Orkney Single Malt Cask Strength Release No 4
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit, this cask strength single malt does not mature further in the bottle. It is ready to be enjoyed immediately upon release and will remain stable for decades if stored upright in a cool, dark place.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rich blue cheeses, high-quality dark chocolate, and smoked meats like venison or duck.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the wind-swept Orkney Islands, Highland Park is one of Scotland's most remote and historic distilleries, founded in 1798 by the legendary smuggler Magnus Eunson. The Orkney Single Malt Cask Strength Release No. 4 represents the distillery's whisky in its purest form—straight from the cask, non-chill filtered, and with no added color. Its unique character is deeply tied to the local terroir; the distillery uses peat cut from nearby Hobbister Moor, which is packed with heather rather than wood, imparting a distinctive sweet, floral smoke. For Release No. 4, first-fill sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks were combined with ex-bourbon casks to create a robust spirit singing with notes of toasted oak, crushed aniseed, warm peat smoke, and wild heather honey.
🍾 About the Producer
Perched on the windswept Orkney archipelago off Scotland's northern coast, Highland Park was founded in 1798 by illicit distiller Magnus Eunson before securing official licensing in 1826. Owned by Edrington and directed by Master Whisky Maker Marc Watson, the distillery remains one of the few in Scotland to maintain traditional floor maltings for a portion of its barley. Terroir here is inextricably linked to the island's environment: Orkney's tree-deficient landscape yields heather-rich peat harvested from nearby Hobbister Moor, imparting an aromatic, floral smoke fundamentally distinct from the medicinal iodine of Islay. Distillation occurs in copper pot stills, followed by patient maturation predominantly in sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks within maritime dunnage warehouses. Celebrated benchmark expressions include the flagship 12, 18, and 21 Year Old releases, as well as ultra-aged rarities such as the Orcadian Vintage Series and landmark 40- and 50-year-old single malts.