
Scapa Skiren
Scapa · Scapa Distillery
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.
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.
- 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
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
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.
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