2000 Alexander Murray & Co Highland Park 13 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

This rare bottling of cask strength has been matured in ex-bourbon casks. A glowing amber color with a sweet peaty aroma on the nose. To taste, it is bursting with spicy fruits and has a long peaty finish. Add a drop or two of water and sip neat.

Orkney is the most northerly of Scotland’s whisky-producing regions. Only two distilleries are located in the islands; Highland Park and Scapa. They produce whiskies that are full bodied and balanced, with smoky, salty characters.

The archipelago of some 70 islands is found just off the northern tip of Scotland, in the cold waters of the North Sea. It is variously described as being a part of either the Highlands or the Islands region.

Whisky production here dates back to at least the late 18th Century. The remote Highland Park distillery began life as an illicit still in this period. The other distillery in Orkney is Scapa, which was established in the 1880s. Its whiskies tend to be slightly lighter bodied.