1902 Highland Park, bottled 1950’s, 39.8%

Timing can be everything and a sequence of events has resulted in my most profound whisky tasting to date and likely my lifetime. Distilled at Highland Park distillery in 1902 and bottled at some time in the early 1950s, the fact this is a 50-year-old whisky is remarkable in itself, but the amazing 116 years since distillation makes this utterly unique. A real once in a lifetime moment. I expect very few people alive today have had the unique pleasure of drinking this liquid history. One of the most respected whisky reviewers and samplers of rare drams, Serge Valentin, is another who’s had the extraordinary pleasure. For Valentin it is an emotive experience, something that perhaps transcends, or sits apart from any scoring system that exists. To him, this is a whisky that emotionally deserves “certainly 99 or 100 points.” I couldn’t agree more wholeheartedly. Great spirits should always stir emotion, and this will live forever as a whisky experience of a lifetime. It so nearly disappeared entirely in its original form as some years ago one of the most prestigious of bottlers wanted to buy all that remains and re-bottle and most likely position at a much, much higher price. However, when the liquid was analysed it fell just fractionally below the 40% legal minimum in order to re-bottle and the plan was thwarted. It means that these precious bottles (which have been tested for age by the Oxford University Radiocarbon Laboratory on behalf of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute) are still available in their intended form. Undoubtedly the rarest and most unique whisky we’ll ever offer; full details are below and please don’t hesitate if you would like any secured.