{"product_id":"highland-park-between-you-and-i-old-scotch-whisky","title":"Highland Park 17 Year Old Between You and I by Laila Gohar Single Malt Scotch Whisky 750ml","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eBetween You and I is Highland Park's own genuinely experimental approach to collaboration — rather than pairing with another distiller or simply slapping an artist's name on a standard release, Master Whisky Maker Marc Watson builds each edition around the specific person themselves, translating their story directly into liquid. As Watson himself put it: \"what's exciting is this was about making whisky for one person. Normally, it's about making whisky for people. Here, they give me a little bit of background and told me to go make something that resonates with Laila.\" This second edition in the series partners with Laila Gohar, the Egyptian-born, New York-based culinary artist known for immersive food installations and collaborations with Prada, Hermès, Perrier-Jouët, and Sotheby's. Where the 2025 debut release (with three-Michelin-starred chef Björn Frantzén) introduced Swedish oak to Highland Park for the very first time, this edition takes the opposite approach: stripping things back to just one wood type entirely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWatson sampled more than 80 casks in search of flavors that would spark genuine memory and association for Gohar, ultimately building the whisky from spirit that spent its first 11 years in refill ex-Sherry casks, before finishing its final years in highly active, unseasoned American oak — chosen deliberately for its ability to amplify orange blossom, leather, and warming spice, evoking, per the distillery's own framing, the sensory richness of an Egyptian spice market. Forbes' own tasting, conducted alongside Highland Park's standard 18 Year Old for direct comparison, found the 18 Year \"a decidedly complex dram, layering jammy fruits, honey, tartness, spice, and smoke,\" while this 17 Year \"presents a much tighter focus,\" concluding \"the result is a pour that delivers great flavor while reveling in its own simplicity. Maybe less really can be more.\" Men's Journal's Kirk Miller found it opening \"with subtle orange blossom and rich honey before giving way to warm baking spices and a gentle, sweet campfire smoke,\" with \"a full-bodied, silky mouthfeel\" tying \"the entire pour together.\" This is a genuinely current, deliberately focused release — real single-minded craft behind a whisky built for one person, now available to everyone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigins \u0026amp; Craftsmanship\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eHighland Park 17 Year Old Between You and I by Laila Gohar is produced at Highland Park Distillery, Orkney, Scotland, under Master Whisky Maker Marc Watson, in collaboration with New York-based culinary artist Laila Gohar. This is the second release in Highland Park's Between You and I series, following a 2025 debut with chef Björn Frantzén that introduced Swedish oak casks to the distillery for the first time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWatson sampled more than 80 casks in developing this expression, ultimately selecting spirit that matured 11 years in refill ex-Sherry casks before spending its final years in highly active, unseasoned American oak, chosen specifically to amplify orange blossom, leather, and warming spice alongside Highland Park's characteristic fruit, sweetness, and aromatic peat smoke. A travel-retail counterpart, \"Between You and I: Journeys,\" uses ex-bourbon and new Spanish oak casks instead. Bottled at 47.5% ABV, 750ml, launching September 24, 2026, in limited quantities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCritics Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForbes (extended independent review):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It's a decidedly complex dram, layering jammy fruits, honey, tartness, spice, and smoke [Highland Park 18 Year, for comparison]... In contrast, this 17 year old 'Between You and I' presents a much tighter focus. By using only American oak — then cherry picking those mature casks — Marc Watson has effectively narrowed Highland Park's profile. The result is a pour that delivers great flavor while reveling in its own simplicity. Maybe less really can be more.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirk Miller, Men's Journal:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This 17-year-old single malt easily fulfills the master distiller's ambition. It opens with subtle orange blossom and rich honey before giving way to warm baking spices and a gentle, sweet campfire smoke. A full-bodied, silky mouthfeel ties the entire pour together.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarc Watson, Master Whisky Maker, Highland Park:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What's exciting is this was about making whisky for one person. Normally, it's about making whisky for people. Here, they give me a little bit of background and told me to go make something that resonates with Laila.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHighland Park (official brand description):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The resulting 17 Year Old Single Malt offers an invigorating interpretation of Highland Park's signature style, balancing bright fruit and sweetness with the distillery's signature subtle aromatic peat smoke.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForWhiskeyLovers.com (official tasting note):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Building layers of vibrant fruit, citrus, spice, and creamy vanilla.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Profile\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNose\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVibrant citrus and orange blossom lead, joined by warm spice and light peat smoke, alongside rich honey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePalate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFull-bodied and silky, with honeyed sweetness and caramel carrying the entry, developing warm baking spice, leather, and balanced American oak character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eElegant, closing with gentle, sweet campfire smoke and lingering orange blossom — genuinely focused and refined, rather than layered and complex.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuick Overview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\"\u003eCategory\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIsland Single Malt Scotch Whisky\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABV\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e47.5%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e17 Years (11 years refill ex-Sherry, remainder in unseasoned American oak)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistillery\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHighland Park — Orkney, Scotland\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaster Whisky Maker\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Watson\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollaborator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLaila Gohar, Egyptian-born New York culinary artist\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeries\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBetween You and I — 2nd edition (following 2025's Björn Frantzén collaboration)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCasks Sampled\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e80+\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelease Date\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSeptember 24, 2026\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompanion Release\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBetween You and I: Journeys (travel retail, ex-bourbon \u0026amp; new Spanish oak)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle \/ Identity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA genuinely focused, single-wood-type Highland Park — restrained and elegant rather than layered and complex\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAromas \u0026amp; Flavors\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrange blossom, honey, baking spice, campfire smoke\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottle Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e750ml\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood Pairings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCitrus or orange blossom-based desserts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrilled or smoked meats\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAged, nutty cheeses\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHoney-drizzled pastries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eServing Note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eEnjoy neat in a Glencairn glass to fully appreciate its genuinely focused, elegant character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Southern","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42466551758914,"sku":null,"price":160.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0363\/8621\/files\/Highland_Park_17_Year_Old_Between_You_and_I_by_Laila_Gohar_Single_Malt_Scotch_Whisky_750ml.jpg?v=1790314400","url":"https:\/\/www.blackwellswines.com\/products\/highland-park-between-you-and-i-old-scotch-whisky","provider":"Blackwell's Wines \u0026 Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}