Highland Park reviews and tasting notes by WhiskyRant

Highland Park distillery is the most northerly Scottish whisky distillery based in Kirkwall, Orkney island, half a mile farther north than Scapa distillery
Founded in 1798 by Magnus Eunson, the name of the distillery comes from an area called “High Park” where it was founded on
Famous whisky reviewer Michael Jackson said it was “The greatest all-rounder in the world of malt whisky”
Owned by Edrington Group

Set of good Highland Park whiskies ready for tasting

March 26, 2025

Highland Park Cask Strength release 2

Quick review of 63,9 % alcohol by volume level cask strength Highland Park single malt whisky. I’m a big fan of the distillery and absolutely loved their cask strength 12 year old, so was looking forward to try this. This was their second release of the cask strength series. Matured […]

June 15, 2020

The Famous Grouse Toasted Cask review

The Famous Grouse Toasted Cask is their original Famous Grouse blend after resting in freshly toasted new oak casks. So this whisky is one of the world’s most popular blends with a twist. The original blend consists of Glenrothes, Macallan and Highland Park malt whiskies and unknown grain whisky. It’s […]

July 10, 2019

Orkneyinga Legacy Highland Park 12YO 46% ABV

Highland Park 12YO Orkneyinga Legacy review

I have to call this one a legend right away. This is the regular Highland Park 12 year old single malt whisky on steroids. Orkneyinga Legacy is a rarity you can usually get straight from the distillery. Yes, no retail possibility for this beauty. 2018 spring being the exception when […]

July 7, 2019

Highland Park 14YO Loyalty of the Wolf review

This 14 year old Highland Park is another exclusively for travel retail market produced whisky by the Orcadian distillery. They introduced a trio of single malts for duty free shops in 2018. The other two would be Voyage of the Raven and Spirit of the Bear. All animals important in […]

July 7, 2019

Highland Park Voyage Of The Raven review

Voyage of the Raven single malt comes from Highland Park distillery. This dramatically named NAS (non-age statement) whisky was released for the travel retail market. I guess this one’s a marriage of old sherry and bourbon casks like Highland Park whiskies usually are, but it’s been aged in high proportion […]

July 5, 2019

Highland Park Sydäntalvi 15YO Single Cask review

Sydäntalvi is a 15 year old single cask Highland Park distilled in 2001, bottled in 2017 for the Finnish retail market. Since their first single cask release for Finnish retail market in 2016, Highland Park has continued to launch new ones because of their success. The first four releases, including […]

June 24, 2019

Highland Park Sisu 13YO Single Cask review

This 13 year old single cask Highland Park called Sisu was distilled in 2003, bottled in 2017. Made specially for Finnish retail market during Finland’s 100 years of independence anniversary year. According to Highland Park’s brand ambassador Martin Markvardsen, Sisu single cask whisky was named after some dog. The definition […]

June 5, 2019

Highland Park Dark Origins review

This was just a result of fast sampling in a Finnish restaurant during a business trip, so my review of Highland Park Dark Origins might not be the most accurate one you’ll end up finding on the internet. Like the name states, this HP is a dark character. For maturation […]

April 22, 2017

Highland Park 10 year old review

Highland Park 10 year old comes from the most northerly whisky distillery in Scotland, the Highland Park distillery in Kirkwall, Orkney Island. This distillery has found its way to my heart, being one of my favorite distilleries. Never disappointing, always delivering top quality whiskies like their core range 12 and […]

February 20, 2016

Ola Dubh 12 review – amazing ale aged in whisky casks

Ola Dubh Special Reserve 12 review

This is probably the greatest, or at least one of the greatest ales I have ever tasted. Ola Dubh Special Reserve 12 comes from the Harviestoun Brewery in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Based in the town of Alva, their brewing story began in 1983 – known for beers like Schiehallion Lager and […]

July 11, 2015

Highland Park Freya 15 year old review

I haven’t tasted the first two, but I got a chance to try the third release of Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection: Freya, a 15 year old single malt whisky. This one was named after the Norse Goddess of Love. Freya the Goddess was sensitive and wise – a valiant protector of human […]

July 6, 2015

Highland Park Einar review

Highland Park has released six NAS (no age statement) whiskies for their Warrior Series, made for European travel retail market: Svein, Einar, Harald, Sigurd, Ragnavald and Thorfinn (in order of price). Named after Einar, one of the most feared vikings of his time. Einar was tough and successful, making lots […]

July 6, 2015

Highland Park Svein review

For the European travel retail market, Highland Park released 6 different NAS (no age statement) whiskies: Svein, Einar, Harald, Sigurd, Ragnavald and Thorfinn (in order of price). Named after a legendary Viking leader Svein, who was also known for his generous nature and hospitality, as well as his fiery temper. Highland […]

July 6, 2015

Highland Park Harald review

Highland Park released six NAS (no age statement) whiskies for the European travel retail market: Svein, Einar, Harald, Sigurd, Ragnavald and Thorfinn (in order of price). Named after the Norwegian king, Harald Fairhair, who established the Orkney earldom. King Harald also had a well-known victorious army. Highland Park Harald has […]

June 30, 2015

Highland Park 12 year old review

I haven’t bumped into any confirmed info about the maturation of Highland Park 12 year old single malt whisky, but I’m guessing it’s Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks. Probably re-fill sherry casks. They do talk about the usage of Oloroso sherry casks, so probably those and some American oak. But I […]

March 13, 2015

The Naked Grouse blended malt whisky review

This BIRD is hard to comprehend, yet it’s rich The Naked Grouse is a blended malt whisky from The Famous Grouse brand by The Edrington Group. The malts are from Highland Park and Macallan, matured in first-fill Sherry casks. It has a higher proportion of above-mentioned malts, than in the […]

March 13, 2015

The Black Grouse Alpha Edition review

The Black Grouse Alpha Edition is a peated version of the Famous Grouse. This is a little bit peatier than the ordinary Black Grouse whisky released in 2007, developed for Swedish market. In the label, there’s that grouse again, this time it’s a black one (tetrao tetrix). Miss Whisky has a […]

March 13, 2015

The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky review

Matthew Gloag & Son Ltd. started the Famous Grouse production in 1897 and nowadays it’s been made by The Edrington Group. Named after the famous British moorland bird called red grouse (lagopus lagopus scoticus), which is Scotland’s national game bird. “It has been the highest selling whisky in Scotland since […]

March 4, 2015

Highland Park 18 year old review

Edit 7/7/2019: I’ve kept my old bottling of Highland Park 18 year old stashed away in my cabinet. In fear of too much oxidation, I’ve transferred it to a smaller bottle after halfway through. Then, in autumn of 2018 we decided to have a Highland Park tasting with the 18YO […]

October 9, 2014

Highland Park Vintage 1994 review – distilled 1994, bottled 2010

Highland Park 1994 Vintage is 16 year old whisky matured in first-fill European (Spanish) oak sherry cask. Not at all like their Vintage 2001, which got a very good score from me. The 2001 version had a smoky palate because of the high proportion of first-fill American oak casks used in […]

June 17, 2014

Highland Park Vintage 2001 review – distilled 2001, bottled 2012

Highland Park Vintage 2001 was made for travel retail and duty free shops, high proportion matured in first-fill American oak casks to bring up the smokier side of Highland Park. It was my very first encounter with Highland Park. I actually didn’t know what to expect. I certainly didn’t realize, that […]