Scapa
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For other meanings of Scapa, see Scapa disambiguation
Scapa is a Scotch whisky distillery situated on the The Mainland of Orkney, Scotland on the shore of Scapa Flow near the town of Kirkwall.
The distillery has one wash still and one spirit still producing a single malt (unblended) whisky. It is an especially honey flavoured whisky, and less peaty than most Island Whiskies. This is because, though the water at the source is peaty, it gets transported to the distillery through piplines to avoid more contact with the peat. Furthermore, the malt is not dried over peat smoke.
The distillery, founded in 1885 by Macfarlane & Townsend, was during the 50's acquired by Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd (now part of Allied Distillers) and rebuilt. In 1994 it was mothballed, and faced definitive closure in 2004. During that period, the most commonly available edition was the Scapa 12 years old, which was and still is a pretty unique island whisky for its subtle heathery honey plus sea taste. Still, it was decided to rebuild/restore the distillery, and the first new spririt in 10 years flowed in November 2004. Because of the time-gap, it was decided to stop the 12 years and introduce the 14 years, which is quite different from its predecessor, even though the basic characteristics are intact.
The distillery fails to be the northernmost in Scotland by only half a mile, (that title is held by the Highland Park Distillery).
The bottle labeling text on Scapa aged 14 years reads as follows:
Scapa Flow - an expanse of calm water ringed by islands and lighthouses. A safe shelter for modern seafarers, just as it once protected Norse warriors and Celtic nobles. From that unique place comes something you might not expect from an island malt whisky - a golden whisky, sweet and silky-smooth with a heather-honey taste.
The reverse package labeling text on Scapa aged 14 years reads as follows:
Orkney and the sea are entwined. This archipelago of around 70 islands and nine lighthouses—the name 'Orkney' includes them all—lies to the north of mainland Scotland. Orkney's steadfast lighthouses mark the boundaries between islands and sea as much as between Atlantic and North Sea. In their midsts lies Scapa Flow, an expanse of calm water ringed by islands of soft turf. This safe anchorage shelters modern seafaers, just as the islands once protected Norse warriors and Celtic nobles. For those who stay, the prize is a climate of endless variablility—Orkney weather can go through the four seasons in a single day— with endless golden summer evenings when the sun barely dips below the horizon. Into this safe haven in 1885 came the Scapa distillery, with its two small copper stills, sea-fress Orcadian air and abundant fresh water. From that unique mix of people, place, water and climate comes something you might not expect from an Island malt— a whisky sweet and silky-smooth with a heather-honey taste. Tranquil Scapa Flow, with its gently matured amber whisky and resolute lighthouses is a place apart. It is the true spirit of Orkney.
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