Cask Strength “Heather” captures the essence of Orkney at full clarity: bottled at natural cask strength, non-chill filtered and naturally coloured. It’s Highland Park in its purest voice, where the distillery’s signature honeyed fruit meets a distinctly floral heather-peat smoke—aromatic rather than ashy—carried by a cool maritime freshness. On the nose, expect heather honey, orange zest and light toffee before gentle peat, wild herbs and a whisper of sea salt emerge. The palate is powerful yet poised: baked citrus, orchard fruit and dried apricot intertwine with vanilla, cinnamon and toasted nuts, while the smoke remains elegant and lifted, supported by a generous malt body. The finish is long, clean and energetic, echoing vanilla, caramelised malt and that hallmark heather-smoke.
A few drops of water unlock deeper layers—more fruit, more spice, more airy floral smoke—while preserving the whisky’s intensity. A characterful, modern Orkney expression that shows how smoke, fruit and oak can align in true balance when nothing is filtered out and nothing is watered down.
