Orkney Single Malt Orcadian Vintage Series Bottled 45.6%
⏳ Drinking Window
As an ultra-premium, 40-year-old single malt, this expression is fully matured and ready to be savored immediately. Once bottled, spirits do not age further, meaning it will remain in peak condition indefinitely if stored upright, sealed, and away from direct sunlight and temperature fluctuations.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rich blue cheeses like Stilton or Roquefort, premium artisanal dark chocolate with a high cacao percentage, and slow-cooked venison or roasted game birds.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the wind-swept Orkney Islands, Highland Park is one of Scotland's most remote and historic distilleries, founded in 1798 by the legendary smuggler Magnus Eunson. The Orcadian Vintage Series represents the pinnacle of this northern outpost's craft. Distilled in 1968 and bottled in 2009 at 45.6% ABV, this ultra-rare single malt spent four decades maturing in hand-selected oak casks. Orkney's unique terroir plays a vital role in its character; the local peat is composed almost entirely of decomposed heather, yielding a sweet, aromatic, and gentle smoky profile rather than the medicinal brine of Islay. Combined with traditional floor maltings and cool, maritime maturation, this expression delivers an incredibly complex tapestry of dried stone fruits, warm winter spices, wild heather honey, and a whisper of peat smoke.
🍾 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.