Orkney 17 year old The Single Cask 

• Distillery: Highland Park
• Region: Orkney Islands, Scotland
• Type: Single malt scotch
• Age: 17 years old
• Year distilled: 2005
• ABV: cask strength of 61.5%
• Cask ref: 7
• Cask: Hogshead
• Bottle Outturn: 295

Highland Park distillery

Highland Park distillery is located in Kirkwall, Orkney. Confusingly, the name was chosen because the area where the distillery is located is known as High Park. In 1798 local farmer David Robertson built it. Very little is known about the distillery between its foundation and 1870. What is known is that the distillery was licensed in 1826.

In 1870 the owner of Miltonduff distillery consolidated Highland Park's business links and secured a distribution agreement with merchants based on the mainland. Such was the success of the distillery that in 1895 its production capacity was doubled. Another distribution agreement included Robertson & Baxter. This latter group was acquired by Highland Distillers in 1937. The distillery has remained in the hands of this group (called Edrington these days) ever since.

The first single malt expression from this distillery was released in the 1970's and it enjoyed commercial success. The distillery produces some 20% of its malted barley. Uniquely among distilleries, the peat used has a high content of heather. This adds a fragrant and aromatic note to the whisky.

The style of Highland Park is fragrant, has a pleasant whiff of smoke and a rich body. This is influenced by its long fermentation period and the distillery's usage of ex-sherry casks.