are a few more cocktails featuring Highland Park 18.
A Day spent on Park and Averna
Highland Park 18-1 ½ oz
Averna-¼ oz
Bols Genever-¾
Matusalem Gran Reserva Rum -¾ oz
Simple Syrup- ¾ oz
Garnish with Burnt Orange Zest
Serve up in Coupe Glass
A Day spent on Park and Averna. A Combination of Highland Park 18, Averna, Bols Genever, Matusalem Gran Reserva Rum
Cyn Cyn Slainte
Highland Park 18-1 ¼ oz
Rittenhouse 100- ¾ oz
Cynar-1/4 oz
Demerara Syrup- ¾ oz
3 Dashes Bittermens Mole Bitters
Garnish with Burnt Orange Zest
Serve up in Coupe Glass.
Between Scotch, A Rock, and A Hard Place
Highland Park 18- 1 ¾ oz
Batavia Arrack-3/4 oz
Ginger Syrup-1 oz*
Shake with Eggwhite
Top with Zipang Sparkling Sake
Top with 5 Dashes Rhubarb Bitters
Garnish with Brandied Blackberry(If available)
If Ginger Syrup is not available sub ¼ barspoon fresh ginger combined with 1oz simple syrup