The Three Whiskies
Tasting Notes & Distillery Information
Each bottle has been individually assessed. What follows are our own tasting notes.
Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Highland Park
12 Year Old
Scotland's most northerly distillery · Est. 1798
The salted maritime opener. Standing at the edge of the world, Orkney's winds have done their work on this whisky over twelve years in American oak — imparting a character that is uniquely of its place.
Nose
Sea air and heather honey. Warm Orkney peat, distant and dignified rather than aggressive. Sweet vanilla, orange rind, warm biscuit.
Palate
Rich malt sweetness with the smoke building gradually. Dark dried fruit, nutmeg, a suggestion of dark chocolate. Rounded and satisfying.
Finish
Long, warming, maritime. The peat lingers with elegance — never dominant. A finish that rewards patience.
Campbeltown, Argyll
Glen Scotia
15 Year Old
The coastal middle act · Est. 1832
Campbeltown was once called the whisky capital of the world. At its peak, more than thirty distilleries operated within the town. Today, only three remain — and Glen Scotia carries the memory of all of them in its complex, coastal character.
Nose
Brine and light peat, sweet tropical fruit and toffee apple. A hint of damp sea cave — mysterious, coastal, compelling.
Palate
Oily and substantial. Dried apricot and sultana with a whisper of smoke. Fresh sea spray cuts through the sweetness mid-palate. Pepper on the back.
Finish
Medium-long, with coastal brine and oak. Fades to dried fruit and a gentle, satisfying warmth.
Alves, Speyside
Glenburgie
18 Year Old
The honeyed, orchard-fruit finish · Est. 1810
Glenburgie is one of the great secrets of Speyside. Long supplied to blending houses who kept its exceptional character to themselves, it has only recently begun to be bottled as a single malt worthy of individual attention. This eighteen-year-old is the perfect argument for doing so.
Nose
Summer orchard in full bloom — white peach, ripe pear, blossom honey. Subtle vanilla, a breath of citrus, and warm fresh oak underneath.
Palate
Creamy and beautifully balanced. Honeyed barley and stone fruit, with notes of butterscotch and ginger. An elegant mid-palate that builds slowly and pleasurably.
Finish
Long, sweet, and vanillin. The fruit gradually softens to warm oak and malt. The ideal close to a journey through Scotland.