Peat scented with heather, the rugged beauty of Scotland’s Orkney Islands, and more than two centuries of craftsmanship. Highland Park has moved away from Viking symbolism and recast its identity in a new light – emphasising its island origins, nature and distinctive smoky-sweet flavour. At the Whisky Life! Prague festival, you’ll have the chance to discover its core range as well as two original cocktails that will showcase this single malt from a slightly different angle.
MASTERCLASS HIGHLAND PARK NA WHISKY LIFE! PRAGUE
When: Friday, 6 November at 8:00 pm
Who: Natalia Livitsanou, Highland Park regional brand ambassador
What to expect: An introduction to the world of Highland Park and its distinctive blend of sweetness, spice, and the subtle smoke of Orkney heather peat.
Tip: If you’d like to get to know the brand in greater depth than a standard tasting allows, this masterclass offers an opportunity to explore its origins, the art of cask management, and the differences between individual flavour profiles.
We recommend checking the festival’s current programme to confirm the masterclass schedule and whether separate registration is required.
There are places that leave a far more pronounced mark on a whisky’s character than the label alone would suggest. Highland Park is one of them. It is based in the Orkney Islands, an archipelago in the North Sea off the north-east coast of Scotland, where harsh weather, long summer days, dramatic coastline and a heather-covered landscape shape not only the lives of local people but also the character of the whisky produced there. In recent years, the brand has decided to place even greater emphasis on this unique geography and local craft tradition. The change to its visual identity, unveiled in 2024, is therefore not merely a cosmetic overhaul of the packaging. It is, above all, a new way of telling the Highland Park story – less through its Viking heritage, and more through the nature, people and environment that set this whisky apart. At Whisky Life! Prague, visitors will be able to explore several standout examples from the core range, from the fresh 12-year-old to the complex 21-year-old. And because good whisky doesn’t have to be confined to a tasting glass, the festival will also feature two cocktails based on Highland Park 12 YO and 15 YO.
The true story of the islands
Highland Park has been distilling whisky at the same site in Kirkwall, the largest town in Orkney, since 1798. Over more than two centuries, it has built a reputation as a brand whose character stems from an unusual blend of sweetness, spice and subtle smoke. Yet the Orkney Islands are not merely a geographical location in the north of Scotland. They play an active role in the production process and are the reason why Highland Park has its own, almost impossible-to-imitate flavour profile.
The islands lie in the North Sea at roughly the same latitude as the southern tip of Greenland; yet, thanks to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, their climate remains mild and ideal for the long maturation of whisky. Strong winds make it difficult for trees to grow, and the local peat therefore consists mainly of heather rather than the typical woody roots. It is this heather peat that gives Highland Park whisky its characteristic, delicately smoky note with an aromatic, almost floral undertone. When combined with the use of European and American oak casks seasoned with sherry, the result is a profile in which fruitiness, spice, sweetness and subtle smoke come together.
The rebranding, which the brand launched in October 2024, brings this story to the fore at first glance. The new packaging for the 12-year-old, 15-year-old and 18-year-old whiskies features a fresher, lighter and more contemporary colour scheme inspired by the light and climate of the Orkney Islands. The labels feature a heather motif, an updated logo and a subtle pattern reminiscent of wood grain, referencing the importance of oak casks in whisky production. The glass bottle has also been redesigned to better showcase the natural colour of the spirit, achieved exclusively through cask maturation. Furthermore, the glass bears the inscription ‘Product of Orkney’ – a clear statement of its place of origin, which is fundamental to the brand. The new design is the work of the international creative agency D8 Studio, and the emphasis on sustainability is also reflected in the packaging: the cardboard boxes are fully recyclable and made from material sourced from FSC-certified forests.
At the same time, the brand is moving away from the more prominent Viking iconography that has long been part of its public image. This does not mean it is denying Orkney’s history or its Nordic cultural heritage. Instead, it is shifting its focus to what is most immediate and tangible in its whisky: the local landscape, heather, peat, oak casks and the people who have been developing their own craft traditions here for generations. “At Highland Park, everything comes back to Orkney – from the way the whisky is made, through its distinctive flavour, to the exceptional community of people who do things their own way,” said Paul Condron, Global Brand Director, at the launch of the new identity. Master Whisky Maker Gordon Motion then emphasised that it is the heather peat that gives the whisky its delicately smoky character, which cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. The new visual language is therefore not a departure from the essence of Highland Park, but a more direct interpretation of it: fewer symbols, more of the actual place.
Highland Park at Whisky Life! Prague
The Highland Park core range demonstrates how a single island environment and consistent production principles can create whiskies with varying depth, intensity and character. At the Whisky Life! Prague festival, you’ll be able to sample several expressions from the range and compare how their aromas and structure change with age and the varying proportions of casks used. The 12-year-old offers an accessible introduction to the brand’s world; the 15-year-old adds more pronounced contrasts; and the 18-year-old delivers a more layered, intensely fruity profile. Yet each retains the shared Highland Park signature: a harmony of sweetness, spice and the gentle smoke of Orkney heather peat.
Highland Park 12 YO is a fresh, spicy yet smooth whisky that beautifully showcases the brand’s typical character without unnecessary complexity. Its naturally vibrant colour comes from cask maturation, and the flavour is built on a balanced blend of sweetness, spice and subtle smokiness on the finish. The foundation of its profile is laid by carefully selected European and American oak casks seasoned with sherry, with first-fill casks playing a significant role in imparting more pronounced flavour notes. The inclusion of refill casks then rounds out the individual components and helps maintain harmony. The result is a whisky that is equally suited to being enjoyed on its own or as a base for cocktail experiments.
Highland Park 15 YO offers a slightly deeper and more layered experience. Its naturally golden colour complements a profile in which aromatic warmth meets livelier citrus notes. Subtle vanilla nuances play an important role, arising from the combination of whisky matured in American and European oak casks – both seasoned with sherry – and additional refill casks. It is precisely this combination that creates tension between the sweeter, warming notes and the fresher accents. Furthermore, the 44% ABV lends the whisky greater vigour and helps to emphasise its complex character. As well as being enjoyed on its own, it’s also worth noting its role at the festival: the second of the cocktails prepared for Whisky Life! Prague will be based on Highland Park 15 YO. It’s an interesting opportunity to discover how a whisky with such a distinctive personality can work in a mixed drink without losing its character.
Highland Park 18 YO takes the tasting experience to a new level of depth, with intense fruitiness and an exceptionally smooth texture. Its natural amber colour is the result of maturation in oak casks, and the aroma offers multiple layers that gradually unfold on the palate. A significant proportion of the whisky is matured in European oak casks seasoned with sherry, bringing intense notes of fruit and spice with a long finish. American oak casks and additional refill casks then balance and round off the profile. What makes this 18-year-old edition so distinctive is that its complexity never feels heavy-handed: the individual layers of flavour remain interconnected, and the smoky character is part of the whole rather than a dominant element that would overpower the other notes. The brand describes it as its most highly acclaimed whisky.
In addition to these three core classics, the Highland Park 21 YO is also worth mentioning, offering an even more complex and distinctly layered flavour profile. The nose reveals the creamy sweetness of crème brûlée, honey and cinnamon, while the palate offers apricot compote, crushed almonds and lime zest. The finish brings lingering notes of smoked lemons and the delicate smoke of Orkney heather peat.
An interesting addition to the tastings will be two festival cocktails, each offering a different perspective on the use of Scotch single malt in contemporary bar culture. The first will be based on Highland Park 12 YO, whose fresh, spicy and delicately smoky profile can form a solid foundation for a well-balanced mixed drink. The second will feature Highland Park 15 YO – a choice that may come as a surprise, as this more distinctive and complex whisky need not be confined to a tasting glass. While the exact recipes and names of the cocktails are not yet available, the selection of these two expressions suggests that the festival aims to present Highland Park not only as a brand with a long history, but also as a whisky with a place in today’s gastronomic and bar scene.
Highland Park is therefore of interest at Whisky Life! Prague for several reasons. For those who are not yet familiar with the brand, it offers an opportunity to discover its origins and characteristic smoky-sweet profile. For more experienced whisky lovers, it provides the chance to compare different aged expressions and observe how the influence of the casks, fruitiness, spiciness and depth of flavour evolve. And for visitors interested in contemporary mixology, both cocktails will make an intriguing stop. Highland Park’s modern look is not an attempt to forget the past. Rather, it is an invitation to view it differently – through the island landscape, its natural conditions and the craft that has followed its own rules for over two centuries.
