Orkney Single Malt Twisted Tattoo 16YO
⏳ Drinking Window
As a fully matured 16-year-old single malt Scotch whisky, it is bottled at its peak and does not improve with bottle age. It is ready to be enjoyed immediately upon release and will remain in excellent condition for many years, even after opening, if kept sealed in a cool, dark place.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rich dark chocolate desserts, mature blue cheeses, and slow-roasted game meats like venison.
✨ Technical Specifications
Highland Park’s Twisted Tattoo 16 Year Old is a striking single malt Scotch whisky that marries Orkney’s rich Viking heritage with innovative maturation. Founded in 1798 by the legendary smuggler and church beadle Magnus Eunson, Highland Park is situated on the windswept Orkney Islands, where the peat is uniquely infused with heather. The 'Twisted Tattoo' expression features bottle art by Danish tattoo artist Colin Dale, depicting the Norse Midgard Serpent. This exceptional spirit is crafted by combining single malt matured in Spanish Rioja wine seasoned casks with spirit aged in first-fill bourbon casks. The result is a complex profile where Highland Park's signature aromatic peat smoke meets sweet vanilla, sun-ripened peaches, and the rich, red-berry spice of Rioja wood.
🍾 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.