Dark Origins 2
HIGHLAND PARK SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
BRINGS MIDSUMMER SOLSTICE TO LIFE
Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky, the ‘Orkney Single Malt with Viking Soul’ distributed by Maxxium UK, celebrated Midsummer Solstice with events for over 200 consumers.
The brand hosted its Midsummer Social events on June 21 and 22 at Dalston Roof Park in London to mark the official start of summer. The narrative of Highland Park is deeply rooted in Nordic traditions. The people on Orkney (1 in 3 have Viking ancestry) take huge pride in honoring the spirit of their Viking ancestors by hosting a week’s worth of events dedicated to Midsummer Solstice, when the evenings are at their longest.
The celebrations were hosted by global brand ambassador Martin Markvardsen and included torchlight whisky tastings in a bespoke bothy, Highland Park infused cocktails, boilermakers with 40ft Brewery, Nordic inspired food curated by Root + Bone as well as live music from DJ Eelke Kleijn and acoustic band Slow Club. Several bars surrounding Dalston also featured special Highland Park Solstice serves on their bar menus.
The celebrations were broadcast to a global audience with both evenings streamed live on Highland Park’s Facebook page, resulting in over 6,500 fans tuning in to watch.
Mike Mackenzie, Highland Park Brand Manager said: “Our Midsummer Social celebrated Highland Park’s Viking heritage and the start of summer. The events gave us a great opportunity to provide consumers with a unique insight into Highland Park and a true taste of Solstice style celebrations”.
Mackenzie continued: “Now that summer is well underway, we’re already looking forward to celebrations for Winter Solstice later this year.”
Issued by The BIG Partnership on behalf of Maxxium UK
About Highland Park
Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 200 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection. Its range of 12, Dark Origins, 15, 18, 21, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malts is consistently acclaimed by connoisseurs and experts. Highland Park has won a string of prestigious awards across its portfolio, most recently Highland Park ICE Edition was awarded 99 points and the Chairman’s Trophy at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge. While Highland Park 12, 15 and 18 Year Old were all awarded 96 points or above and the Tried and True Award at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge.
HIGHLAND PARK DELVES INTO ITS DARK ORIGINS FOR MAJOR NEW RELEASE
Highland Park today announced the launch of a new core expression inspired by the cunning spirit and courageous personality of its founder, Magnus Eunson.
Establishing a secret bunker in the hills of High Park in Orkney, Magnus ‘Mansie’ Eunson became a famed dark distiller back in the late 1700s, creating whisky for the people of Orkney to offer relief from the villainy of the tax collector. By day he worked tirelessly in his church providing spiritual guidance to the people of Orkney, but in the dead of night, he hand crafted what was to ultimately become the best spirit in the world, warming hearts and uniting all who tasted it.
Dark Origins, a stunning, non-chill filtered single malt with an ABV of 46.8%, will start to appear on shelves in July and roll out internationally throughout autumn 2014.
It uses twice as many first fill sherry casks than in the classic Highland Park 12 year old resulting in a naturally darker, richer flavour with sherried spice, a chocolate twist and the signature sweet smoke fans of the Orcadian elixir have come to know and love.
Highland Park is one of the few distilleries not using distiller’s caramel and so Dark Origins takes its natural colour from the interaction between spirit and cask which Highland Park believes consistently rate amongst the best casks in whisky.
Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager, said: “Cask management is so very crucial to our work at Highland Park. We have strived to raise the bar, working tirelessly in sourcing the right wood and then working and finessing the balances to ensure we create single malt that is rich, warm and enticing in flavour. Dark Origins sits in the heart of our core range complimenting them perfectly – distinct in itself, but always and forever a classic Highland Park.”
The tasting notes:
Colour: Rich mahogany
Nose: Sherried spice and ripe bananas combine with toasted hazelnuts and baked apple
Palate: Well-balanced, dry peat at first mellowing out to maraschino cherries, warm dark chocolate entices the palate
Finish: Enduring sweet smoke
Dark Origins will be exclusively available from Harrods from 1 July – 14 July at an RRP of £64.95. It will be available from specialist independent whisky retailers, at the Highland Park distillery and www.highlandpark.co.uk thereafter.
To learn more you can follow us on https://www.facebook.com/HighlandParkWhisky, on Twitter @HighlandPark and on Instagram on @highlandparkofficial
For more information
The BIG Partnership
Sarah McDonald / Laura Hutchinson
0131 557 5252
Sarah.McDonald@bigpartnership.co.uk / Laura.Hutchinson@bigpartnership.co.uk
Please enjoy our brand responsibly www.drinkaware.co.uk
