The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Scapa Skiren
Scotch WhiskyIssue 63

Scapa Skiren

Scapa · Scapa Distillery

80 proofNASOrkney, Scotland
Scapa is Orkney's quieter distillery, sitting in the shadow of Highland Park just a short walk away. Where its neighbor leans into peat and sherry, Scapa goes the opposite direction — unpeated, first-fill American oak, gentle and maritime. Skiren shows what Orkney terroir tastes like when you strip away the smoke.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honeyed malt and ripe peach open cleanly, with a salted butter note lurking beneath. A gentle floral quality — almost rosewater — gives it an unexpected elegance for an Orkney malt. No peat whatsoever.

Palate

Silky and light-bodied, with vanilla cream, orchard fruit, and a dusting of almond. The mid-palate introduces a subtle coconut sweetness from first-fill American oak casks. There's a grassy freshness that nods to the coastal distillery location.

Finish

Medium-length, clean, with lingering honey and a faint saline mineral quality. It fades gracefully rather than abruptly.

Specifications
Region
Islands (Orkney)
Cask Type
First-fill American oak
Peat Level (PPM)
0
Distillation
Double distilled using a unique Lomond wash still and a traditional copper pot spirit still
Maturation
Matured exclusively in first-fill American oak casks
Chill-Filtered
Yes
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Orkney Highball — 2 oz Scapa Skiren · 4 oz chilled sparkling water · 0.25 oz honey syrup · Lemon twist · Build in a tall glass over ice, stir gently, garnish with the lemon twist.

Food Pairing

Seared scallops with a lemon-butter sauce

The Story

Perched on the windswept shores of Scapa Flow in Orkney, Scapa Distillery has quietly produced unpeated single malt since 1885, using a unique Lomond wash still that gives its spirit a distinctively honeyed, oily character.

Train These Aromas
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