Highland Park

Highland Park is the northernmost whiskey distillery in Scotland and lies northeast of its Orcadian counterpart, Scapa. Orkney is an uneven, beautiful island and Highland Park distillery lies on a hill near Kirkwall. Nearby are wide plains with fields of barley and rocky rocks that ominously protrude from the ground. The sea strikes the coast and its salty air and the geology of this island contribute to the rich character of the Highland Park single-species whiskey. This distillery draws water from mineral-rich springs in the east of the distillery, as well as from Crantit Spring.

Highland Park was founded in 1798 by David Robertson on the site of Magnus Eunson's cottage. Eunson was not only a churchman in the local church, but also an infamous smuggler. Highland Park received an official license in 1826. After James Borwick inherited the distillery in 1869, production at Highland Park slowed. James was a priest and believed that whiskey production contradicted his ecclesiastical status. That's why Stuart and Mackay moved here in 1876, dramatically helping sales through overseas exports.

In 1895, James Grant bought a distillery in Highland Park. Three years later, he built more boilers, of which there were already four. It is one of the few Scottish whiskey distilleries to have malt houses and its weekly production of malting barley, 35 tonnes, meets 20 per cent of its own malt requirements and the rest is sent from Simpson's and Edrington's malt houses. Eighteen million pounds was spent relaunching the brand. This product range received new packaging, was resold on the market and the buildings were extensively renovated. The future of Highland Park is bright and has recently taken over the Israeli giant Lagavulin in terms of sales.