The Distilleries

The world's northernmost whisky distillery, perched on a hillside above Kirkwall harbour. Highland Park has been distilling here since Magnus Eunson — a church officer and illicit distiller — was finally brought to account in 1798.

The character of Highland Park comes from three things that cannot be replicated elsewhere: Orkney peat, which is rich with heather and mossy grassland rather than the dense Islay variety; the Atlantic climate, which pushes through the warehouse walls and into the spirit; and the malted barley, partially peated on-site in a traditional malting floor.

One of three surviving distilleries from Campbeltown's extraordinary Victorian golden age, when thirty distilleries operated in this small harbour town on the Kintyre peninsula. At its peak, Campbeltown was the whisky capital of the world. Then came the American Prohibition, the Depression, and a catastrophic blending scandal that destroyed the town's reputation.

Glen Scotia survived. Its whisky carries the Campbeltown signature: brine, coastal oil, a slightly waxy quality, and an individuality that resists easy categorisation. We choose sherry butts from Glen Scotia, which add dried fruit and a velvet richness without masking what makes Campbeltown whisky distinctive.

Glenburgie is one of Speyside's great workhorses — a distillery that has produced consistently excellent spirit since 1810, largely without the marketing attention that other Speyside names attract. This suits us perfectly. Our preference has always been for whiskies that are exceptional rather than famous.

Eighteen years in first-fill bourbon barrels has produced a whisky of remarkable complexity: the orchard fruit character of the distillery deepened by oak into something richer and more contemplative. Apple blossom becomes baked apple. Fresh honey becomes honeycomb on warm toast. The finish is the longest in The Highland Passage pack.