Why Orkney is Suitable for Making Scotch Whisky

"Making whisky in Orkney is the most expensive in the world. Being at the northernmost tip of Scotland, we cannot rely on people from other regions and must produce everything ourselves. We handle the malting process ourselves. Also, during the malting process, we dry the malt, and for the fuel, we use peat, which is harvested locally. This use of only Orkney peat is crucial."

With that, he lit a piece of peat he had brought from the Kirkwall distillery.

"Because Orkney is so windy, tall trees cannot grow here. Peat is formed from the decomposition of low-growing heather over thousands of years. Peat made from pure heather has a wonderful aroma when burned. I believe people can appreciate the quality of peat by tasting our whisky."

He also mentioned that the peat varies depending on the island in Orkney, and the peat from the famous Isle of Islay has a more pungent aroma.

"And what influences the whisky's flavor is the sherry cask. It takes 100 years for the wood to grow for the cask. Then, it takes 4 years to cut and dry that wood, and another 2 years to make the cask and infuse it with sherry aroma. If everything goes smoothly, it takes 106 years. Highland Park is one of the few companies that manages this entire process in-house."

Currently, Highland Park owns approximately 42,000 casks. Max MacFarlane, the sole whisky maker (blender), reportedly sniffs samples from 500 casks daily, relying solely on aroma when selecting casks, without tasting the whisky.

Daryl Haldane and Highland Park's "Story"

Besides the image of whisky as a drink to be enjoyed alone, one might also imagine scenes of men sharing a dram together.

"I call 'Highland Park 18 Year Old' my 'father-in-law's whisky.' When I switched companies to Highland Park, I promised my father-in-law a good whisky as a gift and presented him with the 18 Year Old. I wanted to explain my reasons for changing jobs, so I told him about Highland Park's history and traditions, hoping he would understand as he drank it."
My father-in-law tasted the 18 Year Old and praised it, saying, "The balance of smoky flavor and sweetness from the combination of sherry cask and peat is excellent." It was then that I told him, "Your daughter (my wife) is pregnant." Since then, he has continued to enjoy the whisky.

"Drinks consumed to commemorate something – whisky, champagne, wine – remain firmly etched in our memories. The mellow taste of Highland Park 18 Year Old always carries the memory of that moment."

Daryl also toasted with the 18 Year Old when his child was born. When asked again about the charm of the 18 Year Old, he replied, "It's a spirit that can be enjoyed by everyone, from those trying malt whisky for the first time to whisky experts. We describe it as having a sweet, soft smoke; the sweetness comes from Spanish oak, and the aroma from the peat. While whisky is often perceived as a drink for men, at BAR ORCHARD GINZA in Ginza 6-chome, which I visited last night, women were drinking it in cocktails. Highland Park's sweetness is perfect for women too."

Highland Park has consistently received high accolades, including being selected as "The Best Spirits in the World" by the American specialized magazine "Spirit Journal" three times (2005, 2009, 2013) and being named "World's Best Single Malt" at the World Whiskies Awards in 2009.

Daryl Haldane
"Highland Park" Global Brand Advocate. Born in 1984, from Scotland. Resides in Edinburgh. Since 2012, as Highland Park's first Global Brand Advocate, he has been responsible for spreading the roots and enjoyment of "Highland Park" worldwide. He has experience as a Brand Ambassador for a major British liquor manufacturer and possesses advanced knowledge and experience as a mixologist (a specialist who creates cocktails by blending ingredients and liqueurs in exquisite balance), as well as extensive knowledge of spirits, including whisky.

Rémy Cointreau Japan
Tel. 03-6441-3025

• HIGHLAND PARK | The Charm of a Whisky That Weaves Stories (Part 1)


• HIGHLAND PARK | The Charm of a Whisky That Weaves Stories (Part 2)


• HIGHLAND PARK | The Charm of a Whisky That Weaves Stories (Part 3)