Orkney Single Malt Hogshead 'Full Cask' No 19
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit, this single malt does not mature further in the bottle and is ready to be enjoyed immediately. Once opened, it will retain its peak complexity for 1 to 2 years if kept sealed and away from direct sunlight, though an unopened bottle will remain pristine for decades.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Smoked Scottish salmon, mature blue cheeses such as Stilton, and high-quality dark chocolate.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the wind-swept Orkney Islands, this single malt represents the rugged, Norse-influenced heritage of Scotland's northernmost distilleries. Distilled in 2010 and matured in a single hogshead cask, this expression showcases the classic Orkney character. Unlike the heavy, medicinal peat of Islay, Orkney peat is composed almost entirely of ancient heather, imparting a gentle, aromatic, and floral smokiness. The maritime climate, marked by fierce salt-laden winds and temperate winters, allows for a slow, gentle maturation in the cask. Legend has it that the distillery's founder, Magnus Eunson, was a direct descendant of Vikings who worked as an illicit distiller by night, hiding his legendary spirit under the church pulpit. This bottling captures that rebellious, artisanal spirit, offering notes of heather honey, soft peat smoke, sea spray, and toasted oak.
🍾 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.