Orkney Single Malt Hogshead 'Full Cask' No 50
⏳ Drinking Window
Ready to enjoy upon release. Unlike wine, bottled single malt Scotch whisky does not mature further in the glass, but it will maintain its exceptional character indefinitely when stored upright in a cool, dark place.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rich blue cheeses such as Stilton, artisanal dark chocolate with sea salt, and smoked wild salmon or seared duck breast.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the wind-swept Orkney Islands, Highland Park is legendary for its Viking heritage and its founding by Magnus Eunson, an 18th-century priest by day and illicit distiller by night. This 'Full Cask' No 50 represents a single hogshead bottling, showcasing the distillery's unique maritime terroir. Unlike mainland distilleries, Highland Park uses local Orcadian peat rich in heather, which imparts a sweet, floral, and aromatic smoke rather than medicinal notes. Matured in a traditional oak hogshead, this single malt delivers a complex interplay of heather honey, coastal brine, soft peat smoke, and rich toasted oak, reflecting the slow maturation process in Scotland's cool northern climate.
🍾 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.