Vanilla, ginger root, peat smoke, dried strawberries and sandalwood.
Palate
Victoria sponge, grated nutmeg and a hint of lavender.
Finish
Complex and spicy, with hints of citrus peel.
About this whisky
Highland Park Harald is a single malt named after a Viking king and made to show how much flavour a sherry cask can give. Matured in sherry-seasoned American and European oak, it brings vanilla, ginger and sandalwood, sweet sponge cake and freshly grated nutmeg, all with a soft wisp of Orkney heather smoke. It is rich and spicy yet beautifully balanced.
Harald was originally released in airport and duty-free shops as part of Highland Park’s Warrior Series, so it’s a bottle many whisky lovers have never seen on a high street shelf.
Bottle at a Glance
Distillery: Highland Park, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland
Region: Islands (Orkney)
Age: No age statement
Casks: Sherry-seasoned American oak and European oak
Strength: 40% ABV
Size: 70cl
Colour: Natural, no added colour
Series: The Warrior Series, first released in 2013
Style: Sweet, spicy, fruity and gently smoky
The Warrior Series
Six whiskies, six Viking warriors
In 2013, Highland Park launched The Warrior Series, a collection of six single malts made for travel retail. Each one was named after a figure from Orkney’s Viking history, and each was designed to show how the type of cask changes a whisky’s flavour. As the series moved up, more of the whisky came from sherry-seasoned European oak, so the flavour grew richer and spicier with each release.
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Where Harald fits
Harald was the third release, following the lighter Svein and Einar. It has a stronger sherry influence than those first two, which is where its ginger, nutmeg, spice and cake notes come from. It was also the first in the series to come in a 70cl bottle rather than a 1 litre.
Who was Harald?
The whisky is named after Harald Fairhair, the King of Norway who is traditionally said to have united the country in the late 9th century. According to the Orkneyinga Saga, the old Norse history of Orkney, it was Harald who granted the islands to the family of the first Earls of Orkney, beginning centuries of Norse rule. Orkney only became part of Scotland in 1468.
How Sherry Casks Shape Harald
American and European oak
Highland Park is known for its sherry-seasoned casks. In Harald, sherry-seasoned American oak gives sweet vanilla and soft fruit, while sherry-seasoned European oak adds dried fruit, warm spice and depth. Together they create the “Victoria sponge with nutmeg” character that makes this whisky so distinctive.
A gentle touch of heather smoke
Part of Highland Park’s barley is dried over peat cut on Orkney. Because the islands have so few trees, the peat is made mostly of heather, giving a soft, aromatic smoke that sits quietly in the background.
Highland Park Harald Tasting Notes
Colour
Dark golden, clear and bright.
Nose
Vanilla, ginger root, peat smoke, dried strawberries and sandalwood.
Palate
Victoria sponge, grated nutmeg and a hint of lavender.
Finish
Complex and spicy, with hints of citrus peel.
Think of a slice of jam sponge cake dusted with nutmeg, beside a gently smoking fire. It’s a warming, comforting whisky that suits winter evenings perfectly.
How to Enjoy It
Neat
Pour a measure into a nosing glass and give it a minute. The ginger, strawberry and sandalwood open up as it breathes.
With a drop of water
A few drops of water soften the spice and bring the vanilla and sponge cake forward.
Food pairing
Try it with Christmas cake, gingerbread, a Victoria sponge, roast pork or a mature Cheddar.
About Highland Park
A smuggler’s distillery
Highland Park traces its story to 1798 and Magnus Eunson, a butcher, church officer and secret whisky smuggler who was caught distilling illegally on the site. The distillery took out its official licence in 1826.
Island whisky from the far north
Despite its name, Highland Park is not in the Highlands. It stands on the edge of Kirkwall, Orkney’s main town, and is often called Scotland’s northernmost single malt distillery. It still turns some of its own barley on traditional malting floors, and since 1979 it has been owned by Edrington, which also owns The Macallan.
Who Will Love This Bottle?
Highland Park fans looking for something beyond the core range.
Sherry cask lovers who enjoy a gentle wisp of smoke.
Collectors of the Warrior Series and travel retail releases.
Gift buyers after a bottle with a great Viking story.
Similar Whiskies You Might Enjoy
If you like Harald’s sherry-seasoned oak and soft smoke, these Highland Park and peated sherry-cask malts take a similar approach:
A collection of six single malts launched in 2013 for travel retail, each named after a figure from Orkney’s Viking history, with the sherry cask influence growing through the series.
Who was Harald?
Harald Fairhair, the King of Norway traditionally credited with uniting the country in the late 9th century. The Orkneyinga Saga links him to the founding of the Norse Earldom of Orkney.
Is Highland Park Harald smoky?
Lightly. It has a soft, heathery peat smoke in the background, with sweet, spicy sherry-cask flavours leading.
What casks is Harald matured in?
Sherry-seasoned American oak and European oak casks.
Does Harald have an age statement?
No. It is a no-age-statement single malt.
How does it compare to Highland Park 12?
Both are sherry-led with gentle smoke and bottled at 40%. Harald leans more towards ginger, nutmeg and sponge cake, while the 12 Year Old has more honey and fruitcake.
Is it a good gift?
Yes. It’s a less common Highland Park with a Viking story behind it, which makes it a great choice for a whisky lover who already knows the core range.
