Highland Park 2024 13 Years The Tasteful 8 - Brühler Whiskyhaus
When an independent bottler grabs a Highland Park, it can either be grandiose or risky. But The Tasteful 8 from Brühler Whiskyhaus shows that they know exactly what they are doing.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Fresh notes of menthol and eucalyptus meet a fine vanilla sweetness and a clear lemon zest. The whole is accompanied by a beautifully integrated cool smoke - more phenolic than powerful, like a cold campfire in the morning. Inviting and exciting at the same time.
Palate
The whisky immediately shows its strengths on the tongue: Warming, voluminous, fruity and sweet. The vanilla from the nose is back, but now with a pleasant depth. There is also a spicy, slightly salty note reminiscent of BBQ - as if grilled fruit and smoky meat had been combined. Powerful, but balanced.
Finish
The finish is quite lengthy and remains multi-layered. The notes of grilled vegetables and a fine herbal flavour are interesting here. Finally, a fine white sugar sweetness flashes up, which rounds off the whole thing nicely.
Thoughts
Marcel 82/100
This Highland Park 2024 shows just how much joy a well-crafted, smoky whisky can bring – with its lively spiciness and sweet fruitiness, it’s a genuine pleasure that leaves you wanting more. For lovers of characterful drams, this is a bullseye with a lovely dose of personality.
Sascha 85/100
A technically well-composed Highland Park with a finely balanced interplay of phenolic smoke, fruity sweetness, and spicy saline notes, impressing through its complex structure and long-lasting finish. Despite the 57.7% ABV, it feels balanced and reveals precise maturation aromas that clearly position the independent bottler’s style on the palate.
Value for Money: Fair
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83/100Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Highland Park 2024 13 Years The Tasteful 8 differ from the distillery’s official releases?
The Highland Park 2024 13 Years The Tasteful 8 was selected by the independent bottler Brühler Whiskyhaus and, due to its cask selection and higher alcohol strength of 57.7%, offers a more intense and complex aroma profile than many standard releases from the distillery. The smoky, phenolic notes are cooler and more restrained, while the sweet and spicy components stand out more prominently.
What serving temperature and dilution are recommended to best experience this whisky’s aromas?
To fully bring out the diverse aromas of the Highland Park 2024 13 Years The Tasteful 8, serving it at room temperature—ideally between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius—is recommended. Adding a small amount of water can help soften the intense 57.7% alcohol and highlight hidden notes such as vanilla and BBQ.
What makes the 'Isles' region special for the character of this Highland Park whisky?
The 'Isles', which include Orkney, are characterized by a maritime climate and a distinctive type of peat that imparts a characteristic cool smokiness to the whisky. This regional influence is reflected in the phenolic, rather restrained smokiness of the Highland Park 2024 13 Years The Tasteful 8, which, combined with fresh and spicy notes, creates a balanced tasting experience.