Highland Park

The Highland Park tour was wonderful. The visitor center does not compare in size or merchandise with the two Irish sites, Bushmills and Jamesons. On the other hand, they have millions of visitors, and they are the only two majors on the island. In Scotland, there are scores of distilleries, and on Orkney, little traffic, only one. That HP has a center, etc., is probably more a tribute to its greatness. The distillery was in full swing, the old 1798 furnace burning, barley on the malting floor, mash in the great wooden vats, distilling underway in the giant copper stills, whiskey barrels in the 22 warehouses aging (no pix...danger of sparks), and so on. It was glorious. A truly fulfillling experience for me, taken in measure. I did not buy the 18 year old ($100) nor the specially bottled and cased 58.7% slugger for $110.  But I did get a bottle of 12 year old and a small bottle of the 18, both from the Spanish oak sherry casks (this is important). And a few trinkets.

"To say Highland Park is a cathedral in the religion of single malt whisky is an 
understatement. Think Mecca. Think Vatican" (F. Paul Pacult, Wine Enthusiast 
Magazine)

Visitor center

One of Scotland's oldest...this building dates from 1798, with changes in 1907 and 1962

The malting floor, in its 5th day...they still do it the old- fashioned way, by hand 
(only 4 others do)

The "new" furnace, 1907

Mash

Orkney peat

The old furnace in action

Distilling

And the gift store, where the tasting was done