highland park: bottle codes and shapes

[mongo]

does anyone know exactly when the most recent highland park bottle shape change happened? from the dumpy to the flat bottles? also, did this correspond to any change in the vatting formula, especially for the 18? finally, how does the highland park bottling code work?

i'm looking at a dumpy bottle of the 18 with the following code: L0146 B L11 12/03 10:16
my flat bottle 18 has the following code: L0343K L11 12:05 19:18

i highly doubt the dumpy is from 2011, so the second L11 in both cases must not be the bottling year. i'm also pretty sure that the flat bottle wasn't around before 2007 (am i wrong about this?), which suggests that the first L series in both cases also does not identify the year. any clues?

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

"After the world-wide Relaunch of the packing and bottle Design in the autumn 2006 presents itself the singular paints whisky completely in the new Look and underlines thereby its Premium character."

The press release was dated 06.10.2006 afaik.

Greetings
kallaskander

[michaelmaloney]

I'm sorry to hijack the thread, but could you explain where to find the codes to which you refer? I have a bottle of the straight-side type, with the rectangular 'Sunset' box and I'd like to work out from what year it hails.

I think it sits between the dumpy bottle and the current style.

[Nick Brown]

And here we are, four posts into the thread and still no mention of the legendary Queen of the South bottling.

[Johnny Murgatroyd]

The bottling codes are hard to see. They are on the interior face of the label, and have to be glimpsed through the back of the bottle.

The turnover happened during 2006. It coincided with a removal of e150A from HP12. I try to look out for the flat bottlings from 2006 (L06). To me they taste Great.

[michaelmaloney]

Johnny, thank you. Difficult enough to find that I don't feel too dumb for having asked.

[bpbleus]

Does anyone know from when to when the older old presentation 12 yo HP was marketed in the US? The one with the big cork, as in:

http://www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com/sto ... old-style/

Thanks!

[joshZie]

Does anyone know from when to when the older old presentation 12 yo HP was marketed in the US? The one with the big cork, as in:

http://www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com/sto ... old-style/

Thanks!

Reviving an old thread, but I just bought a dusty bottle of this and was wondering when it was marketed in the US as well.

[Tim F]

The bottle above is probably early to mid 1990s as it's 70cl - think the change from 75cl to 70cl here happened right at the start of the 1990s.

My first experience of HP was in 1998 at Oddbins, by which time the bottles were the taller round ones, so the specific bottle linked to above is likely sometime between 1990-1998.

[C57]

Does anyone know from when to when the older old presentation 12 yo HP was marketed in the US? The one with the big cork, as in:

http://www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com/sto ... old-style/

Thanks!

You know, I've never noticed that the package in that picture has two different bottle labels associated with it!
cf this one

I wonder if they have different codes (if indeed codes were in use at the time)?
But I always think of that tube and that bottle shape as late 80s to mid-90s

[Tim F]

The one you posted is the later one, I think - certainly it more closely resembles the label on the shortlived tall bottles:

http://www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com/sto ... -year-old/

[mongo]

the bottle tim posted a link to is the one i asked my original question about. any clues as to how to read these bottle codes?

L0146 B L11 12/03 10:16 (tall dumpy)
L0343K L11 12:05 19:18 (new flat bottle)

[Tim F]

They may not have any rhyme or reason, mongo - am making further enquiries, will report back if I hear anything.

[C57]

The one you posted is the later one, I think - certainly it more closely resembles the label on the shortlived tall bottles:

http://www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com/sto ... -year-old/

that's interesting Tim. And yet the picture on my bottle and tube match, whereas the SWA one is different. And this is not the only one I've had - the last one I had was the same, so they do go together.

Are we sure the SWA one is in the correct carton?If so they must have switched packaging mid-run.
Where's Gerry when you want him?

Nick

[C57]

The one you posted is the later one, I think - certainly it more closely resembles the label on the shortlived tall bottles:

http://www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com/sto ... -year-old/

that's interesting Tim. And yet the picture on my bottle and tube match, whereas the SWA one is different. And this is not the only one I've had - the last one I had was the same, so they do go together.

Are we sure the SWA one is in the correct carton?If so they must have switched packaging mid-run.
Where's Gerry when you want him?

Nick

Yep, whiskyauction.com's extensive history shows both bottle labels in that carton.

[mongo]

They may not have any rhyme or reason, mongo - am making further enquiries, will report back if I hear anything.

thanks, tim!

[joshZie]

Great info, thanks!

[Tim F]

Just heard back that the tall dumpy L0146 B L11 12/03 10:16 is 12th March 2002. Will press for methodology, but at a guess the B probably represents the year.

[Tim F]

Have now been told that L11 is the year but system has now changed. Seeking clarification.

[mongo]

thanks for all the effort, tim.

[portwood]

the bottle tim posted a link to is the one i asked my original question about. any clues as to how to read these bottle codes?

L0146 B L11 12/03 10:16 (tall dumpy)
L0343K L11 12:05 19:18 (new flat bottle)

Reviving old thread to add info based on e-mail I received from Brand Ambassador in Canada.
L0146 refers to a vatting code used by the lab
B is the year 2002 (C = 2003, D = 2004, E = 2005, F = 2006*)
L11 refers to the bottling line
12:03 = 12th day of 3rd month
10:16 = time

The code convention may have changed because I just bought an 18yo with code L0008P L4 11:01 15:55. Following the same logic would imply 2016 bottling year (P).

* my inquiry was based on "F" code (L0143F L8 01:03 22:24) which I was told was bottled @22:24, March 1, 2006, on line 8. Given Tim confirmed B=2002, I guessed on the other years.

[mongo]

thanks, portwood! it would appear my bottles are almost a decade apart: i guess i'll open them together to compare possible changes. not sure when i'll open them though.

and you should hold on to your bottle: it's from the future!