Highland Park 18
Highland Park Release Last of Viking Legend Series
Highland Park Release Valfather, Its Most Peated Whisky to Date
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 Launches Søren Limited Edition Single Malt
A Limited Edition 26-Year-old Whisky
(23 May 2019, London) Highland Park today announces the launch of Søren Solkær 26 Years of Photography – a limited-edition single malt whisky that’s been created in honour of Danish photographer, Søren Solkær.
Best known for his portraits of world-famous musicians including Björk, The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, David Lynch, The Arctic Monkeys, R.E.M. and U2, Søren has worked with Highland Park since 2016 to capture the brand’s Viking Soul – taking over 250 images of the people of Orkney, the distillery and the island itself.
Matured in sherry seasoned American oak casks and first fill Bourbon casks, the limited-edition liquid has a spicy nose with a rich heathery peat smoke. The packaging is inspired by a traditional, vintage square shaped box camera and contains a 230-page book featuring a selection of Søren’s work split into three key themes: men, women and places.
The whisky will be available to purchase globally from 23rd May 2019. UK retailers include The Whisky Exchange, The Whisky Shop and Harrods. RSP £499.
Jason R. Craig, global brand director, Highland Park, said: “We are delighted to be working with Søren on this very special project. He truly embodies a modern day Viking Soul through his unique photographic style and how he gets the best out of all his subject matters.
“Whilst he is best known for his distinctive images of musicians and movie stars, he has worked with us to develop a collection of over 250 images capturing our people at the distillery, our location in Orkney and of course, our whisky.”
Søren Solkær, said: “My journey began 26 years ago when I decided to leave my literature studies and pursue my passion for photography. From my homeland in Denmark, I travelled many thousands of miles with my camera, exploring some of the world’s most fascinating places, absorbing each new environment I found myself in and photographing the people I met which helped me grow into the visual storyteller that I wanted to be.
“During those 26 years, the whisky that now bears my name stayed in just one place, sheltered from the same world I was so busy exploring. A contrast perhaps, but in its quiet warehouse in the remote Orkney Islands, this whisky too was absorbing the environment around it and slowly acquiring rich nuances of flavour and character to mature into the fine spirit it is today.
“We shared a similar journey of honesty and integrity, of patience and craftsmanship to arrive here together, 26 years on.”
For more information visit: www.highlandparkwhisky.com
Highland Park With a TWISTED TATTOO
Highland Park Announces New Whisky TWISTED TATTOO
Monday 25th March 2019: Highland Park today announces the launch of 16-Year-Old single malt whisky Twisted Tattoo, the first expression from the Orkney-based distillery to combine whisky matured in rioja seasoned wine casks and first fill bourbons casks.
A rich and full-bodied whisky with notes of light heather peat and soft red fruits, the inspiration for Twisted Tattoo comes from Orkney’s Norse ancestry and the Viking legend of the Midgard Serpent which grew so large it twisted around the earth to bite its own tail.
To bring this mythology to life on the bottle, Highland Park has partnered with renowned Danish tattoo artist Colin Dale, who specialises in the ancient art of dot-work tattooing – a freestyled, non-electric tattoo technique – to create Twisted Tattoo’s striking design.
Dale’s research has helped to reintroduce the lost tattooing techniques of the Nordic, Native American and Inuit cultures. His studio, Skin & Bone, uses both traditional and modern techniques to tell stories on skin.
With an ABV of 46.7%, Twisted Tattoo is available exclusively from The Whisky Shop. RRP £80.
Chris Anderson, head of Edrington brands at Edrington-Beam Suntory UK, said: “Highland Park is incredibly proud of its Orcadian routes, which is why so many of our whiskies celebrate our home – and Twisted Tattoo is no different.
“Highland Park is innately Nordic and we want to pay homage to this through the launch of our latest whisky and partnership, which brings liquid and art together.”
Jason Craig, global brand director, Highland Park, said: “For us, Colin Dale was an ideal choice as a creative partner. He is the perfect example of a modern-day Viking Soul and our partnership show off the similarities between our crafts.
“Tattoos are emotionally important and tell stories on the skin, much like our whisky tells the tales of our Orkney islands’ ancestry. Both arts can be traced back hundreds of years with the traditional skills still playing a key role in the tattooing and whisky making process today.”
HIGHLAND PARK 50 YEAR OLD 2018
Only 274 Bottles Released From Highland Park
The Product of Just 2 Casks
Visit Highland Park for more details or see more from Malt Marketing.
CELEBRATING THE LAUNCH OF HIGHLAND PARK VALKNUT
“I know one thing which never dies: the reputation of each dead man.”
Poetic Edda, Hávamál, verse 77
Highland Park is excited to introduce you to VALKNUT Special Edition single malt Scotch whisky. In partnership with renowned Danish designer Jim Lynvgild, Highland Park VALKNUT is the second in a series of three VIKING LEGEND releases inspired by our rich Viking history and mythology.
Jason Craig, Highland Park brand director, commented: “Valknut is an intensely balanced whisky with an ABV of 46.8%. It’s been matured predominantly in American sherry seasoned oak casks with a slightly higher phenolic level, compared to Valkyrie. We’ve also used a small amount of Orkney grown Tartan barley which adds to its smokier edge and lingering sweet, spicy finish.”
Designer, Jim Lyngvild commented: “The story of the Valknut is compelling and I wanted to ensure that the design feature of this packaging was a fitting match to the whisky created by Master Whisky Maker Gordon Motion.
“Also, as VALKNUT is part of a series of three expressions, I made sure that there is continuity in style of the packaging – for example, the frieze design at top is consistent in look but the story of the symbol has been brought to the front panel.”
Jim’s inspiration came from two important Nordic sources in Gotland, Sweden – the first of the four Stora Hammars stones and the picture stone at Tängelgårda.
VALKNUT means ‘knot of those killed in battle’ and its symbol of three interlinked triangles is closely associated with the Norse god Odin who guided the spirits of the dead to Valhalla.
Norse mythology tells of the VALKYRIES, Odin’s female servants, who combed the battlefields for the bravest fallen warriors. Vikings who met an honourable death were marked out by the symbol of the VALKNUT and spirited away to VALHALLA to join Odin’s mighty army and prepare for RAGNAROK, the battle of the end of the world.
