I was lucky enough to get to try this 1955 Gordon and Macphail Highland Park at a tasting held at my house by a very kind person who wanted to share some awesome whisky with folks. There’s not a whole lot about this particular bottle online, but what I can tell you is this. It was very obviously aged in sherry barrels (at least partially), it’s between 25 – 34 years old and it’s fantastic.
1955 Gordon and Macphail Highland Park Info
Region: Islands, Scotland
Distiller: Highland Park
Bottler: Gordon and Macphail
Mashbill: 100% Malted barley
Cask: ex-Sherry
Age: NAS (bottled in the 80s)
ABV: 52.8%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller
1955 Gordon and Macphail Highland Park Review
EYE
Dark amber
NOSE
Sherry, sulfur, hazelnut, dark fruit, spiced fruit cake, waxy cocoa and a bit of varnish and mustiness. The aroma has a sense of age and depth, but a bit harsh in its delivery.
PALATE
Sherry, dark fruit, cocoa, orange peels, spice, peat, tannic oak and dried cherries with a bit of lime. The musty quality shows up a bit here and reminds me of OBE (Old Bottle Effect).
FINISH
A long oak and raisiny dark fruit fade layered with hazelnuts and smoke.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Well balanced, round body and a heavy oily feel.
OVERALL
1955 Gordon and Macphail Highland Park is a lovely whisky with a bold character that overall comes off like smoked dried cherries. The sherry barrel influence is apparent from the color alone, but that sherry character is a bit lighter than I’d expect if it was 100% first-fill barrels. This could mean it’s either a combination of mostly sherry barrels with some bourbon barrels or was a mix of sherry barrels at various levels of re-fill, but with most of them being first-fill. Either way, it was a truly fantastic whisky.
SCORE: 90-92/100 (A-, consumed at a tasting)
Thanks to Alex G for the tasting