Wine: France, Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte
26 October 2023
Art: Dame Laura Knight in Worcester
6 February 2024A dramatic dram
Orkney’s Scapa Distillery has opened a splendid new venue for whisky lovers to sample its wares
A nyone visiting the Scottish island of Orkney this year might want to check out Scapa Noust, the cozy new whisky tasting room at the Scapa Distillery.
If you like a magnificent view with your dram, then this might well be one for you… the Noust, named after the local word for a safe haven (or nest), looks out over the dramatic natural harbour of Scapa Flow and the heather-purpled Orcadian hills.
A memorable conclusion to a tour of the distillery, the Noust’s design features include large, eye-catching windows, a ceiling designed to look like the interior of a traditional fishing boat and even a historic Royal Navy radio desk donated by a local resident.
To celebrate the opening, Scapa is also launching a new addition to its Distillery Reserve Collection, the Cask Finished Edition, Scapa 19-Year-Old Pedro Ximénez hogshead finish. Be quick, though – only 440 bottles of this rich and spicy whisky are being produced.
The distillery first opened its doors in 1885 and would have gone up in smoke in 1919 had it not been for the prompt action of locally based Royal Navy sailors, who saved the day via a human chain bringing buckets of water from the sea.
Scapa Noust opens its doors on 4 April and dovetails rather well with the launch of a new direct connection from London City Airport to Orkney, which is scheduled for this summer.
To find out more visit the Scapa distillery website.