It's time for another Behind The Barrel entry, The series we sue to highlight the history of distilleries of the world as most have deep and fasinaticing history. 

Todays entry focuses on Highland Park, based on the Orkney Islands adn their unique link to Viking History. 


Highland Park distillery is based in Kirkwall, Orkney Islands. It is the second most northerly Scottish distillery, The Orkney island reach the same longitude as the southern tip of Greenland, seemingly a world apart from Scotland's mainland. The name of Highland Park, does not refer to the Scottish Highlands but a area near where the distillery was founded called High Park. 


With bracing sea air on this isle, growing crops and many things is difficult, In summer one of things to grown is a abundance of heather, a signature flavour added to their whisky. Hobbister Moor on the island is where Highland Park sustainably source their peat, Making them the only distillery to use heathered Peat in their whisky. 

The distillery traces it roots back to late 1700s, when Magnus "Mansie" Eunson lived there, He was butcher and a Church Officer by day, but by night he illicitly made whisky and smuggled it. Some contention on when Highland Park/ Magnus Obtained their first licence, Some believe Magus obtained one in 1798, but some say 1826, as in 1978 Magnus was arrested for illicit whisky production. 

The Viking names used for Highland Park's whisky come from their links to Viking era, Natives of Denmark and Norway fleeing , King Harold I, first settled on the island and claimed it as home, Later in history King Harold I, claimed Orkney under Scandinavian rule. This remained the case until late 15th century, when a cash-strapped Danish King failed to met a financial obligation to a Scottish King using the isle as debt insurance until he defaulted, some of customs, lore, names and heritage remained, so Highland Park use it as nod to their homes past.