14 October, 2019: Highland Park has become the official whisky sponsor of Esquire Townhouse with Breitling, the prestigious annual event hosted by Esquire.
Taking place between 17-19 October at Carlton House Terrace, St James’s, Martin Markvardsen, Highland Park’s Global Brand Ambassador, is set to host a series of workshops where guests will be given the opportunity to learn all about the award winning brand, before indulging in some delicious whisky and food pairings.
To celebrate the partnership, Highland Park and Esquire have collaborated to create the Highland Park Esquire Single Cask. The limited-edition single malt whisky is the first-ever single cask from Highland Park to be released in collaboration with a UK media house and will be served throughout the weekend.
The unique expression, which has notes of heather-honey and aromatic smoky peat, will also be available via The Whisky Shop (www.whiskyshop.com), allowing those unable to attend the event – as well as those who loved it so much they want more – the opportunity to purchase it to enjoy at home. RSP £200 ABV 60.3%.
During the event a choice of delicious Highland Park cocktails will be served at the Esquire Townhouse bar including firm favourites the Orcadian Cooler and Salted Honey Old Fashioned.
Scott McCaffer, Brand Manager at Highland Park said: “As demand amongst whisky lovers for new and exciting expressions continues to grow, we’re delighted to launch our latest Single Cask in partnership with Esquire.
“Launching the whisky at Esquire Townhouse is a really exciting opportunity for us as it is the perfect opportunity to engage with likeminded consumers, as well as those interested in exploring the category.”
Alex Bilmes, Editor-in-Chief, at Esquire said: ““We are excited to be working with Highland Park to produce a bespoke Esquire single cask whisky – a genuine first for us. We are looking forward to launching it, and of course, tasting it at Esquire Townhouse in October.”
Esquire Townhouse is an award-winning luxury brand experience featuring a compelling programme of live celebrity interviews, panel debates and masterclasses spanning fashion, culture, food & drink, design and travel.
For more information on the event please visit: https://hearstlive.co.uk/esquiretownhouse/
Highland Park single malt Scotch Whisky has launched a special edition whisky, Valfather, the final part of the Viking Legend series inspired by the Orkney based distillery’s Viking history.
The trilogy highlights the journey to Ragnarök, the battle at the end of the world and has inspired the packaging and taste profiles of the whiskies created by Highland Park’s master whisky maker, Gordon Motion.
Valfather, named after Odin, the mightiest of the Norse Gods, is the distillery’s most peated release to date. Created using whisky matured in refill casks to reflect the ethereal and lighter feel of Valhalla, Odin’s hall, the whisky’s higher phenolic level displays Odin’s power.
Gordon Motion, master whisky maker, Highland Park, said: “Valfather and the whiskies in the Viking Legend series uses more of our heavily peated malt, making the series more like cousins, rather than a brother or sister to the core range. Overall, this whisky is the richest and smokiest in taste profile compared to the rest of the series and our classic whiskies.
“As well as our hallmark aromatic peat smoke, it tastes of creamy vanilla, toasted cedar wood with a long floral aromatic finish offset by notes of crisp apple and sweet fragrant pear.”
The Viking Legend series rise in phenolic level throughout the collection and each have their own distinctive taste profile. Valkyrie the first in the series, uses predominantly European sherry seasoned oak, while Valknut uses American sherry seasoned oak and Orkney’s tartan barley.
Inspiration for the packaging design came from the ancient picture stones from Stora Hammars in Gotland, Sweden. The brand has partnered with Danish designer, Jim Lyndvild, to bring the collection to life.
Valfather will be released globally from August 2019. To find out more visit: www.highlandparkwhisky.com
Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky, the ‘Orkney Single Malt with Viking Soul’ distributed by Maxxium UK, celebrated Winter Solstice with two events for over 700 consumers.
The brand hosted its Midwinter Social events on 24 and 25 November at The Old Truman Brewery’s Boiler House, London, to mark the upcoming Winter Solstice and the official start of winter. The narrative of Highland Park is deeply rooted in Nordic traditions. An important time in the Nordic calendar and at Highland Park’s home on Orkney, Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year and is typically celebrated with good friends, bonfires, music and dance.
The celebrations, designed to bring to life the brand’s magnificent Viking heritage, were hosted by global brand ambassador Martin Markvardsen and included Highland Park whisky tastings around a fire pit for over 400 people. A selection of Highland Park cocktails were served including the warming Highland Park Hot Toddy and Orkney Old Fashioned, with Nordic inspired food curated by Root + Bone, music from Kipps and live sets from DJ Finnebassen and Eelke Kleijn.
The celebrations were broadcast to a global audience with the first event streamed live globally on Highland Park’s Facebook page, resulting in over 21,000 fans tuning in to watch.
Several trade accounts in and around Shoreditch also featured special Highland Park Winter Solstice serves on their bar menus, including Bull in a China Shop, Cocktail Trading Co. and The Culpeper. The bars which delivered the greatest upweight in sales will be rewarded with a trip to the Highland Park distillery on Orkney in the New Year.
Mike Mackenzie, Highland Park Brand Manager said: “Our Midwinter Social celebrated Highland Park’s Viking heritage in the lead up to the Winter Solstice and we had two fantastic evenings. It was the perfect environment to give consumers a taste of Orkney and our Viking soul. It was also great to see several bars in Shoreditch taking part in the celebrations, creating their own Highland Park winter inspired serves.”
Highland Park, distributed by Maxxium UK, has announced the release of a special edition single malt Scotch whisky. FIRE Edition is a whisky which has been matured exclusively in refill Port wine seasoned casks and follows on from the release of ICE Edition earlier this year. This completes the two-part series of special edition bottlings which celebrate the myths and legends emerging from the Viking age.
Jason R. Craig, Brand Director, commented: “Maturing our distinctive whisky in 100% refill Port wine seasoned casks is a first for Highland Park and the result is a vibrant 15 year old single malt with an ABV of 45.2%. FIRE Edition has a natural slight reddish hue, intense aromas of ruby red fruits, light smoke and a long, lingering finish. However, it is still, unmistakably, Highland Park.”
The exquisite crimson red coloured glass was specially commissioned to represent the fierce and molten world of the Fire Giants from Viking mythology. The bottle is encased in a distinctive black wooden cradle with accompanying black wooden stopper. A booklet which accompanies the bottle, recounts the story of the realm of the Fire Giants and their epic battle against the Gods to rule the world.
According to Viking legends, Surtr was an evil Fire Giant who ruled the Fire Realm. He would sit at the edge of the kingdom, defending the land holding a burning sword, which shone brighter and hotter than the sun. The culmination of these tales is an apocalyptic battle between the Gods and the Giants. Surtr led the sons of Muspell across the bridge of Bifröst, burning everything in sight at Asgard, (realm of Gods; Thor, Loki, Freya and Odin) destroying the world at Ragnarök, heralded as ‘The doom of the Gods.’ The world perished in a blazing and burnishing ball of flames and from the ashes, a new earth was recreated.
FIRE Edition, a special release of 28,000 bottles globally, is now available from UK specialist whisky retailers including The Whisky Exchange, Hedonism and The Whisky Shop at an RRP of £190.
Distributed by The Big Partnership on behalf of Maxxium UK.
For more information, please contact:
Laura Hutchinson or Gabrielle Roscamp at The BIG Partnership
0131 557 5252
highlandpark@bigpartnership.co.uk
Please enjoy our brand responsibly www.drinkaware.co.uk
Highland Park 25 year old, distributed by Maxxium UK, was awarded the first ever 100-point score, along with the Chairman’s Trophy for Best of Category, by judges at Ultimate Beverage Challenge’s fourth annual Ultimate Spirits Challenge held March 11-15, 2013, in New York.
Highland Park went on to achieve four more finalist entries all 95 points and above, in the prestigious trophy sweepstakes with Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation for 30 year old (97 points); 12 year old (96 points); 18 year old (95 points) and 15 year old (95 points). In addition, Highland Park Thor, the first edition of the stunning Valhalla Collection, achieved 94 points, with the judges classing it as ‘highly recommended’.
Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager for Highland Park, said: “To be the only ever recipient of the 100-point score in the history of the Ultimate Spirit Challenge is a great honour for Highland Park 25 year old. We’re thrilled that the judges, all respected commentators in our industry, have selected Highland Park for this accolade in the presence of a strong array of competitors. The fact that Highland Park was also represented so strongly across the board is very significant and allows us to maintain our award winning reputation.”
More than 70 companies from 30 countries around the world entered the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. The judging panels, which included many of the world’s most famous distilled spirits authorities, authors, and buyers, rated the distillates on a 100-point scale. The judges named 33 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Chairman’s Trophy winners and 151 finalists.
Highland Park 25 Year Old 2013 has an ABV of 45.7% and is available at selected whisky retailers at RRP £201.08.
For more information on Highland Park, visit www.highlandpark.co.uk
For further information, please contact:
The BIG Partnership, Sarah McDonald/Laura Hutchinson
0131 557 5252
Firstname.lastname@bigpartnership.co.uk
Notes to editors:
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, 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 including category winner at the 2011 World Whisky Awards for its 25-year-old single malt and ‘Best Whisky in the World 2009’ for its 21-year-old expression in the World Whisky Awards, as well as four double gold awards in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2009.
Highland Park 18 year old was named Best Spirit in the World by American drinks expert Paul Pacult in Top 115 Spirits, Spirit Journal 2009 and 2005.
Five keystones contribute to making Highland Park:
q Hand-turned malt adds to the deliciously succulent, balanced layers of aromatic character found in Highland Park
q Aromatic peat gives a delectably seductive, luxuriant floral sweetness to Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky
q Cool maturation enhances the smooth character of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky
q Sherry oak casks contribute to the distinctive richness and multi-dimensional complexity of Highland Park
q Cask harmonization ensures consistency and balance in Highland Park
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