Orkney Single Malt Hogshead 'Full Cask' No 12
⏳ Drinking Window
Ready to enjoy upon release, this spirit will remain stable and pristine for decades if stored upright and away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Smoked salmon, mature blue cheeses, and dark chocolate truffles.
✨ Technical Specifications
Highland Park, situated on the remote Orkney Islands of Scotland, is one of the northernmost distilleries in the world. Founded in 1798 by Magnus Eunson, a butcher, church beadle, and legendary smuggler, the distillery is deeply rooted in Viking heritage and folklore. The unique character of Orkney single malts is heavily influenced by the island's windswept, maritime climate and its ancient, woodless peat sourced from Hobbister Moor. This peat, rich in decomposed heather, imparts a distinctively sweet, floral, and gentle heathery smoke rather than the medicinal punch of Islay malts. The 2009 'Full Cask' No 12, matured in a traditional hogshead cask, showcases this harmonious balance of coastal air, light peat smoke, honeyed malt, and soft oak spice, capturing the wild, untamed essence of the Orcadian landscape.
🍾 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.