Highland Park - One More Time

I’ve just seen the new Highland Park bottle for the first time. When I read about the new packaging, the new label, even a new bottle, and saw all about the big marketing push on the HP website, I feared that this whisky, perhaps my all-around favorite, was either going to lose its distinctive qualities by seeking to appeal to a broader market, or else become inordinately expensive. (Somw whisky critic has recently proclaimed HP as the wrold's best spirit.) John, on the other hand, felt that the HP packaging was so bad, with that cheesy label, that the brand could easily benefit from an upgrade in its presentation. In other words, the look of the product could be upgraded to the level of the whisky. Anyway, because I didn’t buy the new bottle, as it was the 12 year old, and I’m already well stocked with both 15 and 18 (not to mention a bit of the 25 still in that distinctive wide-mouth bottle), I can’t vouch for the whisky. I can report, however, that the new package is just fine.

The bottle is no longer round; it’s now an oblong shape with flat sides. There’s undoubtedly a name for this shape, but it's unknown to me. It reminds me of the shape of the Bulleit bourbon bottle, but with flat sides, and perhaps a longer neck. And the label is a big improvement as well, old fashioned, and more appropriate for this classic malt whisky. So it looks as though John was right on the money.

Unfortunately, it also looks like it will be a while before the new packaging is on the shelf around here. I’m guessing that Whitehouse, as well as our other local purveyors, have a decent inventory of the old stuff, because everyone seems to have one of the ages on sale at all times these days. So that’s the good news – we can stock up on the 15 and 18, at remarkably good prices, but we’ll just have to drink it out of the old and now unfashionable bottles.

Not much of anything to say about the Cuse. After that collapse against Cincinnati, where they salvaged a one-point win, we’ve had disappointing road losses to St. Johns (!) and Louisville. Both games were characterized by second half collapses, and in neither game did PH get much playing time. What’s up with that, coach? Two next games are home games, so let’s hope we can turn things back around.

And lastly, with the signing of JD Drew, Sox line-up seems to have taken shape. Big question of course, is whether any of the new relievers can fill the closer role, allowing Papelbon to start. The rotation would then be Shilling, D-Mat, Papelbon, Beckett, and either Wake or Lester. Possibly a formidable rotation. Imagine that. But if Pap returns to the closer role, that might not be such a bad development either. It won’t be long now.