Orkney Single Malt (Old Bottling) 12YO
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit, this bottle does not age further in glass and is ready to enjoy immediately. Kept sealed and away from direct light, it will remain pristine for decades; once opened, it is best consumed within 1 to 2 years.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Smoked Scottish salmon, mature blue cheeses like Stilton, and rich dark chocolate desserts.
✨ Technical Specifications
Highland Park, established in 1798 on the windswept Orkney Islands, is steeped in Viking heritage and smuggling lore, famously founded by the illicit distiller Magnus Eunson. This legendary 'Old Bottling' of the 12-Year-Old expression represents a classic era of Orcadian distilling. Unlike mainland Scotch, Highland Park relies on local Hobbister Moor peat, which is packed with decomposing heather rather than wood, imparting a distinctively sweet, floral, and gentle smoky character. Aged primarily in sherry-seasoned oak casks, this older bottling style is celebrated for its rich, slightly waxy mouthfeel, notes of heather honey, dried orange peel, soft peat smoke, and maritime brine, capturing the rugged, salt-sprayed terroir of the northernmost reaches of Scotland.
🍾 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.