North Star Spirits Secret Highland 2000 25 Year Old

The bottle matching 25 Years Old and 57.5% ABV appears to be North Star Spirits’ Secret Highland 2000, rather than a product officially named “Old Island.” It was distilled in 2000 and matured for 25 years in a refill Oloroso Sherry hogshead. The distillery is officially undisclosed, although specialist retailers associate the whisky with a famous Orkney distillery; for the Shopify listing, I recommend keeping the producer undisclosed unless your bottle explicitly names it. 

Food Pairing: Dark chocolate, gingerbread, fruit cake, roasted almonds, mature cheddar, smoked meats or raisin-based desserts.

Tasting Notes: A mature Highland single malt with a powerful combination of dark confectionery, old leather, sweet baking spice, dried fruit and coastal, heathery character.

Nose: Burnt dark chocolate with mature leather notes. 

Palate: Rich gingerbread sweetness with icing and raisins. 

Finish: Long, salty and heathery, retaining mature sherry and oak character. 

Serve: Best enjoyed neat initially. At 57.5% ABV, a small amount of water can reveal additional dried fruit, spice, heather and mature oak.