About this SPIRIT
Highland Park Distillery, Orkney
Highland Park, one of only 2 distilleries in the Orkney Isles, was founded in 1798 by Magnus Euson, and is the world's most northerly distillery. Until it was licensed in 1825 it's production was illicit and Euson was assisted in evading the excisemen by a kinsman who was a Kirk elder and hid the contraband under the pulpit. By the 1880s Highland Park had an established reputation and at one time both the King of Denmark and the Emperor of Russia declared it to be the finest whisky they had ever tasted.
Highland Park has been described as the greatest all-rounder in the world of malt whisky. Its product retains much that is traditional, even original. It has its own floor maltings and peat beds and two traditional peat-fired kilns. Many believe the unique character of Highland Park comes from the local peat beds which have absorbed the salt spray of centuries and which impart a rooty, heathery quality to the whisky. Only a carefully measured amount is used to fire the kiln for each malting. Oak casks are then used for the maturation process. As a single malt, Highland Park matures superbly. In blends, it is said to be a catalyst, bringing to great flavours of the other contributing malts.
Orkney
Only part of Scotland for the last 500 or so years, Orkney feels like a long way from anywhere else. This windswept collection of 70 small islands lies off the northern coast of Scotland. Here, two distilleries vie for the honour of being the furthest north: Highland Park and Scapa. The winner by about 300m is Highland Park.
Many whisky enthusiasts consider Highland Park to be the best all-rounder there is. It manages to combine a richness and elegance, which appeals to lovers of Speyside styles, with just enough peat to keep the lovers of Islay whiskies interested.
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Description
When visiting the Orcadian archipelago, the points of interest are manifold – from the Old Man of Hoy via the wondrous neolithic remains at Skara Brae to the storied waters of Scapa Flow. An equal to these, some might say, is the fascinating Highland Park distillery and its several warehouses full of very sleepy casks.
Deep in a particularly dark corner of one of their oldest warehouses, I was shown these two sister casks of 1988 single malt. The bungs proved stubborn, but the lustrous liquid rewarded the effort; barrels of this age, from this address, appear only infrequently.
Time passes slowly on Orkney, no more so than for the spirit maturing thereupon. The relatively gentle diurnal and seasonal temperature fluctuations cushioned by the tempering effects of the Gulf Stream allow for contemplative ageing rather than any undue rushing to a sprint finish. These restful, if somewhat wind-swept, decades imbue the people, place and whiskies with a powerful presence and a warm heart.
Rob Whitehead, Spirits Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (September 2023)
The nose is fresh and fragrant, with only a hint of this liquid’s age. At first, there are delicate aromas of coconut, camphor wood and spiced golden apples. This follows on to a bowl full of vanilla ice-cream topped with stewed apricot, banana and milk chocolate.
The palate is a different story; here, the whisky begins to display its maturity. Citrus zest gives a lovely lift and the more savoury notes come to the fore: cinnamon, teak and grilled seaweed. The finish is elegant, with a saline smokiness. This is a real Orcadian gem.
George Turner, Assistant Shop Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (September 2023)
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