📌 Kirkwall, Orkney Mainland
★★★★
Perched on a hill in Kirkwall‘s southern suburbs, Highland Park was for a long time Scotland’s northernmost distillery (now eclipsed by Saxa Vord on Unst) and is by far the most popular of the two on Orkney Mainland. This isolated position at Scotland’s edge is probably a factor in the distillery retaining its own floor maltings (with resident rat), kilns (with resident nesting swallows) and extensive on-site warehouses (with resident cat) still used today. The basic tour was excellent value on our 2015 visit – including a short film, comprehensive tour including maltings, still house and warehouses, plus tutored tasting – but has dramatically increased in price since then.
🌍 Location
📌 Holm Road (A961), 1 mi south of Kirkwall town centre, Orkney Mainland
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: HY 452095
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 58.968723,-2.955325
🚌 Holm Road | 🚢 Kirkwall ferry terminal (1 mi) or Hatston ferry terminal (2 mi)
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
⌚ Daily, April to October; Tuesday to Saturday, November to March – booking essential
🎫 £30+ depending on tour type, adults only
