Highland Park’s ‘Dark Origins’ is a stunning non-chill filtered single malt with an ABV of 46.8%. It uses twice as many first fill sherry casks than the classic Highland Park 12 Year Old does. This ultimately results in a naturally darker, richer flavour with sherried spice, a chocolate twist and the signature sweet smoke fans of the Orcadian elixir have come to know and love. Dark Origins pays homage to Highland Park’s founder, Magnus ‘Mansie’ Eunson. A famed dark distiller back in the late 1700s, he worked tirelessly by day in his church to provide spiritual guidance to the people of Orkney, while in the dead of night he hand crafted whisky from a secret bunker in the hills of High Park in Orkney.
“Cask management is so very crucial to our work at Highland Park. We have strived to raise the bar, working tirelessly in sourcing the right wood and then working and finessing the balances to ensure we create single malt that is rich, warm and enticing in flavour. Dark Origins sits in the heart of our core range complimenting them perfectly – distinct in itself, but always and forever a classic Highland Park.” said Highland Park’s Global Marketing Manager, Gerry Tosh.
Highland Park is one of the few distilleries not using distiller’s caramel. Dark Origins takes its natural color from the interaction between spirit and cask which Highland Park believes, consistently rate amongst the best casks in whisky. The nose on the rich mahogany colored single malt features sherried spice and ripe bananas combined with toasted hazelnuts and baked apple. Dark Origins has a well-balanced, dry peat at first and mellows out to maraschino cherries while warm dark chocolate entices the palate. Finally, it finishes with enduring sweet smoke.