Release NO.13 is a rebottling of an iconic 1980s Highland Park 12 year old. The distinctive dumpy bottle and sought-after screen printed design housed this classic Island’s dram that is surely a must-try for any fan of the Highland Park distillery.

The History of Highland Park

Highland Park distillery is the northernmost distillery in Scotland. It is located in Kirkwall the largest town in the Orkney Isles. The origins of distilling at Highland Park are mysterious; the distillery was founded in 1798 either by Magnus Eunson a priest turned smuggler who allegedly concealed illegal whisky in his pulpit, or by farmer David Robertson who may have established the first stills at a previously illicit site. Whoever first distilled whisky there, in 1826 Highland Park became one of the first distilleries to be officially licenced when ownership passed to the Borwick family. James Grant then purchased the distillery in 1895 and proceeded to double its capacity by installing two more stills.

The distillery was acquired by Highland Distilleries in 1937 and used exclusively for blends until the 1970s. It was under the ownership of Highland Distilleries that the Highland Park brand was first launched in 1979; an 8-Year-Old single malt.

In 1999, the Highland Park distillery became part of the Edrington Group and since then the brand has continually developed. First with the decision in 2004 for exclusively 100 percent ex-sherry casks to be used for maturation, and secondly the creation of a core range of age-statement Highland Park expressions alongside a series of themed releases based around Orcadian history and Norse gods.

Highland Park is renowned for its aromatic peaty character, a result of the Orcadian peat used in the malting process. Peat is comprised from semi-decomposed vegetation laid down over thousands of years, and when burnt releases the smoky aromas generated by this vegetation. The peat from the Scottish mainland is smokier due to the lignin from trees, while Islay peat is influenced by maritime vegetation. In contrast, Orcadian peat is derived from heather and moss resulting in a lightly smoky and fragrant heathery aroma. Highland Park’s kiln process produces a heavily smoky malt grain which accounts for 20 percent of the distillery’s requirements, with the remaining unpeated grain imported from the mainland. This gives Highland Park’s malt whisky output a lightly smoky, fragrant and fruity character.

Cheaper By the Dram No.13

This 12-Year-Old Highland Park official distillery bottling was released in the 1980’s and presented in a classic ‘dumpy’ style bottle and decorated with distinctive gold screen printed writing. In this dram the drinker will encounter a classic Highland Park expression and the opportunity to try a vintage dram against a modern 12 year old.