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SINCE 1798, HIGHLAND Park’s lineup of premium single malt Scotch whiskies has been distilled in Kirkwall, Orkney, on the same site as founder, Magnus Eunson set up his original illicit still. While the weather may sometimes be wild, the climate is temperate, making this the perfect place to distill balanced and beautiful whiskies.
Just like its place of origin, Highland Park is wildly harmonious, bringing together contrasting elements that at first might seem like they don’t go together, but they really, really do. This convergence of unexpected and harmonious flavours is what sets Highland Park apart as a distinctly unique single malt, and one of the best whiskies in the world.
There are five time-honoured keystones of production that Highland Park has maintained since its inception in 1798. No other distillery hits all five keystones, which means you can search the world over and you won't find another whisky that tastes like Highland Park.
What makes Highland Park really unique is its woodless peat. Vitally important to the distinct flavour and character of the whisky, the peat is cut by hand from Hobbister Moor, located just seven miles from the distillery and over 9,000 years old in places. The peat is rich in fragrant heather resulting in a floral, sweet, smoky character that is distinctly Highland Park whisky.
Highland Park is one of only a handful of distilleries to still turn their malt by hand. Because malting barley produces a substantial amount of heat, they painstakingly turn it by hand, every eight hours, seven days a week, to maintain a constant airflow and exactly the right amount of moisture to fully absorb the intense aromatic smoke.
Highland Park gets 60 per cent of its flavour, and 100 per cent of its natural colour from European and American sherry seasoned oak casks, which are essential to the aging process. Meanwhile, Orkney's temperate climate is perfect for a cool, evenly paced maturation.
The fifth and final keystone is Highland Park's cask harmonization. For each batch of whisky released, master whisky maker Gordon Motion, selects and marries up to 150 casks, leaving the newly combined whisky to rest for at least one month before bottling. During this time, the flavours from the different casks combine and harmonize, achieving an intense balance that's reflected in the whisky's fully rounded flavour and long finish.
Start your journey with Highland Park 12 Year Old Viking Honour. This whisky is spicy and well-rounded, packed with the flavours of sun-kissed Seville oranges and rich fruitcake spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; you’ll find molten heather honey in this whisky’s waves of heathery peat smoke.
To learn more about Highland Park, visit highlandparkwhisky.com
