Highland Park - 'Valknut' Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Highland Park distillery is the northernmost single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the world, located on the Orkney Islands off the far north coast of Scotland, where the Atlantic Ocean turns into the North Sea.

The basic process at Highland Park is similar to that at other distilleries. However, there are some key differences that make Highland Park unique in the world of single malts.

Heathery peat: Highland Park is the only distillery in the world to use peat from Orkney. Exposed to the elements and pounded relentlessly by gale-force winds, few trees survive Orkney’s harsh conditions. In absence of trees, the peat the distillery burns to smoke its hand-malted barley is densely compacted heather dating back 4,000 - 9,000 years. This peat burns slowly, delivering the distinctive aromatic smoke the distillery is known for.

Temperate weather: Although rainy and windy, the islands of Orkney are blessed with a surprisingly temperate climate, providing the perfect environment for whisky casks to quietly mature at an even pace, without being exposed to extremes in temperature.

Sherry-seasoned oak casks: Between 60-80% of a whisky’s flavor comes the cask in which it matures. Highland Park uses casks made of either American or European oak. These are built by hand in Spain, filled with Oloroso Sherry and left to season for two years. The casks are then emptied and sent to Orkney where they are filled with the new make spirit and left to mature for at least a decade – and up to five in the case of Highland Park 50 Year Old.

Highland Park is considered by whisky insiders one of the greatest single malts in the world. It has been named "The Best Spirit in the World" on three separate occasions by F. Paul Pacult, America's foremost expert on distilled spirits. Its 25 Year Old whisky was the first spirit to ever receive a perfect 100-point score at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. In 2018, two of its special distillery releases, The Light and The Dark were awarded a Double Gold medal each by the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. In 2019 and for the fourth year running, Highland Park took home the Ultimate Spirits Challenge's top honour, the Chairman's Trophy for Best in Category.

In 2018, Highland Park ranked #2 behind its sister distillery, The Macallan, in whisky auction sales driven by growing demand for the distillery's special releases.