Orkney Single Malt Full Hogshead Cask 615 RLA 146.5 60.3%
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit bottled at cask strength, this single malt does not mature further in the glass. It is ready to be enjoyed immediately upon release and will remain in peak condition for decades if kept upright, sealed, and away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rich blue cheeses like Stilton, dark chocolate desserts with a high cocoa percentage, and smoked meats such as venison or duck breast.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the wind-swept Orkney Islands at the northernmost reaches of Scotland, Highland Park is steeped in Viking heritage and legendary distilling lore. Founded in 1798 by Magnus Eunson—a smuggler by day and preacher by night who famously hid his illicit spirits under his church pulpit—the distillery benefits from a unique, temperate maritime microclimate. This single cask release, drawn from a full oak hogshead (Cask 615) at a robust cask strength of 60.3%, showcases the distillery's signature style. Highland Park's character is defined by its use of aromatic peat hand-cut from the nearby Hobbister Moor. Because Orkney is virtually treeless, this ancient peat is composed almost entirely of decomposing heather, imparting a gentle, sweet, floral smokiness rather than the medicinal, phenolic punch found in Islay malts. Aged in a single hogshead cask, this expression marries coastal brine, wild heather honey, and soft peat smoke with deep oak spices, vanilla, and dried fruit notes.
🍾 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.