Scapa 21 Year Old (2025 Release) & Uncharted Whisky Co Park Life 22yo

Scapa 21 Year Old (2025 Release)

Region: Highlands

ABV: 50.7%

Price: £249.95

The new Scapa 21 year old was matured in first fill ex American oak barrels and bottled at cask strength.

Nose

The nose opens with peach rings, candied pineapple, green grapes, milk bottle sweets and confectioners sugar. It's very fruity, very sweet, but has a surprising alcohol warmth on the nose that we wouldn't expect from only ~50% ABV. Going back, we're finding melon balls, ripe bananas, some apricot preserve and a squeeze of fresh lemon. It's full on the nose, lots of cask influence here, the first bill bourbon barrels are definitely present.. although perhaps some of that Scapa spirit has been masked by the oak sweetness. 

Palate

The palate opens with a burst of lemon and lime cordial, moving into a host of apples, pineapples, mango puree, and some buttery shortbread rounds dusted in caster sugar as the palate develops. Like the nose, the spice is a bit warmer than we'd expect, it's like a mixture of candied and grated ginger mixed together. The mouthfeel is good, with a caramel like texture, and a decent length finish, mostly with lingering citrus and tropical fruits. Going back, there's more of a sweetened sponge cake flavour coming through, mixed with all the aforementioned fruitiness.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose has more of a sweetened vanilla cream, menthol, fudgey aroma up front, but those fruit aromas are right behind. Warmer sugars, torched brown sugar on fresh bananas, toffee bon bons and a little cocoa butter all starting to appear - more cask forward, less spirit for us.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate keeps up with the abundant fruit, citrus, but brings forward a little bit of that menthol and stronger vanillas from the reduced nose. The mouthfeel takes a little bit of a hit, but the alcohol spice has been reduced accordingly. We're now finding a mixture of Lilt and caramel tarts, very tasty.

Conclusion

We're very happy to see Scapa release a well aged, good strength single malt, and it doesn't disappoint. It's full of rich, tropical fruits and sweet bourbon cask flavours which is what we really want from the distillery. We were surprised at the alcohol bite, it's a bit harsher than we expected, but there's no doubt this is a well crafted whisky.

Score: 8/10

Value

While pricey, it is in line with other distilleries’ 21-year-old releases.

Uncharted Whisky Co Park Life 22yo

Region: Highlands

ABV: 55.0%

Price: £98.95

An unnamed Highland single malt distilled in July 2003 and matured 22 years in a refill sherry cask, then bottled in August 2025. Given all the hints that Uncharted have given for this it’s a safe bet this is Highland Park.

Nose

The nose opens with lemon sherbert, warehouse must, caramel shortcake, cured venison and a little rubber in the background - it's slightly sulphurous. There's quite an alcohol kick on the nose initially, however it mellows as the dram gets some air. Going back, we're finding more of a herbal quality, minty, a little bit of eucalyptus, old soil and some cut grass too. As time goes by, there's more of a biscuity quality that starts to appear, a little milk chocolate too. 

Palate

The palate opens with some macerated raspberries, hazelnut spread, buttercream, honeycomb, soft cherries and a vegetal, earthy lingering flavour on the finish. There's a bit of a mustiness in the background, something a little mouldy, but there's enough red berry sweetness and acidity to balance this. The mouthfeel is good, a sugar syrup-like consistency, with a bit of a prickle from some crushed black peppercorns and a bit of sweet ginger on the finish. There's more of a caramel sweetness that appears as you let the dram open up.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose has a bit more of the sherry character, with more red berries, currants, some candied walnuts and a little runny honey in the background. Water has helped to tame some of that funkiness for us, bringing the nose into harmony.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate loses a bit of texture but, in the same way as the reduced nose, comes together in a way that it didn't before. Sweet red fruits, earthy vegetal flavours and some caramel and vanilla all melding into something quite delicious.

Conclusion

At first we struggled with the nose, there was a sulphury, flinty, rubbery aroma that we struggled to get past, but time and air is this drams best friend - it really opens up into something quite complex and tasty. Old style Highland sherry with an earthy vegetal spirit that has melded well together. We're between a 7 and 7.5, but we'll put our biases aside as Highland Park isn't always our favourite distillery - but this is a good example of the aged spirit. 

Score: 7.5/10

Value

22-year-old cask strength whisky for under £100? Yes please.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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