Scapa
Orkney's less famous distillery, sitting on the shore of Scapa Flow a few miles south of Highland Park. Produces unpeated, honeyed, coastal spirit — a stylistic counterpoint to its neighbour. The NAS-era Skiren and Glansa are gone: since November 2024 the core range is a trio of 10, 16 and 21 year old age statements. Tours run Tuesday to Sunday, with the Noust tasting room open alongside.
Scapa sits in the shadow of Highland Park in Orkney but produces a completely different whisky — unpeated, honeyed, coastal, and with a distinctive rounded character from its unusual Lomond still. The location on Scapa Flow, one of the most historically significant anchorages in the world, adds a remarkable backdrop. The November 2024 relaunch replaced the NAS bottlings with a 10, 16 and 21 year old core — the distillery's first permanent age-statement range.
Visiting Scapa
Contact distillery
St Ola, Kirkwall, Orkney
KW15 1SE
- Shop
- Café/Restaurant
- Parking
Core range
10 Year Old
48% ABV · First-fill American oak
The entry point of the age-statement core range (10, 16 and 21) launched in November 2024, replacing the NAS Skiren era — Scapa's first permanent range since 1885. Tropical, fruity, honeyed Orkney spirit at a confident 48%.
Food pairings
| Whisky | Food | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Scapa 16 Year Old | Orkney crab or lobster | Honeyed, unpeated coastal spirit pairs with Orkney shellfish. |
Getting there
Car. 3 miles south of Kirkwall on the A964. On Orkney — ferry from Scrabster or Aberdeen.
Where to eat nearby
- Kirkwall restaurantsArea
Full range in Kirkwall, 10 min north.
- Orkney Distillery at PickaquoyCafé
Highland Park visitor centre 15 min north.
Where to stay near Scapa
Scapa Flow distillery is near Kirkwall on the Orkney mainland — within a few miles of Highland Park. Kirkwall is the base for both. The added interest of Scapa Flow itself (WWII naval anchorage, visible wrecks) makes a stay in Kirkwall very worthwhile. The Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm (8 miles south) is a remarkable wartime monument en route.
Kirkwall centre.
Kirkwall — whisky-themed hotel.
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Scapa.
Booking links are affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Location
St Ola, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1SE
View on map →Frequently asked questions
+How is Scapa different from Highland Park?
Highland Park uses heather peat; Scapa is completely unpeated. Very different styles from the same island.
+Is Scapa open to visitors?
Yes — tours run Tuesday to Sunday, alongside the Noust tasting room. Book ahead; it's a small operation compared with Highland Park up the road.
+Where is Scapa distillery?
Scapa is in the Islands. Postcode KW15.
+When was Scapa distillery founded?
Scapa was founded in 1885, making it roughly 141 years old.
Compare with similar distilleries
Unpeated Orkney — very different from Highland Park. Closer in sweetness to Old Pulteney.
Highland Park
Orkney’s northernmost Scotch distillery uses heather-infused peat and slow maturation in a famously cold island climate. Balanced, honeyed, lightly smoky.
Old Pulteney
‘The Maritime Malt’ — Old Pulteney whisky is salty, briny and lightly oily, made at a coastal Highland distillery in Wick, once the herring-fishing capital of Europe, in unusually-shaped stills.
Other distilleries owned by Pernod Ricard
Distilleries that share Scapa's corporate parent — useful context if you're comparing house styles within an owner's stable.
The Glenlivet
The first legal distillery in the parish under the 1823 Excise Act, and one of the largest single malt brands in the world. Glenlivet sits at the centre of Speyside both geographically and historically.
Aberlour
A Speyside favourite for sherry-cask fans, best known internationally for the cask-strength A’bunadh series. Sweet, rich, and notably big-bodied for the region.
Strathisla
Often called the prettiest distillery in Scotland and the official home of Chivas Regal. Strathisla is one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the country.
Longmorn
A whisky-geek favourite often spoken of in the same breath as the great old Speysides. Most of its output goes into Chivas blends; the official single malts were relaunched around 2024 as a cask-strength 18 and a 22 Year Old, both firmly in premium territory.
Miltonduff
A massive Pernod Ricard workhorse on the western edge of Elgin, producing spirit primarily for the Ballantine’s blend. Rarely seen as an official single malt.
Glentauchers
An almost invisible Speyside distillery whose spirit goes mostly into Ballantine’s. A favourite of independent bottlers for its delicate, fruity character.
Free: The Scottish Whisky Tasting Guide
How to nose, taste and find your dram — the five official regions explained, no snobbery. Sent straight to your inbox.
Free. No spam — unsubscribe from any email. You'll join the TasteSCOT list.
Related articles
8 min read
The Famous Grouse: An Honest Guide to Scotland's Favourite Blend
The Famous Grouse has been Scotland's best-selling whisky for decades. What's actually in it, how the range breaks down, and whether the bird deserves the shelf space.
7 min read
Whisky Glasses: What Actually Matters, and What's a Gimmick
Glencairn, tumbler, copita or highball — which whisky glass actually changes the dram, which is just habit, and which accessories are marketing. The honest guide.
10 min read
Coffee for Whisky Drinkers: One Palate, Two Scottish Crafts
If you can taste whisky, you can taste coffee — the same palate, the same vocabulary, and a surprising amount of shared Scottish geography. How to cross over without starting from scratch.