Orkney is a fine Island which we often associate with Highland Park, which is one of my favorite distilleries, but as we all know, a second distillery also exist on that windy island: Scapa. While those two distilleries share the same “island” , they do differ greatly in the malt which is produced in each one. While HP is well known for it’s smoky sherried profile (heathery peat best describe it), Scapa malt is usually sweet and heather-honeyed and not peaty or smoky at all. How about blending malt from those two distinct Orkney distilleries to produce a unique malt that encapsulates traits from both? This is exactly what was done by Master of Malt with this release of the Orkney 12 year old Blended (formerly: vatted) malt.
At first I was not aware that this was a blended malt, and when I read “Orkney 12” I immediately thougt about HP aged 12 years old, but as soon as I nosed the golden fluid in the nosing glass, it become evident to me that this is not your regular HP, and there is more to it than HP spirit.
This whisky is part of the “Secret Bottling Series” by Master of Malt .
Master of Malt Orkney 12 , 40% ABV
Color: Amber gold
Nose: Wow!. This was something I totally was not expecting. : sweet fruit , heather-honey with very interesting touches of anise and smoke. Baby vomit notes which then goes away to allow more smoke and heather.
Palate: Dried Fruit, Wood spices galore all enveloped by smoke, finishing on some chili notes and pepper.
Finish: Long, Woody with a bitter touch to it, some now-gone fires on the backdrop. Dry smoke, no too imposing.
All in all a very enjoyable dram. A great nose and body. Kodus for Master of Malt for the great combination of malts from both distilleries, to create a unique harmonious profile. One caveat is the 40% ABV . Cant think how great this one could be had it been bottled at 48%.
Many thanks to the Master of Malt for this sample.
Slainte!
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