Scapa The Distillery Reserve Collection 12 Years Old 2003

An official Scapa single malt, a 12 year old from 2003, drawn from cask 9 - 12 & 14 - 16 and bottled at 58.5%. The outturn was 2148 bottles. Scapa, first built in 1885 on Orkney's Mainland by Scapa Flow, is the honeyed counterpoint to peated Highland Park. Mothballed in 1994, the distillery was revived and fully restored by Pernod Ricard in 2005.

The spirit was run through the only Lomond still left in Scotch and a traditional spirit still, to build a soft, unpeated island character. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, lending honey and vanilla. By this age the creamy spirit rounds into heather honey and ripe orchard fruit. Heavy copper contact in the Lomond still strips harsher notes, leaving a clean, oily and fruity spirit. Its rare Lomond wash still, plates removed, gives a creamy, oily spirit through heavy copper contact. The distillery looks out over Scapa Flow, the great anchorage of two world wars.

At cask strength 58.5% it is full bodied. Honeyed vanilla and ripe fruit meet soft vanilla and cream from the cask. Soft orchard fruit and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. A honeyed, fruity finish lingers long. This is the gentle, unpeated face of Orkney whisky.