Review #68 & 69: Highland Park Valkyrie and Full Volume

Tonight I am going to SbS two newer Highland park releases, Valkyrie and Full Volume. I saw good reviews on here for Full Volume so I wanted to try it. I haven't had any of the new releases since their new Viking marketing, except Magnus at the liquor store. I looked them up and saw both were chill filtered, which surprised me.Full Volume even brags about it. Oh well, I know I am in for some "smooth" whisky tonight.

Valkyrie literally has no info on their website about production, just Viking Marketing mumbo jumbo.

Full Volume is 100% ex bourbon distilled in 1999. It has no age statement but that would put it at about 16 years.

Highland Park Valkyrie

Island - NAS - Chill Filtered - NCA - Sample ($80 at the local) - 45.9%

Color - Amber

Nose - Sweet candied raisins and apricots, green house floral notes - a nice light and fruity nose.

Taste - Sweet stewed fruits, apricots, citrus, a bit of vanilla

Finish - Medium short - Vanilla, apple and smoke

Overall - 5 - This is not what I was expecting from a Highland Park. If I was tasting this blind, I would have probably guessed this was a Glen-something if it weren't that touch of smoke on the finish. While this is nice, it isn't my style.One of the things I enjoy about Highland Park is it has a little of everything. I didn't get that little of something of everything here. The more I drank of this one, the more it "felt" like a Highland Park. Still, I would buy 1.75 bottles of HP 12 over buying 1 bottle of Valkyrie.

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Highland Park Full Volume

Island - NAS but 16 years (see above) - Chill Filtered- NCA- Sample ($100 at the local) - 47.2%

Color - Yellow gold

Nose - Kind of muted nose here - not FULL VOLUME. Big citrus notes, lemon zest, tropical fruits. Not a whole lot going on.

Taste - Oak notes, cigar boxes, lots of sweet tropic fruit - I suck at picking these out.

Finish - Medium - Vanilla, citrus, and a touch of smoke

Overall - 5.5 - FULL VOLUME is a misnomer for sure on this. It is subtle, easy drinking and nice. Once again, this doesn't scream Highland Park, but it is very pleasant. I think I would stick at the age statement Highland parks expressions. If light and fruity is your thing, I would give these two a roll. If you want classic Highland Park profile, I would pass on these. Also, it annoys me that they chill filter this and call it Full Volume - A Marshall full stack is not chill filtered.

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1

Standard Deviation 0.95

Skew 0.66

Kurtosis -0.45