The final whisky in a series of three special edition Viking Legend releases – is inspired by Odin, the mightiest of the Norse gods. The most peated whisky Highland Park have released to date, it is matured entirely in refill casks to give beautifully balanced layers of flavour and a character as complex as Odin himself.

Sweet apple fragrant pear, crème brûlée, toasted cedar wood, smoked paprika and aromatic peat smoke

The second release in Highland Park's Viking Legend series. Found upon the bodies of slain warriors and thought to invoke the presence of Odin himself, Valknut will transport you to a roaring longhouse feast with its woody, smoky and spicy character.

46.8% ABV l 700mL

Three legendary Highland Park Whisky Makers have collaborated in this latest HP limited edition - Gordon Motion, Max McFarlane and John Ramsay.

The trio hand selected three principal cask types to explore the influence of wood and cask seasoning on the flavour and character of our whisky.

First-fill sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts, first-fill sherry seasoned American oak casks and first-fill bourbon barrels and hogsheads were combined and a small number of refill casks added to provide a degree of softness to the whisky’s final flavour. 

The "deep russet coloured spirit is said to have aromas of 'Seville oranges, coriander seeds, crème brûlée, cloudy honey, lightly peated with a hint of rose'. On the palate, it is said to have notes of “orange peel, apricots, cumin, vanilla and light smoke”. 

Released in 2013, Thorfinn is part of The Warrior Series, a collection of single malts created for Duty-Free to both introduce a key figure from Orkney’s Viking history and to demonstrate the impact of cask type on our whisky’s flavour, which is immense.

Created using a high proportion of first-fill sherry seasoned European and American oak casks, Thorfinn delivers a deep and complex array of flavours. Think fiery ginger fusing with sun-dried fruits and fistfuls of spice, all emboldened by our signature smokiness.

Bottled straight from the cask, without adding water to reduce alcohol content, delivers the extraordinary depth, complexity and balance of flavours that’s now the established hallmark of our Cask Strength series. Release No. 3 is no exception.

This third release has been created using an expertly balanced combination of three cask types – first-fill sherry seasoned American and European oak casks and a smaller quantity of refill casks for balance and depth. Using a higher proportion of Orkney peated malt, our Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, has achieved an intensely smoky character, coming through first on the nose with aromas of smouldering peat and lightly charred oak, balanced by honey-glazed lemons and crushed aniseed.

Discover what best suits your palate by experimenting with the amount of water you add as you release this whisky’s distinctive notes of ripe mango, cloudy heather honey and whipped vanilla cream with a hint of aromatic violet. Pink grapefruit zest, freshly-baked sponge cake and a final gust of heathery peat smoke provide a long and distinctive finish.

64.1% ABV

From the distillery...

The clue is in the name really. Cask Strength Release No. 2 is bottled straight from the cask, without adding water to reduce alcohol content, to deliver an extraordinary depth, complexity and balance of flavours.

Casks have a huge influence on the flavour, character and natural colour of our whisky as it matures, so our Cask Strength series presents our whisky in its purest form, giving you the freedom to enjoy our whisky, your way. Discover the taste and strength that suits your palate by experimenting with the amount of water you add to reach your optimum flavour.

For this second release in the Cask Strength series, Gordon Motion, our Master Whisky Maker, selected mainly sherry seasoned European and American oak casks, along with just a few ex-bourbon casks. You’ll find aromas of summer rose, ripe pear and fresh coconut gathering on a wave of aromatic peat smoke, followed by a wild harmony of sweet and spicy flavours - poached pear and rich almond cake, a drizzle of cloudy honey and a twist of salty liquorice. There’s the suggestion of toasted oak and intriguing notes of orchard fruits, black pepper and sweet aniseed linger, in a satisfyingly long finish. In a word (or three) we call it ‘smoky peppered praline’.

Welcome to a whole new taste adventure…why not find out more by checking out the tasting video below?

We’ve been crafting our award-winning whisky at the Highland Park Distillery in Kirkwall, Orkney, since 1798. Age, experience and respect for tradition may define our whisky, but it’s Orkney that sets it apart. Something magic happens here and the result is the wild harmony of flavours found in our whisky.

ABV : 63.9%

This is a wonderfully rich and complex single malt. Opening with rich and spicy aromas of crème brulee, heather honey and crumbled cinnamon, intensely fruity notes follow - fresh pineapple dressed with a scattering of sun-kissed lemon zest. There’s a hint of freshly-baked sponge cake too, warm from the oven, and you’ll find cinnamon again, but toasted shards this time. Citrus and vanilla notes linger in the aromatic waves of peat smoke. 

To create 15 Year Old Viking Heart, Gordon Motion, Highland Park's Master Whisky Maker, selected predominantly sherry seasoned European oak casks to deliver warm, spicy notes and sherry seasoned American oak casks to provide a balance of sweet vanilla. Expertly adding just a few refill casks to soften and smooth the flavours, Gordon chose to bottle at 44% ABV to allow the whisky’s vibrant fruitiness and distinctive heathery peat smoke to shine through. Why a ceramic decanter? Rewind a century or two and Highland Park whisky would have been stored in earthenware vessels. Inspired by examples found at their distillery in Orkney, Highland Park asked Wade Ceramics if they could work with them to create a modern version. Established in 1810 and based in Stoke-on-Trent in England (known globally as the traditional home of ceramics) Wade share Highland Park's commitment to environmental responsibility, focusing on sustainable manufacturing and using locally sourced raw materials. The lead-free porcelain decanter is 100% food safe, glazed inside and out, and embossed with the lion and serpent design that appears on many of Highland Park's glass bottles. Look closely at the back of the bottle and you’ll find the heart motif that inspired this whisky’s name.

Selecting similar quantities of contrasting cask types – nine first-fill European sherry seasoned oak hogsheads, eight ex-bourbon hogsheads, and nine refill hogsheads – gives the November 2019 Release of Highland Park 21 Year Old single malt whisky an impressively rounded and unique flavour. As the warm spices and rich dried fruit flavours of the European casks mingle with the sweeter, exotic fruit notes from the ex-bourbon hogsheads, the softer influence of the refill casks finishes off the harmony.

Bottled at its marrying strength of 46%, this exceptionally well-balanced whisky delivers notes of freshly-cut pineapple, ripe mango, juicy pears, sun-dried sultanas, dried exotic fruit, spice market aromas and curls of densely aromatic peat smoke.