Highland Park 18 Year Old Viking Pride
Highland Park · Highland Park Distillery
Highland Park 18 remains one of the great balancing acts in Scotch whisky. Orkney peat is gentler than Islay's iodine punch, and here it weaves through sherry-cask richness without dominating. This is maturity expressed as harmony.
Nose
Aromatic dried fruit and honey arrive first, followed by a graceful waft of smoky peat and clove spice. Beneath it sits a layer of dark cocoa and worn leather.
Palate
Rounded and generous. Honey and dried stone fruit dominate the mid-palate, with smoky undertones adding dimension. Vanilla and orange peel emerge as it opens, supported by a woody, almost cedar-like backbone.
Finish
Exceptionally long and balanced, with peat smoke and dried fruit lingering in equal measure. A final note of dark chocolate closes the curtain.
- Region
- Islands (Orkney)
- Cask Type
- Sherry-seasoned European and American oak
- Peat Level (PPM)
- <20 ppm
- Distillation
- Pot still, double distilled
- Maturation
- Sherry-seasoned European oak and American oak casks
- Chill-Filtered
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Orkney Rob Roy — 2 oz Highland Park 18 · 0.75 oz sweet vermouth · 2 dashes orange bitters · Stir over ice, strain into coupe, express orange peel over surface.
Food Pairing
Seared duck breast with a dried cherry reduction
Distilled on Orkney where the wind never quite stops, Highland Park hand-turns its own floor-malted barley over locally cut peat before aging in a combination of sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Clairin Vaval
Clairin
Clairin Vaval is rum stripped to its most elemental — no aging, no blending, no polish. What remains is terroir in a glass: the wild, indigenous sugarcane of southern Haiti, fermented with native yeasts and distilled once. It's a spirit that demands curiosity and rewards it with a flavor profile unlike anything else in the rum world.
Talisker 18 Year Old
Talisker
This is Talisker at its most composed — the maritime punch of the 10-year softened into something more nuanced and integrated. Eighteen years have fused the distillery's wild coastal character with sherry-cask sweetness into a seamless whole. A masterclass in how time can be mortar.
ArteNOM Selección de 1146 Añejo
ArteNOM
ArteNOM's 1146 Añejo is what happens when barrel aging complements rather than conceals the agave. Eighteen months in American oak gives structure and depth, but the highland terroir of Jesús María — bright, mineral, vegetal — stays audible throughout. This is añejo done with restraint and intelligence.
Ransom Old Tom Gin
Ransom
Ransom Old Tom is a gin that reminds you the category has history — maltier, richer, and more texturally complex than modern dry styles. David Enrich's recipe is modeled on pre-Prohibition approaches, and the barrel resting integrates the botanicals into something almost whiskey-adjacent. It makes a Martinez that will change your mind about gin cocktails.
Talisker 18 Year Old
Talisker
This is Talisker at its most composed — the maritime punch of the 10-year softened into something more nuanced and integrated. Eighteen years have fused the distillery's wild coastal character with sherry-cask sweetness into a seamless whole. A masterclass in how time can be mortar.
Glendronach 12 Year Old Original
GlenDronach
GlenDronach 12 is a benchmark for sherry-matured Highland malt at this age and price. The distillery's commitment to genuine sherry cask maturation — no shortcuts, no finishes — is evident in the depth and cohesion of the palate. If you want to understand what patient sherry cask aging does to spirit, start here.
Fettercairn 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Fettercairn
Fettercairn's distinctive copper cooling system — water cascading down the outside of the stills — creates a notably clean, fruit-forward spirit that stands apart from Highland conventions. At 12 years, this is an ideal entry point to one of Scotland's most underrated distilleries.
Royal Brackla 16 Year Old
Royal Brackla
Royal Brackla remains one of the Highlands' least-discussed treasures, and the 16-year expression shows why it deserves more attention. The sherry cask influence is measured, never heavy-handed, allowing the distillery's naturally fruity character to shine. A refined whisky for contemplative evenings.