The alternative Island Single Malt
When we think of Island Malts we tend to think of pungent phenolic whiskies. Whiskies that are ‘smoky’ and ‘peaty’. Our neighbouring distillery Highland Park is a peated whisky. Talisker on Skye is another but perhaps it is the Islay single malts that are the most famous for producing the most phenolic single malts.
These ‘smoky’ island whiskies remind us of the relentless storms that smash into these far flung northern islands in the long dark winter months. Whilst Scapa remains an island malt, its taste reminds us of the gentler side of the Orkney Isles.
The Summer
Scapa reminds us of the endless summer days when the sun only dips below the horizon for an hour or so. The rolling hills covered in the bloom of the wild heather and gorse with their sweet smells drifting on the gentle Atlantic breeze. Bees collecting the pollen from the wild flowers to create their nectar and the peaty burns (streams) rushing down these hillsides to the sea. Scapa alone represents this kinder face of the Scottish islands.
Enjoyed not Endured
Scapa, is a whisky to be enjoyed not endured. MacFarlane and Townsend the Scapa creators managed to capture all this in their whisky. Take a sip and you can imagine yourself amongst the heather and gorse watching the sun slowly setting over these beautiful rolling hills and the endless sea as they must have well over 100 years ago.