Highland Park 18 Year Old "Viking Pride" Single Malt Scotch
(Highlands, Scotland) - [WA 94]

Notes from the Distillery:
Named by the American whisky expert, F Paul Pacult, as ‘Best Spirit in the World’ (Spirit Journal), 18 Year Old Viking Pride is our most highly-awarded single malt whisky, being honoured with both a Gold and an Ultimate Recommendation (with a score of 96) in the 2021 International Spirits Challenge.

Matured in a high proportion of first-fill sherry seasoned European and American oak casks, this superb 18 Year Old single malt pays tribute to our five keystones of production and presents a sophisticated medley of ripe cherries dusted with bittersweet cocoa, freshly harvested honeycomb and candied orange peel. There’s a whisper of Orkney’s salty seaspray in the aromatic peat smoke.

We’ve been crafting our award-winning whisky at the Highland Park Distillery in Kirkwall, Orkney, since 1798. Age, experience and respect for tradition may define our whisky, but it’s Orkney that sets it apart. Something magic happens here and the result is the wild harmony of flavours found in our whisky.

86 Proof

Tasting Notes

Colour: Clear, bright, burnished gold
Flavour: Cherries, dark chocolate, toffee, marzipan, heather honey, aromatic peat smoke
Pair with: Meaty fish like mahi mahi or swordfish cooked with Indian spices (think cardamom and ginger – surprisingly good!), cold meats with ginger chutney, and citrus fruit puddings

Ratings and Reviews

Double Gold - SF World Spirits Competition 2022

Gold - Scotch Whiskey Masters 2022, 2021

95 Points - Intl Wine & Spirits Competition 2022

"Sublimely flavoursome with lashings of ripe honeydew melon, sweet red berries and a generous waft of crackling bonfire smoke. Finishes gloriously with a delectable lingering vein of deep rich malt."

96 Pts, Finalist, Top 100 - Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2021

"Beguiling nose of heather honey, warm cereal, cured meats, sandalwood, and sage with the faintest whisper of smoke. Orange liqueur, Maraschino cherries, and a welcome touch of peat balance out honeyed fruit and cocoa on the palate. Simply put, this is as good as it gets."

Gold - Intl Spirits Challenge 2021

94 Points - Whisky Advocate:
"Introduced to the Highland Park portfolio in 1997. Gentle peat, soft toffee, floral notes, and honey on the beautifully fragrant nose. Superbly balanced on the velvety palate, with brittle toffee, stewed fruits, peat, honey, and a hint of coffee. Smoke and more toffee mingle in the long, elegant finish."