Highland Park 25 yr Whiskey 750ml

Highland Park Distillery sits in Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney, and traces its founding back to 1798, making it one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. Its position on this windswept, maritime archipelago has shaped the house style for more than two centuries, built around a signature combination of gently peated malt and extensive sherry cask maturation. That heritage, along with the islands' distinctive climate, is central to how Highland Park describes every release, including this flagship aged expression.

The 25 Year Old spends a quarter century maturing in a careful selection of first-fill sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks, drawn from a small number of hand-picked barrels for each batch. That extended time in expensive, flavor-rich sherry wood is what gives the whisky its depth, layering dried fruit and honeyed sweetness over the distillery's characteristic trace of peat. Bottling strength has varied by release, generally landing in the mid-40s percent ABV.

The nose brings heather honey, cherries, dried fruit, and oak, fruitier than the peat level might suggest. On the palate, dark chocolate, fudge, and nutty toffee sit alongside dried fruit and gentle spice, with peat smoke running quietly underneath. The finish is smooth and lingering, closing on smoke, toffee, and a faint salty edge.