| Region of production: | The Islands |
| Distillery Location: | Kirkwall, Orkney |
| Year Established: | 1798 |
Top Spirits Produced
- Core Range:
- Viking Scars 10 Years Old, Viking Honour 12 Years Old, Viking Pride 18 Years Old
- 25, 30, 40 Years Old
- Limited Releases:
- Legends: Hobbister, Shiel, Quercus, The Battle of Jutland 11 Years Old
- Warriors: Svein, Einar, Harald, Sigurd, Ragnvald, Thorfinn
- King Christian 1: A commemorative bottle in honor of the Nordic King Christian’s gift of Orkney to Scotland in 1468. Aged in both refill hogsheads and butt casks.
- The Dark and The Light: Replaced the Fire and Ice Editions in 2017. Celebrate the sagas represented in Norse mythology. Each aged 17 years.
Average Total Production
- 2.5 million liters neutral spirit before aging
Summary
Highland Park is the most northerly distillery in Scotland. Its history begins with Magnus Eunson, a preacher and whisky smuggler who produced and hid illegal whisky in the depths of his church. But it was David Robertson who officially established the distillery in the same location in 1798. An excise officer by the name of John Robertson – who, ironically, had previously arrested Magnus Eunson – took over production in 1816. Highland Park obtained its license in 1826 but struggled as the company changed hands until 1895, when James Grant (previously of Glenlivet) took control. Interest in the distillery grew, and production increased with the addition of two new stills. It was then purchased in 1937 by Highland Distillers, which was acquired by the Edrington Group in 1999. Highland Park remains deeply rooted in its history, with the rich Nordic influence of the Orkneys represented in many company philosophies, practices, and bottles.
Style & Distillation Techniques
Highland Park is one of the few distilleries that continues to malt its own barley, utilizing five malting floors. The locally sourced 4,000-year-old peat core of sphagnum moss and heather is cited as the source of the whisky’s distinct smoky sweetness; it usually finishes with a phenol content of around 20 ppm. The distillery has sourced its water from the same source, Maggie Spring, since its founding.
Producer Website: Highland Park