Highland Park has unveiled Sherry Skies, a 19 Year Old limited edition single malt that honours the legacy of outgoing Master Whisky Maker Gordon Motion. With just 1,200 bottles available, this release marks the culmination of nearly three decades of dedication, craft, and innovation at the Orkney distillery.
Bottled at 48.8% ABV, Sherry Skies is composed of six European oak sherry-seasoned casks, sourced and seasoned in Jerez, and three ex-bourbon barrels. This deep sherry influence brings notes of intense jammy dried fruit and sweet tannic spices, balanced with the subtle hint of aromatic smoke of Orkney heathered peat.
Sherry Skies’ deep sherry influence brings notes of intense jammy dried fruit and sweet tannic spices…
“I’ve sampled 100,000s of casks during my 27-year career, and the nine selected for Sherry Skies deliver a unique depth of flavour,” says Motion, “singing with the sherry sweetness that I have loved exploring and perfecting.”
Official tasting notes report a nose of toasted oak, fragrant vanilla, and poached pear. On the palate, there’s a smooth intensity, as sweet, caramelised fruits mingle with clove and orange peel, offering both brightness and spice. The finish is said to be long, with lingering notes of cinnamon, anise, and a wisp of peat smoke.
Stepping into Motion’s role, is Marc Watson, former Whisky Distillery Manager of the Year, who now takes up the creative mantle at Highland Park.
Priced at £265, limited bottles of Sherry Skies are available at the Highland Park Distillery and Albert Street store in Orkney, and online at highlandparkwhisky.com.
The Whisky Exchange has dropped three new exclusive bottlings to mark the start of 2026, spanning Scotch whisky, American bourbon and Jamaican rum. The limited collection comprises an experimental single-cask Torabhaig from the Isle of Skye, a punchy single-barrel bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company, and a sherry-cask-aged Hampden Estate rum that leans fully into the…
Just in time for Burns Night, Orkney-based Highland Park has announced a limited-edition cask strength single malt whisky. The new release, Cask Strength: Heather, is made using 100 per cent Orkney peat-smoked barley, with peat sourced responsibly from Hobbister Moor, just a few miles from the distillery. Given Orkney’s northern latitude, trees struggle to grow,…
January may feel long and grey, but one undoubted bright spot is Burns Night, the annual celebration held on January 25, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. For whisky lovers, it’s one of the most convivial fixtures of the year: a night where poetry, food and Scotland’s greatest export meet in cheerful,…
The Luxe Review 
Highland Park has unveiled Sherry Skies, a 19 Year Old limited edition single malt that honours the legacy of outgoing Master Whisky Maker Gordon Motion. With just 1,200 bottles available, this release marks the culmination of nearly three decades of dedication, craft, and innovation at the Orkney distillery.
Bottled at 48.8% ABV, Sherry Skies is composed of six European oak sherry-seasoned casks, sourced and seasoned in Jerez, and three ex-bourbon barrels. This deep sherry influence brings notes of intense jammy dried fruit and sweet tannic spices, balanced with the subtle hint of aromatic smoke of Orkney heathered peat.
“I’ve sampled 100,000s of casks during my 27-year career, and the nine selected for Sherry Skies deliver a unique depth of flavour,” says Motion, “singing with the sherry sweetness that I have loved exploring and perfecting.”
Official tasting notes report a nose of toasted oak, fragrant vanilla, and poached pear. On the palate, there’s a smooth intensity, as sweet, caramelised fruits mingle with clove and orange peel, offering both brightness and spice. The finish is said to be long, with lingering notes of cinnamon, anise, and a wisp of peat smoke.
Stepping into Motion’s role, is Marc Watson, former Whisky Distillery Manager of the Year, who now takes up the creative mantle at Highland Park.
Priced at £265, limited bottles of Sherry Skies are available at the Highland Park Distillery and Albert Street store in Orkney, and online at highlandparkwhisky.com.
Drink in 2026 with these Jamaican sherried rum, peated whisky, and high-strength bourbon exclusives
The Whisky Exchange has dropped three new exclusive bottlings to mark the start of 2026, spanning Scotch whisky, American bourbon and Jamaican rum. The limited collection comprises an experimental single-cask Torabhaig from the Isle of Skye, a punchy single-barrel bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company, and a sherry-cask-aged Hampden Estate rum that leans fully into the…
New Cask Strength Highland Park whisky puts Orkney heather front and centre
Just in time for Burns Night, Orkney-based Highland Park has announced a limited-edition cask strength single malt whisky. The new release, Cask Strength: Heather, is made using 100 per cent Orkney peat-smoked barley, with peat sourced responsibly from Hobbister Moor, just a few miles from the distillery. Given Orkney’s northern latitude, trees struggle to grow,…
Toasting the Bard: Where to eat, drink and celebrate Burns Night 2026
January may feel long and grey, but one undoubted bright spot is Burns Night, the annual celebration held on January 25, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. For whisky lovers, it’s one of the most convivial fixtures of the year: a night where poetry, food and Scotland’s greatest export meet in cheerful,…
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