The most northerly Scottish distillery was founded in 1798 by Magnus Eunson who was a church officer and who was also believd to be an illicit distiller and smuggler. Legend says he stored his uisque beatha underneath the church pulpit to hide it from the excise officer.

The whisky chronicler Alfred Barnard recalls the following story: “Hearing that the Church was to be searched for whisky by a new party of excisemen, Eunson had all the kegs removed to his house, placed in the middle of an empty room and covered with a clean white cloth. As the officers approached after their unsuccessful search in the church, Eunson gathered all his people, including the maidservants, round the whisky, which, with its covering of white, under which a coffin lid had been placed, looked like a bier. Eunson knelt at the head with the Bible in his hand and the others with their psalm books. As the door opened they set up a wail for the dead, and Eunson made a sign to the officers that it was a death and one of the attendants whispered “smallpox”. Immediately the officer and his men made off as fast as they could and left the smuggler for some time in peace.”

(The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom)

„The Best Spirit in the World“ which is most respected is still produced in the distilling tradition from floor maltings, potstills and to dunnage warehouses. The malt is hand-turned, this Orcadian malt is 40 phenol ppm (parts per million). It is mixed with Simpsons‘ malt with only 1-2 ppm from the Scottish Borders near Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Some Highland Park matures in an even Orcadian climate in nineteen traditional dunnage warehouses and four racked warehouses.

Ian Buxton found a book on Highland Park from 1924 in a Bed and Breakfast. „A Good Foundation“  was reprinted and gives a very good insight into Highland Park‘s tradition.

With the first limited release of the HP 16 year old Thor Single Malt at 52.1% A.B.V. the Highland Park Valhalla Collection was opened in January, 2012. See also www.whiskyofthegods.com

There is a modern five star visitor centre. Only the shop is opened all year round.

Distillery Manager: Graham Manson (from April 2012)

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