First flow of Orcadian Vintages from Highland Park releases 1964 and 1968 premium editions

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Question and Answers relating to these Vintages from Highland Park:

First Flow of the VIntages from Highland Park

Q. What is being launched?

A: The eagerly anticipated 1964 and 1968 expressions from the internationally acclaimed Kirkwall distillery on the beautiful isle of Orkney, Scotland.

Q: Where is it being launched?

A: The Vintages will be launched at The Whisky Show, London on November 6th 2009 to an audience of whisky lovers.

Q: What is its price of the first two releases?

A:The Orcadian Vintage Series 1964 will retail at £3750

The Orcadian Vintage Series 1968 will retail at £2250

Q: How many casks were used to produce the whisky?

A: The Orcadian Vintage Series 1964 is a combination of only two hogshead casks; both were refill whisky casks when they were filled again in1964.

The Orcadian Vintage Series 1968 is a combination of eight casks from 1968; all casks were whisky refill casks, seven hogshead and one butt.

Hogshead=250 litre capacity

Butt=500 litre capacity

Q: How many will be available?

A: 290 bottles of The Orcadian Vintage Series 1964

1550 bottles of The Orcadian Vintage Series 1968

Q: What makes the presentation so special?

A: Design agency Mountain Creative undertook the creation of the Orcadian Vintage Series’ presentation.  Creative director Andy Bowman has studied Viking art in the museums of Norway, Sweden and Denmark and previously designed the Highland Park amulette.  The Orcadian Vintage Series celebrates Viking art and the spirit of the Norse craftsmen who created astonishingly elaborate and beautiful pieces using only the most rudimentary tools and materials.

Q: Distinguished presentation design elements?

A: The Orcadian Vintage Series 1964:

Oak was the wood chosen for the outer box, a visual and tactile reference to the ribs of the legendary Viking longships as well as to malt whisky maturation. Debossed into the front of the Oak box is a Highland Park amulette in silver, handcrafted in Orkney by acclaimed jeweller Aurora.

The interior hinged door features an intricate illustration of Viking art and craftsmanship. The original representation of the mythical Great Beast appeared on the metal war vane of a longship. For the 1964 Vintage marquetry, a technique in which the contrast between individual inlays of wood provides the only colour was used.

The vane, from Söderala in Sweden, would have swung from the prow of an eleventh-century Viking ship and depicts, among a dense undergrowth of tendrils, a large dragon-like beast. Around its leg a smaller animal has firmly clamped its jaws.

This is exemplary of the Ringerike style, named after the carved stone slabs of an affluent district of Norway to the north of Oslo, which emerged during the first half of the eleventh century. A narrow section of the same unusual, finely-detailed inlaid design – hinting at the representation within the interior – appears on the back of the box.

The Orcadian Vintage Series 1968

Oak was the wood chosen for the outer box, a visual and tactile reference to the ribs of the legendary Viking longships as well as to malt whisky maturation. Debossed into the front of the Oak box is a Highland Park amulette in silver, handcrafted in Orkney by acclaimed jeweller Aurora.

The interior hinged door features an intricate illustration of Viking art and craftsmanship. The original representation of the mythical Sea Dragon is a wood carving at the church of Urnes in western Norway. For the 1968 Vintage marquetry, a technique in which the contrast between individual inlays of wood provides the only colour was used.

The illustration is a combat motif; a dragon-like creature is shown seizing a lesser beast by the neck. They are surrounded by thin ribbons which snake their way through the looping design. The Urnes style was developed shortly before the middle of the eleventh century and is characterized by gracefully curving lines of different widths, sometimes swelling or tapering.

A narrow section of the same unusual, finely-detailed inlaid design – hinting at the representation within the interior – appears on the back of the box.

Q: Where was the bottle made?

A: Stölzle Flaconnage, acclaimed glass specialist, was tasked with emphasising the artisanal nature of the Orcadian Vintage Series.

Q: Where will the Orcadian Vintages Series be sold?

A: The Orcadian Vintages Series will be sold in specialist whisky retailers globally and online at www.highlandpark.co.uk.

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