Highland Park 18 Year Scotch Whisky

18 years. Viking Pride. Highland Park — the benchmark Highland Park expression, matured with a high proportion of first-fill sherry-seasoned European oak casks and finished with the distillery's distinctive Orkney peat — the most northerly of Scotland's major distilleries, producing a uniquely heathery and aromatic peat smoke that distinguishes Highland Park from any mainland Scottish expression.

Highland Park Distillery was founded in 1798 in Kirkwall, Orkney — the islands north of mainland Scotland, closer geographically to Norway than to Edinburgh. The Viking heritage that defines the Viking Pride series reflects this Norse connection — Orkney was a Viking settlement for centuries, and the Orcadian peat used in Highland Park's malting contains heather, moss, and coastal plant species from the island's unique ecosystem that mainland Scottish peat does not.

The 18 Year's high first-fill sherry proportion produces rich toffee, dried fruit, and spice character that integrates with the distinctive Orkney smoke to create Highland Park's signature 'perfect balance' profile.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Rich toffee, dried fruit, heathery smoke, vanilla, fresh oak
• Palate: Full and warming, dried fruit, cinnamon, mocha, subtle heather peat
• Finish: Long, complex, perfectly balanced peat and sweetness

Specs

• Distillery: Highland Park, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland (est. 1798)
• Style: Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Age: 18 years
• Casks: High proportion first-fill sherry-seasoned European oak
• ABV: 43%
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Orkney peat different from mainland Scottish peat?

Orcadian peat contains heather, coastal plants, and mosses specific to the island ecosystem. The absence of trees in Orkney means the peat contains more heather root than mainland peats, producing aromatic heathery smoke rather than the medicinal, marine smoke of Islay or the earthier smoke of Highland peat.

What does Viking Pride mean in the Highland Park lineup?

The Viking Pride series represents Highland Park's premium sherry-dominant expressions, celebrating the distillery's Norse heritage. The 18 Year Viking Pride is the benchmark expression in the series — the 'perfect balance' of peat and sherry that Highland Park has always claimed as its defining characteristic.