New Visitor Centre in Scapa
Scapa distillery rubs shoulders with northernmost Scotch whisky distillery by a few hundred yards. Located on the main island of the Orkney archipelago, Scapa takes its name from the bay on which it is situated. When Highland Park, located nearby - but a little further north - opened to tourists in 1986, offering one of the most beautiful Visitor Centers in Scotland, Scapa struggled to survive. These were not good times for Scotch whisky in general, and in particular for small distilleries located somewhere on the periphery of the Scottish distilling industry - both literal and figurative.
The situation on the shores of Scapa Flow changed dramatically with the advent of the Scotch whisky boom on an unprecedented scale, and the acquisition of the distillery by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) in 2005. Soon Scapa undergoes modernization, new editions appear on the market, the distillery's marketing model changes. It took another decade, however, before the new owner saw the potential that lay in the intensely developing tourism around the boilery. This seems all the more strange because, after all, visitors to nearby Highland Park would surely love to go to Scapa. In any case, the first tourists arrived on the thresholds of the Scapa distillery in 2015, which is relatively recently.
Just announced the completion of the next phase of the expansion of the tourist section of the Scapa distillery and the opening of a new tasting room. The small building, located directly on the shore of Scapa Flow, is scheduled to officially open on April 4. It will offer an in-depth and interactive experience of the production process, all set against the backdrop of the Scapa Flow Bay landscape with all its drama.
The tasting room was designed in collaboration with Orkney-based architect Mark Fresson, and its design makes many references to Orkney's craft traditions, including the maritime character of the immediate area. The ceiling of the tasting room attempts to replicate the construction of a fishing boat, and its official name, Scapa Noust, evokes the traditions of fishing. Noust is an old Orcadian term for a safe haven.
Scapa Noust can accommodate 12 people at a time, who will indulge in a tasting of Scapa whisky in its comfort after a prior tour of the distillery and the bonded warehouse where the whisky matures.
The opening of the new tasting room coincides with the launch of a new edition of whisky, part of the Scapa Distillery Reserve Collection. Scapa 19yo Pedro Ximénez hogshead finish will be available only at the distillery and through its online store.
It is worth mentioning in passing that Orkney is not only whisky distilleries. Above all, it is an extraordinary accumulation of historical and prehistoric attractions. Suffice it to mention the Standing Stones of Stenness or Ring of Brodgar stone circles, the Maesh barrow, or the settlement of Skara Brae. For lovers of mysteries from the distant past, this is a real mine of attractions.
For those interested in other editions of Scapa whisky, please see our current range of whisky from the distillery. Due to the size of the distilleries, the choice is not as wide as in the cases of the giants of the Scottish distilling industry, but there is definitely a lot to choose from, both from the point of view of the consumer and the collector.
[23.03.2023 / Photo: Scapa]