REVIEW: Highland Park’s “Loki” Scotch Whiskey

One of our favorite authors, Michael Stackpole, whom you might know for his work in the Star Wars universe, was kind enough to provide us with his review of Highland Park’s new Loki.

I’m privileged to be able to call Mike a friend, and he is to, because who else would call you up and say, “Can I have some lovely, expensive Scotch sent to your door?”

You really need to visit Mike’s website and buy his books. In particular, check out In Hero Years… I’m Dead. It’s the book you’d get if Dashiell Hammett wrote Watchmen.

Without further ado, here’s Mike:

Highland Park has just released the second of its Valhalla Collection: Loki. This is a limited edition, 15 year old, single malt scotch whisky of a complexity that I’ve never experienced before. Loki was aged in both Spanish sherry casks as well as heavily peated casks. That alone is appropriate for a god that is the embodiment of Chaos (and for whom I have great affection, having written a story from his point of view). This really is an outstanding scotch.

Starting with the nose, Loki is not what you’d expect. Given the casks used, I expected either sherry sweetness or a deep peat scent. What I got instead was something strong and clean, with a lot of citrus. I smiled instantly. Sherry and peat swirled through there later, but not overwhelmingly. They made themselves apparent like notes in music played at a whisper. Adding a little water did open things up, revealing a hint of licorice, but very subtle.

The first sip is just as chaotic as the nose. The peat comes through easily, but just slides off the tongue as lighter and sweeter tastes come through. It’s a fantastic balancing act, making Loki a puzzle to be solved. The second you identify one flavor, it just melds into another. A couple drops of water smoothes everything out, slowing the transition, which gives you a chance at picking up apple and anise, as well as tart citrus flavors.

The finish is clean and soft, spicy and warm. The peat comes back just to remind you that you are drinking scotch, but doesn’t leave you foundering in a peat bog. The sherry’s legacy returns for a sweet goodbye kiss, and Loki slides away without any harsh burn.

In Norse mythology, Loki was a trickster, and this whisky lives up to that sense of him. It provides a myriad of scents, flavors and sensations in each sip. It’s an experience that will intrigue drinkers just trying out scotch; and it’s a challenge for the connoisseur. It’s a worthy successor to THOR (see the review HERE). At $249 for a bottle, it is an indulgence, but definitely one worth saving up for. Loki is a scotch you’ll remember for a long time, and one that will invoke a smile every time you think on it.

Here’s the Highland Park website for their Loki.

And here, again, is Mike’s website.