Highland Park distillery

Highland Park distillery is the second northernmost single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Scotland (Kimbland distillery on Sanday being 22 miles further north),[1] located in Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands.[2]

Highland Park distillery
Region: Island
LocationKirkwall, Orkney
OwnerEdrington
Founded1798
StatusOperational
No. of stills2 wash
2 spirit
Capacity2,500,000 litres
Highland Park
Age(s)(in years) 12, 15, 16 (duty-free), 18, 21, 25, 30, 40, 50
Cask type(s)Bourbon
Sherry

History

Highland Park distillery was founded by Magnus Eunson, a butcher and church officer by day and illicit distiller and whisky smuggler by night. In 1798 he was caught illegally distilling whisky on the site. In 1826, nearly 30 years later, Highland Park received an official licence to distill whisky.[3]

The name of the distillery does not refer to the Scottish Highlands, but rather to the fact that the distillery was founded on an area called 'High Park' distinguished from a lower area nearby.[4]

In February 2023, Highland Park released a 54-year-old Single Malt Scotch whisky to celebrate Highland Park’s 225th anniversary.[5]

Within the malthouse at Highland Park Distillery

Production

The distilling process at Highland Park is the same as that used at other distilleries.

Highland Park uses the local peat,[6] which contains a higher proportion of heather than many other peats.[4] The whisky is aged in sherry casks made of either American or European oak, purchased from Oloroso sherry producers in Spain.[4]

Awards

Highland Park has been named "The Best Spirit in the World" on three occasions by F. Paul Pacult, America's foremost expert on distilled spirits. Its 25-year-old whisky was the first spirit ever to 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 each awarded a Double Gold medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.[7] In 2019 and for the fourth year running,[8][9][10] Highland Park won the Chairman's Trophy for Best in Category at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge.[11]

In 2018, Highland Park ranked second, behind sister distillery The Macallan, in whisky auction sales driven by growing demand from whisky collectors for the distillery's special releases.[12]

See also

References
  1. Compton, Natalie B. (5 September 2017). "How to Drink Scotch Like You Know What You're Doing". QC.
  2. Pharms, words: Gabrielle (10 August 2018). "9 Things You Should Know About Highland Park Scotch Whisky". VinePair. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  3. Pharms, words: Gabrielle (10 August 2018). "9 Things You Should Know About Highland Park Scotch Whisky". VinePair. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  4. Newman, Kara. "Exploring the Whisky Islands of Scotland". Wine Enthusiast.
  5. Feilden, Eloise (24 February 2023). "Highland Park releases its oldest whisky expression to date". The Drinks Business. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  6. "Highland Park Whisky Distillery Tour". Gear Patrol. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  7. "San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2018 Results" (PDF).
  8. "2018 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results | Spirit Product Awards". www.ultimate-beverage.com. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  9. "2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results | Spirit Product Awards". www.ultimate-beverage.com. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  10. "2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results | Spirit Product Awards". www.ultimate-beverage.com. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  11. "2019 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results | Spirit Product Awards". www.ultimate-beverage.com. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  12. "Rare Whisky 101 2018 Report" (PDF).

Notes
  • Buxton, Ian (2010). A Good Foundation: Highland Park, Orkney, established 1798: a 1924 account of the distillery. Kirkwall: Highland Park Distillery. OCLC 650967730.
  • Jackson, Michael (2004). Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch, 5th edition. Running Press. pp. 309–311. ISBN 978-0-7624-1313-3.
  • Lerner, Daniel (1998). Single Malt & Scotch Whisky. Könemann. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-3-8290-0418-3.

58°58′6.97″N 2°57′19.62″W

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