Gather ‘round, for today we have a delightful mystery in our hands from the Orkney Islands. An undisclosed young “Orkney Distillery” single malt distilled in 2016 and bottled by Cadenhead. This expression is matured in 100% ex-Bourbon casks. From whence does this gold liquid hail?

In the indie bottling scene, secrets are often hidden in plain sight. When a famous distillery parts with its cask and sells it to an indie bottler like Cadenhead’s or Gordon & MacPhail, they often add a notable condition – the label cannot disclose the distillery name. Crafty bottlers turn to playful monikers like "Williamson Single Malt" or "Distilled at an Orkney distillery." It's a wink and a nod to those in the know. ‘Williamson’ denotes Laphroaig, a reference to Bessie Williamson who was a respected female distillery manager who kept the lights on through World War II.

The seemingly cryptic “Orkney Distillery” usually points towards the venerable Highland Park, especially for spirits distilled before 2005. That’s because there’re only two single malt distilleries in the Orkey Islands – Highland Park which has always been distilling in living memory, and Scapa Distillery which was mothballed and only re-entered the scene more recently in 2005.

But what of the whiskies distilled post-2005? That's where our road twists. The bottle with us is a younger Orkney spirit that could be either a Highland Park or a Scapa. We’ll have to taste it to venture a guess. Highland Park is made with peat that’s full of dried heather, so it typically has a signature smoky and floral character. On the other hand, Scapa tends to be smoother and brighter with more expressive fruitiness and low to almost no peat.

Let’s give this a taste then. (Okay I’ll just disclose it here: after I’ve tasted it, the Cadenhead rep told me this is a Highland Park.)

An Orkney Distillery, 6 Years Old Single Malt by Cadenhead, 46% ABV – Review

As tasted at Whisky Journey 2023.

Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Heavily ex-Bourbon cask forward (yes, duh, but I tasted this before learning that it was 100% bourbon cask matured), presenting a delightful sweetness intertwined with florals. Opens with a creamy, vanilla essence, highlights of toasted coconut. The soft fragrance of Manuka honey emerges, offering a sweet but slightly bitter note. There’s a blend of black and English breakfast tea complimented by a brown sugar sweetness. Overall, the nose is quite floral and inviting, and also retains a nice density.

Palate: Medium bodied, flavourful with good depth. Cream and soft banana notes are immediately apparent, seamlessly merging with a vanilla sweetness and the light, clear airy sweetness of meringue. A slight floral and herbal character gradually develops along with a gentle smokiness. There’s also some emergent chamomile and English breakfast tea accompanied by a background of clean white floral elements.

Finish: Moderately long. I’m getting smoked vanilla ice cream, a hint of herbal eucalyptus right at the end of the aftertaste.

My Thoughts:

A very good dram. It’s well-rounded and pretty smooth for its age. The sweet, warm palate exhibits a nice depth for a for a bourbon cask whisky of just six years. The notes of banana, cream, florals and smoke are all quite well integrated. Unlike many young whiskies that tend to be more aggressive and sharp, this expression maintains a good balance of flavour and approachablilty.

From the subtle dried florals and mild smokiness, I’m led to believe that this is a Highland Park whisky. Of course, it doesn’t have the heavier Sherried oak and heathery smoke typically found in older Highland Park expressions, but it still leans towards HP for me.

Rating: 7.5/10

@CharsiuCharlie