Review #616 - Single Malts of Scotland 'An Orkney' (Highland Park) 12 Year Single Cask
There are a number of distilleries which request that their names not be used officially on independent bottlings of their spirit; sometimes, this practice is still used in earnest, while other times, it's now used as a tradition, or even as a marketing gimmick. Highland Park is one of the distilleries that still uses this practice - often, we see independent bottlings of Highland Park labeled as originating at an 'Orkney' distillery.
Technically, these Orkney bottlings could be from a couple of distilleries - there is another mature distillery in the Orkney Islands, Scapa. However, Scapa is not understood to be selling much spirit to indies, so there's a good bet that anything labeled as Orkney is Highland Park. If we have any doubts, tasting the whisky is likely to dispel them when we find that classic lightly peated spirit in the bottle - that's the case here.
This single cask from Highland Park was bottled by the Single Malts of Scotland, a brand owned by Elixir Distillers. It was matured for 12 years in a 'butt' - they don't specify anything else about the cask, but butt-sized casks are typically only used when sherry is involved, most often Oloroso. If there was any doubt, this whisky also has a ridiculous natural color - it looks more like cola in the bottle. After those 12 years of maturation, 615 bottles were yielded at a strength of 56.4% ABV.
Single Malts of Scotland 'An Orkney' (Highland Park) 12 Year Single Cask
Scotland/Highland - Single Malt
Price: USD 120 (2025)
Age Statement: 12 Years
Strength: 56.4% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-sherry butt
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled November 5, 2009; bottled April 6, 2022; cask #5; 615 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 15 months; bottles at 40%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Richly sherried - earthy, almost syrupy, with caramel, prunes, raisins, and blackcurrant. At times, even more sweetness like maple syrup pops up; there's a little whiff of musty peat smoke, but it's subtle. Raspberries and syrupy peaches come next, and we get a light mineral note; accents of red meat and root beer are found at times.
Palate: Chocolate sauce and a blast of red fruit: pomegranate, cranberries, then orange and raisin. Stone fruits and a raspberry reduction build over time, and like the nose, the peat smoke starts soft, maybe building to a medium influence at most. Wood char and cinnamon add a dry, spicy side; it can be peppery, and there are hints of charcoal and cherry candies. The mouthfeel is medium-thick.
Finish: That whiff of smoke is still there, but it's overtaken by ash, savory notes, and spicy notes: black pepper, rare peppered steak, nutmeg, clove, and a soft nutty flavor. Soy sauce continues the umami theme, but there's a sweetness from raspberry in the background, as well as a soft tannic kick. It's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: This one's a stunner - absolutely fantastic whisky from Highland Park and the Single Malts of Scotland. It is definitely a flavor bomb - not a lot of subtlety here, instead the focus is on those strong fruit flavors, along with the accents of smoke, savory notes, and spice. While the fruit did dominate the beginning of the tasting experience, those savory and spicy flavors began to take over at the end, which added a nice evolution to the experience. Decent complexity, and the strength is perfect - never much heat, but plenty of texture and heft.
Value here is above average, a bit surprising given the $120+ price tag, but that's just how good this bottle is. We think this one is well worth it, and we might even back it up since it's a limited, single cask release.
Our Average Rating: 8.7 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.92
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Highland Park reviews:
Review #418 - Adelphi 2007 Breath of the Isles (Highland Park) 16 Year
Review #324 - Highland Park 13 Year Single Cask - Bourbon World Pick
Review #270 - SMWS 4.328 'Meets Expectations' - Highland Park 14 Year
Review #269 - SMWS 4.319 'From Coast to Kiln' - Highland Park 10 Year
