Island Whisky Singapore | Coastal Single Malt Scotch

Frequently Asked Questions — Island Whisky Singapore

What is Island whisky?

Island whisky is the trade-recognised category for Scotch whisky produced on the Scottish islands — excluding Islay, which is a formally protected separate region under the 2009 Scotch Whisky Regulations. Under the formal SWA classification, Island distilleries are technically Highland, but the whisky trade has long treated them as a distinct category due to their shared coastal, maritime character. The Island category encompasses distilleries on Orkney (Highland Park, Scapa), the Isle of Skye (Talisker, Torabhaig), the Isle of Mull (Tobermory/Ledaig), Jura, Arran, Lewis (Abhainn Dearg), and the Isle of Harris (Hearach). The Liquid Collection's Island range covers Highland Park (Orkney, 9 expressions) and Talisker (Isle of Skye).

Who is Highland Park?

Highland Park is one of Scotland's most prestigious island distilleries — founded in 1798 by Magnus Eunson, a local church officer in Kirkwall, Orkney who began as an illicit distiller (legend has it he hid his whisky under the church pulpit to evade excise officers). The distillery is located in Kirkwall, Orkney Islands — making it one of only two distilleries on Orkney (sister distillery Scapa) and the world's most northerly Scotch distillery for over 200 years (until Lerwick Distillery opened on Shetland in 2023). Owned by The Edrington Group (which also owns The Macallan) since 1999. Highland Park is famous for using locally-cut Orkney heather peat from Hobbister Moor — producing a distinctively floral, gentler smoke character than Islay's heavy peat — and for maintaining traditional floor maltings producing approximately 20% of its own malt. Since 2004 the distillery has matured entirely in sherry-seasoned oak casks.

Who is Talisker?

Talisker is the iconic distillery of the Isle of Skye — founded in 1830 by brothers Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill at Carbost on the shore of Loch Harport. For nearly two centuries Talisker was the only distillery on Skye, until Torabhaig opened in 2017. Owned by Diageo. Talisker's signature house style is robust, peppery, maritime, and lightly peated — famously called "the lava of the Cuillins" (the Cuillin mountain range that dominates Skye). The Talisker 10 Year Old is one of Scotland's most recognised single malts globally and is included in Diageo's Classic Malts of Scotland series. The Liquid Collection stocks Talisker 10 Year Old at $104 SGD.

What's the difference between Island and Islay whisky?

Both Island and Islay whisky come from Scottish islands, but they differ significantly in formal regulatory status and house style. Islay is one of the five formally protected Scotch whisky regions under the 2009 Scotch Whisky Regulations — a single island west of the mainland with 9+ operating distilleries (Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Kilchoman, Ardnahoe, plus new Lagg, Port Ellen reopening, and others). Islay whisky is internationally famous for its heavily peated, intensely medicinal, maritime style. Island whisky is a trade-recognised informal category for Scotch from the OTHER Scottish islands — Orkney, Skye, Mull, Jura, Arran, Lewis, Harris. Under formal SWA regulation, Island distilleries are technically Highland; the trade treats them as a distinct category for their shared coastal character. Island whisky styles are far more varied than Islay's monolithically heavy-peated profile — ranging from Highland Park's gentle floral Orkney peat to Talisker's robust peppery maritime to Arran's mostly unpeated fruit-driven house style.

What is the Highland Park 40 Year Old?

The Highland Park 40 Year Old is one of Scotch whisky's ultra-aged collector tier — a 40-year-old Orkney single malt matured for four decades in sherry-seasoned oak casks. The Liquid Collection stocks the Highland Park 40 Year Old at $6,988 SGD, making it one of the most prestigious single malts in TLC's catalogue. Highland Park is unusual among Scotch distilleries in maintaining unusually deep ultra-aged inventory, allowing the regular release of 21, 25, 30, and 40 Year Old expressions where most distilleries cap regular production at 18–25 years.

What is Orkney heather peat?

Orkney heather peat is the distinctively floral, lower-heat peat used by Highland Park distillery — cut from Hobbister Moor on the Orkney Islands, where the peat has formed over approximately 4,000 years from layers of dense heather (rather than the deeper peat moss layers common to mainland Scotland). Because Orkney's peat is younger and heather-rich, it burns at lower temperatures with more floral, fragrant smoke than the heavier coastal peat of Islay. The result is Highland Park's signature gentle, perfumed smoke character — softer and more floral than Islay peat, often described as heather-honey-tinged. Highland Park is the only Scotch distillery using Orkney peat from Hobbister.

Is Talisker peated?

Talisker is lightly to moderately peated — typically around 18–25 ppm phenol at the malted barley stage, with the finished whisky usually showing around 4–7 ppm. By comparison, Highland Park is similarly moderate at 20 ppm, while Islay distilleries like Ardbeg and Lagavulin malt at 35–55 ppm and Laphroaig at 35 ppm. Talisker's peat character is overshadowed by the distillery's signature peppery "kick" (often attributed to its unique still configuration with U-shaped lyne arms and external worm-tub condensers) and pronounced maritime salinity from its location on the Isle of Skye's Atlantic coast.

What are the Highland Park Fire and Ice expressions?

The Highland Park Fire 15 Year Old and Ice 17 Year Old are part of Highland Park's legendary Valhalla Collection — a series of four limited-edition releases inspired by Norse mythology (Orkney has a strong Viking heritage). The four original Valhalla releases were Thor (16 Year Old, 2012), Loki (15 Year Old, 2013), Freya (15 Year Old, 2014), and Odin (16 Year Old, 2015) — followed later by the Fire 15 (2016, finished in port pipes) and Ice 17 (2017, matured in refill American oak). The Fire and Ice expressions are now strictly limited and increasingly collectable on the secondary market. The Liquid Collection stocks the Fire 15 and Ice 17 as a paired set at $988 SGD.

Who owns Highland Park?

Highland Park has been owned by The Edrington Group since 1999 — one of Scotland's largest privately-held spirits companies, also owner of The Macallan, The Glenrothes, Naked Malt, and The Famous Grouse blended Scotch. Edrington is family-controlled (held by the Robertson Trust, a Scottish charity). The acquisition unified Highland Park with The Macallan under one of the most prestigious Scotch whisky portfolios in the industry, and Edrington has invested significantly in Highland Park's prestige positioning — including continued operation of the distillery's traditional floor maltings and the celebrated Valhalla and Viking Legend release series.

Are Arran and Jura whiskies Island whisky?

Yes, by trade convention. Arran (Isle of Arran) and Jura (Isle of Jura) are both formally classified as Highland under the 2009 Scotch Whisky Regulations because both islands sit within the Highland geographic boundary, but the trade and whisky enthusiast community widely treat them as Island whiskies due to their coastal maritime character and island geography. Arran was founded in 1995 — one of the first new Scotch distilleries of the modern era — and produces a mostly unpeated, fruit-driven house style. Jura was founded in 1810 and produces both lightly peated and unpeated expressions. The Liquid Collection stocks Arran and Jura — currently in the Highland category — but they sit equally well under Island.

Do you deliver Island whisky across Singapore?

Yes — The Liquid Collection offers free delivery on all Island whisky orders across Singapore with no minimum purchase. Standard delivery is 3 working days. For personal recommendations across the Highland Park Orkney vertical (12 to 40 Year Old) or Talisker Isle of Skye, WhatsApp +65 9680 5856.