when i first started blogging about my olfactory experiences, it never crossed my mind that someday i would end up also writing about whisky - yet here i am.
as i candidly wrote in my first ever whisky review, i enjoy and appreciate scents but have a limited knowledge of and experience with whisky. there are so many more capable whisky reviewers out there - my posts are merely a different take on scent impressions from someone who is also passionate about the olfactory world.
this whisk(e)y wednesday, my dram of choice is the Highland Park Spirit of the Bear, a light fruity single malt scotch whisky with a moderate alcohol by volume of 40%.
before diving into the whisky impression itself, i want to gush about how beautiful the box and bottle are. some may say that the ornate carvings are a bit over the top, but i think that both the box and bottle are simply gorgeous and this will definitely be a fine addition to my (growing) collection of empties.
it was a bit of a letdown though to find that the packaging had wowed me more than its contents. contrary to what it says on the box, this is as "smoky & bold" as water is dry. notwithstanding the description touting an "intense aromatic smokiness", i get barely a hint of smoke on the nose and it's almost predominantly the antithesis of boldness, with a soft mildly-sweet aroma incorporating some orange with red fruits and a touch of vanilla. overall the scent feels a bit more muted than what would be expected from the claims on the box; a more accurate description would probably be "lightly smoky & gently sweet".
on the palate, this is a mild whisky that's relatively easy to drink. the first sips are surprisingly smooth with a bit of spiciness that lingers on the finish. the predominant impression here is of the same sweet fruits that came out in the nosing, with a faint smokiness on the edges.
after some time in the glass, the aroma and taste develop and bloom a bit more. the fruity sweetness becomes just that tad more complex, and the spiciness intensifies to give this whisky a bit more bite. i would have loved this so much more if it had more smoke and depth, but alas, it wasn't to be.
overall, Spirit of the Bear feels more like it's channeling a cute furry cub than a ferocious ursine warrior (the latter probably being more in line with the viking theme than the former). it's a nice simple whisky that does its job and is perfectly suited as an everyday dram for those comfortable with something easy to drink, but doesn't go any further than that.
this doesn't stand out particularly to me in any aspects, though it's undeniable that for its price this is a relatively-inexpensive whisky that's good for a novice just getting started or beginning to appreciate the finer things in life. it's a bottle that i was glad to have tried (and will appreciate displaying on my shelf when i'm done, but it's unlikely to be something that i'll buy another round of in the future).
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this review is of a product that i had purchased at regular price with my own money. i wasn’t asked to review this as a condition of purchase and didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with Highland Park, and as always, all opinions remain my own.
all information correct at time of publishing.
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