Highland Park Cask Strength No. 4 (free glass and gift bag worth £15)

Experience Orkney whisky in its purest, most untamed form with Highland Park Cask Strength Batch 4. Bottled straight from the cask at a massive 64.3% ABV, this heavy-hitting release marries Highland Park’s traditional Viking soul with a modern masterclass in wood maturation.

For Release No. 4, the distillery has delivered a massive treat for "sherry bomb" lovers, maturing the spirit predominantly in first-fill, sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks, alongside selected refill and ex-bourbon casks. Crucially, this batch marks a historic milestone: the first time Highland Park has introduced ex-port casks into their Cask Strength series.

The result is a wonderfully bittersweet, intensely complex dram. The nose opens with a vibrant burst of crushed lemons, toasted coconut, and cedarwood, wrapped in a blanket of Turkish Delight-tinged peat smoke. On the palate, expect a bold wave of zesty pink grapefruit, fragrant rose water, and rich dark chocolate, before giving way to a long, warming finish of sun-baked winter spices and liquorice.

With no added caramel coloring and no chill-filtration, Batch 4 is an unadulterated, high-proof masterpiece that rewards the addition of a few drops of water to unlock its deeper floral and smoky secrets.