Orkney Single Malt Hjarta 12YO
⏳ Drinking Window
As a high-proof distilled spirit, this single malt does not mature further in the bottle. It is ready to drink upon release and, if stored upright in a cool, dark place, will maintain its exceptional character and complexity indefinitely over several decades.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rich blue cheeses like Stilton, artisanal dark chocolate with a high cacao percentage, and slow-roasted venison or smoked game meats.
✨ Technical Specifications
Highland Park, located on the windswept Orkney Islands of Scotland, is steeped in Viking history and folklore. 'Hjarta'—meaning 'heart' in Old Norse—is a tribute to this Nordic heritage. Crafted at one of the world's most northerly distilleries, this robust 12-year-old single malt is shaped by Orkney's unique elements. The distillery uses hand-cut peat from Hobbister Moor, packed with decomposing heather, which imparts a distinctively sweet, floral smokiness rather than the medicinal peat found in Islay malts. Matured in Spanish oak sherry casks and bottled at cask strength, Hjarta showcases a deep golden hue and a complex profile of rich dried fruits, warm winter spices, and a whisper of salty sea spray from the surrounding Atlantic winds.
🍾 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.