Exclusive Malts Orkney 2000 17 Year Old Scotch Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

An oddity in the world of independently bottled Scotch single malts is not indicating what distillery a whisky came from, but that is exactly what Exclusive Malts did here. This release is labeled “Orkney,” distilled in 2000 and aged 17 years in a refill hogshead. Only two distilleries are on Orkney, then and now: Highland Park and Scapa. If you know both distilleries, I’ll let you read on and make a guess as to which it might be; I don’t want to precondition you with my opinion.

The Scotch
This stuff has a glistening yellow coloring in the glass, not quite full-bodied enough to be properly termed gold. The swish and coat leaves a curtain of tears on the glass.

I put a splash of water in from the get go, and after letting my glass sit for a spell, came away with a scent that was apricots and heather in the main. There was a note of dry straw and a little pepper too. The flavor was sweet with stone fruits and malty honey, accented by a leathery note, and then came the pepper again at the end. The finish transitioned to leather and pepper.

This Orkney whisky is flavorful, well-balanced and shows a little sophistication. It’s main virtue is that it’s quite yummy, but it also calls for a little contemplation. Given the price tag (and how expensive a good single malt can be), it’s a pretty good buy.

The Price
Expect to pay $150 for a bottle of this.