There are several storied,
well-loved Scotch distilleries out there, and one of those is Highland
Park, a distillery in Kirkwall, the largest town in Orkney. Orkney is off
on its own, way up north, near the Arctic Circle, and consists of 70 islands,
20 of which are inhabited. The islands have been part of human history going
back about 8500 years.
Highland Park suggests they
are located outside Scotland’s five whisky regions; however, legally, they are
in the Highland region. There is a mystery behind the foundations of this
distillery. Some claim it was founded in 1798 by Magnus Eunson, a
priest who moonlighted as a whisky smuggler. Others claim it was a farmer
named David Robertson during the same year. Regardless,
Robertson’s name is on the records as being the founder.
The obfuscation continues
with the distillery’s original name. Some have called it Kirkwall.
Others refer to it as Rosebank. Still, others maintain it has
always been Highland Park.
In 1816, an excise officer,
John Robertson, took the distillery's helm. Ten years later, Robert
Borwick obtained one of the first legal licenses to distill whisky,
and with that, he took control. Then, in 1840, his son, George, was
named the owner. He ran things until 1869, when his brother, James,
took possession and promptly attempted to sell the distillery.
That resulted in two
experienced folks, William Stuart (owner of Miltonduff)
and James Grant of The Glenlivet,
being granted a license in 1870 and subsequently taking ownership of Highland
Park. In 1895, Grant assumed complete control of the distillery. Then, in 1937,
the distillery was sold to Highland Distillers. Finally, in
1999, The Edrington Group absorbed
Highland Distillers and remains the distillery’s owners today.
Fun Fact: The average
temperature in Orkney is about 46°F, with an average summer temperature of only
54°F, meaning there isn't much opportunity for the whisky to pull flavors from
a barrel.
Today,
I explore Magnus, a single malt whisky named for the distillery’s
founder. Like any single malt, it is distilled from 100% malted barley and aged
in former Bourbon barrels and sherry-seasoned American oak casks but carries no
age statement. Magnus is chill-filtered and packaged at 40% ABV (80°) and has a
suggested retail price of $45.00 for 750ml. It is only distributed in the
United States and appears to have been discontinued. However, stores still had
this on their shelves at the time of this writing.
I
acquired a 50ml sampler from a random store in my travels. Let’s #DrinkCurious.
Appearance: I
poured this into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. It possessed the color of
dried straw. A thick rim yielded massive, crazed tears when I gave the glass a
gentle swirl.
Nose: I
smelled grass, peaches, lemon oil, flowers, and honey. When I drew the air through
my lips, it seemed very grassy.
Palate: Magnus’s
mouthfeel was thick and creamy. There was a little burn on my tongue, which surprised
me. I tasted lemon oil, orange peel, and grass at the front. Midway through, it
became slightly bitter with earthy peat and mushrooms. The back offered oak
tannins, white pepper, and chocolate.
Finish: What
remained included oak tannins, chocolate, earthy peat, white pepper, and orange
peel. I clocked the duration at 1:26, placing it in the medium-long venue.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ve
had better Scotches. I’ve had better Highland Scotches. For that matter, I’ve had
better Highland Park Scotches. Magnus isn’t a bad whisky; it is just mediocre.
The $40-$50 range for decent Scotch whisky is broad, and nothing would make
Magnus worth picking up over its competitors. If you’re a Highland Park fan,
then, of course, this is a must-buy. But, for the rest of us, or at least me,
it is one you’ll want to try at a Bar first. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.
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