Distillery
Scapa is a Scottish whiskey distillery located in the Orkney Islands, near the town of Kirkwall. It was founded in 1885 by blender John Townsend, who took advantage of the growing interest in blended whiskey at the end of the 19th century. In 1919, the distillery was damaged by fire, but was rebuilt soon after. In 1936 it was bought by the Bloch brothers, who also owned the Glen Scotia and Glengyle distilleries.
In 1959, a Lomond still type still was installed in the distillery, which allowed finer control over the distillation process and contributed to the creation of a whiskey with a more pronounced and richer in character. The still was in operation until 1979.
The distillery was officially closed in 1994, but distilling operations were occasionally resumed by a team from the neighboring Highland Park Distillery. In 2004, a £2.1 million investment was announced to refurbish the distillery and a 14-year-old whiskey was launched at the same time. In 2005, the renovation was completed and the distillery became part of the Pernod Ricard company. The occasion saw a change in bottle design and an increase in the bottled whiskey age from 14 to 16 years.
In 2015, a visitor center was opened and the distillery expanded its range of whiskey. Today, Scapa is known for its fine whiskey with a distinct character that sets it apart from peated Orkney whiskeys such as Highland Park.
Bottle
Scapa 1993 is a single malt whisky, distilled in 1993 and bottled in 2006 by independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail as part of their Licensed Bottling series. Gordon & MacPhail’s Licensed Bottling series is distinguished by the fact that each release is bottled with official permission from the distilleries, meaning these whiskies authentically reflect the style and character of each distillery.
Nose: Lightly marine, with notes of vanilla and honey, complemented by subtle fruit hints of pears and apples.
Taste: Balanced and smooth, with flavors of sweet honey, vanilla, dried fruit, and gentle oak undertones.
Finish: Smooth and medium in length, with lingering sweetness and a subtle woody character.
This bottling is highly regarded for its smoothness and approachable profile as an Orkney whisky.
