Highland Park 50 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

About Highland Park 50 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Situated in the Orkney archipelago in Northern Scotland, Highland Park Distillery was founded in 1798 by Magnus Eunson. The name of the distillery is derived not from the region of Scotland known as The Highlands — the Orkney islands are not a part of The Highlands — but rather from the region known as High Park, where the distillery was founded.

Today, over two centuries after its founding, Highland Park Distillery remains one of the few Scottish distilleries that continues to hand-turn, malt, and peat its own barley. "You have to be careful here on the malting floor," says Eric Tait, Highland Park's Maltman. "You find it can get a wee bit slippery underneath. I have to turn the malt every eight hours to prevent the roots getting tangled and to get it all aerated properly. The airing also helps it to grow. The malt will be on the floor for seven days and I'm running five floors at the moment."

After malting the barley, Highland Park Distillery smokes it using peat sourced from Hobbister Moor, a peat bog located approximately seven miles from the distillery. Hobbister Moor peat is sourced from floral heather bushes, which burn hotter and cleaner than the grassy peats of Islay. In addition, the peat sourced from Hobbister Moor has greater derivatives of carbohydrates and a lower concentration of lignin than peat from Islay, giving Highland Park's peat a unique chemical fingerprint. The peat sourced from Hobbister Moor is "absolutely fundamental"in understanding the flavor of Highland Park Whisky, says Russell Anderson, the distillery manager. Together with Orkney's unique environment (the temperate, moist climate of the archipelago results in an even maturation process), the peat gives Highland Park Whisky its traditional malty, coastal flavors tempered by just a subtle touch of smoke.

Highland Park 50 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the oldest and most prestigious whisky released by the distillery. It was made by marrying together five casks of whisky that were distilled in 1960 and then cask-harmonized, in order to ensure that the whisky achieved the perfect balance of flavor and consistency.

Each bottle of the whisky was hand-crafted from sterling silver designed by Maeve Gillies, an internationally renowned designer of engagement rings and jewelry. The bottle is intended to represent the confluence of the sea, weather and time-honored traditions that have guided Highland Park over the course of the past two centuries.

The whisky has a bright, mahogany hue, along with an aroma of tobacco, chewy leather, raisins and nutmeg. The aroma gives way to rich and spicy flavors, that are balanced by touches of brown sugar, molasses, wood tannins and caramel. The finish is long and warming, with a touch of spicy clove.

Only 275 bottles of this whisky were ever produced. Pick one up today!