Explore the meticulous design behind Highland Park Whisky, which has been successfully crafted since 1798 and hangs in the balance of nature and nurture.

Highland Park 21 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIC CRILLY HARDGRAEVE

The tasting room at the distillery PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIC CRILLY HARDGRAEVE

When stonemasons build arches, they need one stone to hold the arch together. This is known as the keystone. The whisky makers on Orkney Island know all too well the importance of keystones, referring to five elements in their whisky-making as the keystones of production. Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky (highlandparkwhisky.com) was founded on Orkney Island and, in many ways, is part of its very essence. 10 miles from the northernmost point of the Scottish mainland lie the islands that make up Orkney, only 20 of which are inhabited, nestled in the somewhat unpredictable North Sea. Here on mainland Kirkwall, founder Magnus Eunson set up his original illicit still at High Park in 1798. The distillery almost lies in the Arctic Circle and experiences winds of over 100mph in the winter—making it bad for trees but great for whisky. The area was even once ruled by a succession of Viking Earls from around 800AD until 1468. All this to say, a deep magic and energy is rooted here, also found in Highland Park Whisky.

Skilled craftsman turning the malting barley by hand PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIC CRILLY HARDGRAEVE

The sherry-oak casts are one of the keystones of what makes Highland Park Whisky. PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIC CRILLY HARDGRAEVE

The distillery is perched on Kirkwall’s southernmost wall, looking over the town like a benevolent watchman. It is composed of 23 warehouses and two pagoda-topped kilns. The keystones start with the kilns where skilled craftsmen painstakingly turn malted barley by hand— every eight hours, seven days a week to fully absorb the intense ‘reek’ produced by the Hobbister Moor. Hobbister Moor is entirely unique to Highland Park Whisky, and every April, the caretakers harvest peat from this ancient landscape, dry it over the summer months and then burn it in their timeworn kilns. Only then can the aromatic smoke infuse the malting barley. Other keystones are Highland Park’s sherry oak casks that make 60% of the whisky’s final flavor and 100% of its color, as well as cool maturation—a process perfect for Orkney’s notably harsh, long and frigid winters. While other distilleries most feel it’s frivolous, the last keystone is necessary at Highland Park. For every batch released, Master whisky maker Gordon Motion selects and matches up to 150 casks, leaving the newly created whisky to rest for at least a month prior to bottling. During this resting period, flavors from different casks combine and harmonize, producing an intense balance and a satisfying finish.

Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIC CRILLY HARDGRAEVE

Whisky in a glass among Highland Park’s fragrant heather, which creates the unique aromatic smokiness of the whisky PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIC CRILLY HARDGRAEVE

Highland Park produces whiskies that are renowned for their quality and complexity and continuously stand the test of time by incorporating the elements of their natural home and the craftsmanship of skilled individuals. So, next time you enjoy a glass of Highland Park whisky, remember that the design of these five keystones makes it truly exceptional.

Highland Park Whisky’s logo evokes a sense of their Viking past PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIC CRILLY HARDGRAEVE

Hobbister Moor. PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIC CRILLY HARDGRAEVE