Highland Park is the whisky of Orkney, made in Kirkwall at one of Scotland’s most northerly distilleries. Officially classed within the Highland region as an island malt, it is celebrated worldwide for its beautifully balanced style, marrying gentle heather-peat smoke with the rich sweetness of sherry-cask maturation.
History of Highland Park
Founded in 1798, Highland Park is said to stand on a site once used by the legendary smuggler and church officer Magnus Eunson. With more than two centuries of history on Orkney, the distillery leans proudly into the islands’ Norse heritage, and its branding draws on Orkney’s deep Viking past. It is owned by the Edrington Group, sister company to The Macallan.
The distillery today
Highland Park is one of only a handful of distilleries that still carries out traditional floor malting, producing around a fifth of its own malt and drying it with aromatic Orkney peat. Because Orkney is treeless and windswept, its peat is rich in heather rather than wood, giving Highland Park’s smoke a uniquely fragrant, heathery quality rather than the medicinal punch of Islay.
The whisky
The signature of Highland Park is balance and harmony: a distinctive heathery, honeyed smoke woven through dried fruit, spice and depth from sherry-seasoned oak. The 12 Year Old (Viking Honour) and 18 Year Old (Viking Pride) are widely regarded as benchmarks of complex, well-rounded whisky, and the distillery also releases a stream of special and cask-strength editions.
Visiting Highland Park
The distillery in Kirkwall is one of the highlights of a trip to Orkney — an archipelago also famous for its Neolithic monuments such as Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar, and its Viking history. Tours range from standard visits to in-depth tastings.
Getting there
Orkney is reached by ferry from the north coast of the mainland (near Wick and Thurso) or by a short flight from Inverness, Aberdeen or the central belt, making Highland Park a rewarding add-on to a far-north or NC500 trip.
Discover more in our overview of Scotch whisky regions and our guide to the best whisky distilleries to visit in Scotland.
This guide is part of our complete Scotch whisky guide — explore the whisky regions, distilleries and how to plan a whisky trip.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Highland Park Distillery?
In Kirkwall on Orkney, off the far north coast of Scotland.
What does Highland Park whisky taste like?
Balanced and complex — gentle heather-peat smoke with sherried dried fruit and spice.
Is Highland Park a Highland or island whisky?
It is an Orkney island malt, officially classed within the Highland region.
Does Highland Park malt its own barley?
Yes — it is one of few distilleries still doing traditional floor malting, drying part of its barley with aromatic Orkney peat.
