Highland Park 12 Year Old

Highland Park is the most northerly whisky distillery in Scotland, located on the Orkney Islands — a windswept archipelago closer to Bergen than to Edinburgh — and the remoteness shapes every aspect of production. They still hand-cut their own heather peat from Hobbister Moor, which gives their smoke a distinctively floral, herbal character unlike the medicinal Islay peat. The 12-Year balances that gentle heather smoke with golden honey, vanilla, and dried fruit from a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry casks. An uncommonly balanced and elegant whisky.