1.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Long winters, cool maturation<\/em><\/p>\n What sets Highland Park whisky apart from other whiskies has a lot to do with where it\u2019s made.\u00a0\u00a0 Although the\u00a0winters are ruthless and somewhat eternal the climate is temperate, making it perfect for long, cool and evenly placed maturation in the island warehouse.<\/p>\n For over 220 years, barley has been smoked over 4,000-year-old peat, that is hand-cut from the nearby Hobbister Moor.\u00a0 The dense, heather-rich peat burns slowly, with an astonishing intensity to create a complex floral aroma in the kilns and is the origin of the intensely balanced, smoky sweetness found only in Highland Park.\u00a0\u00a0Simply put, the peat doesn\u2019t compare to any other distillery in the world.<\/p>\n 3.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Hand turned floor maltings<\/em><\/p>\n Highland Park is one of only a handful of distilleries to still turn malt by hand.\u00a0\u00a0As barley produces a substantial amount of heat as it malts, it\u2019s turned by hand rather than machine every eight hours, seven days a week. This prevents it from overheating and ensures that it\u2019s able to absorb the aromas given off by the peat. The company even proudly states that their \u2018new\u2019 kiln is 100 years old, and there are no plans to replace it.<\/p>\n The casks are what the longboats were for the Vikings and contribute up to 60 percent of the final flavour.\u00a0\u00a0 Carefully selected from European and American oak trees, they are made in the traditional manner. Flavours such as vanilla, lemon and coconut come from American oak while the oak sourced in Europe provides nuances of dried fruits, orange and spice. Thanks to the quality of the sherry-seasoned casks, the golden colour of the spirit is all natural.<\/p>\n Creating a balanced whiskey requires time and skill, however creating the distinctive balance also requires harmonisation.\u00a0 Every cask is nosed and tasted by the master whisky maker who decides which casks will be used. For every batch released, up to 150 casks are selected and combined and then left to rest so that the different flavours settle and harmonise resulting in a richer, deeper taste. For older expressions even fewer casks are combined.<\/p>\n The Viking Heroes\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n The heroes of Highland Park are all presented in beautifully designed bottles and packaging featuring decorative emblems inspired by ancient Viking art:<\/p>\n Highland Park 18 Year Old Viking Pride<\/em><\/p>\n This aptly named single malt owes everything to the 5 keystones of production that have been honoured for over 220 years. The high ratio of first-fill sherry seasoned European and American oak casks selected to create this 18 Year Old give it a unique flavour profile bursting of overripe cherries, bitter dark chocolate, sweet marzipan, floral heather honey and aromatic peat smoke.<\/p>\n Highland Park\u00a012 Year Old Viking Honour<\/em><\/p>\n Predominantly aged in sherry seasoned European and American oak casks, the 12 Year Old boasts warm wintery spices and is the perfect balance of smoky sweetness, heather honey, rich fruitcake, spice, orange and peat flavours.<\/p>\n 10 Year Old Viking Scars<\/em><\/p>\n Matured in sherry seasoned European and American oak casks, the 10 Year Old is a fistful of fallen oranges, dollops of vanilla cream and smoky heather peat.<\/p>\n The Viking ancestors believed that nothing in life should come easy.\u00a0\u00a0Whisky tastes better when you\u2019ve earned it and victory tastes better when you put in the legwork.<\/p>\n Worthwhile things take time and they test your worth.\u00a0 It\u2019s the painstaking result of hard work, sacrifice, and fierce dedication. It\u2019s applying tough love and single-minded dedication to create distinctive single malts.\u00a0 It\u2019s battling the elements and knowing tradition still defies convention.\u00a0 It\u2019s digging out 4000 year-old peat moor one shovel at a time.<\/p>\n If you can appreciate that, then sit back and pour yourself a Highland Park and raise your glass to whats in it.<\/p>\n Available at leading bottles stores nationwide<\/p>\n Recommended retail prices:<\/strong><\/p>\n 10 Year Old Viking Scars R 449.99<\/p>\n 12 Year Old Viking Honour R 549.99<\/p>\n 18 Year Old Viking Pride R 1799.99<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Viking spirit continues to live on in the proud, adventurous and fiercely independent taste of Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky. \u201cThis meticulously crafted, award-winning whisky pays tribute to the descendants of the Vikings, their adventuring spirit, their determined approach to life and single-minded way of doing things and will resonate with those of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":17908,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2060],"tags":[5118,1695,3281],"class_list":{"0":"post-17906","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-food-wine","8":"tag-highland-park-single-malt-scotch-whisky","9":"tag-truman-orange","10":"tag-whisky"},"yoast_head":"\n\n
\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/highway-berea\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2021\/08\/HP-2020-18YO-bottle-shot-75cl-US-social-media-02-jpg-320x400.jpg\")
<\/p>\n