Introduction I’ve always had a steady admiration for Highland Park – not only for their sense of place up in Orkney, but for how consistently their whisky balances sweetness and smoke. When I saw the second cask strength release, I was intrigued. The first release was a thundering dram full of muscle and attitude. I wanted to see whether this batch offered a similar raw energy or if it leaned more into finesse. So I poured a dram, cleared my senses, and settled in. Nose Right away, this bottle opens with a firm presence. There's a concentrated wave of baked apples and honey cake, followed by hints of nutmeg and incense smoke. Underneath, I picked up light maritime notes – not overly briny, just the faint suggestion of Island air. Letting it sit for five or ten minutes brings out a touch of dried mango and toasted oak. It’s intense but not overwhelming – quite layered, in fact. Palate Neat, the whisky really shows its strength – it lands with full impact, mouth-coating and quite oily. Initial flavours are rich and warming: stewed fruits, golden syrup, cinnamon bark. Then comes the peat – earthy and a little dry, but well-integrated without dominating. There’s definite cask influence here too, with dark toffee, bitter orange, and hints of char. I added a few drops of water, which helped bring the fruit forward without reducing the body. There's a lovely tension in the sip – rich and sweet on one side, herbal smoke and woody spice on the other. Finish The finish is long and measured. You get a trailing warmth, with echoes of leathery smoke and clove. As it fades, I noticed a light peppery tingle, then a return of dried fruits and seashell minerality. It doesn’t rush – this is a whisky that settles in for a good while after the sip has gone. Price and Value At cask strength, you’re getting a lot of whisky for your money – both in terms of volume and impact. It’s not a casual sipper, but if you’re looking for something bold that doesn’t sacrifice nuance, I think this delivers good value. The complexity is there, and it drinks as if it's been carefully assembled rather than just power-pushed. Background Highland Park has always been a distillery that leans into tradition while maintaining a broad appeal. Based on Orkney, they use their own floor maltings and still incorporate local peat, which tends to be more heathery and aromatic than what you find on Islay. The cask strength series is an ongoing range – each edition varies slightly in cask composition and character. Release No. 2, bottled at 63.9% ABV, includes a mix of sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks, along with some ex-bourbon barrels. You can learn more about their production methods and philosophy at the Highland Park Distillery website. Final Notes Would I pick this up again? Yes, particularly for colder months or whenever I want a whisky with a real presence. It’s not a bottle for beginners, though – the high strength and layered smoke demand a bit of palate experience. That said, a drop of water softens the edges nicely. For those wondering when to enjoy something like this – I think it fits best into slow evenings. It’s a whisky to sit with rather than sip casually. Compared to other Highland Park bottlings, this one is more aggressive but in a rewarding way – more raw, yet still unmistakably their house style. If you’re already a fan of the distillery or well-structured peated whiskies, it’s worth taking your time with.