Edrington, the owner of Highland Park, unveiled the new-look packaging at TFWA Cannes earlier this year.

The contemporary new look will be rolled out across the brand’s 14, 16-and 18-year-old travel retail exclusive whiskies from early 2025, with the new packaging featuring subtle bands of strata patterns capturing Orkney’s unique climate and environment.

The 14-year-old Land of Orkney takes inspiration from the contrasts in the land, 16-year-old Sea of Orkney captures the vibrancy of the sea, and the 18-year-old Sky of Orkney features the dramatic skies the islands are known for.

Rolled out globally from late 2024, the reinterpreted design mark a new era for the centuries old distillery; Highland Park was founded 226 years ago in Orkney, an archipelago off the northeastern coast of Scotland.

The warming waters of the Gulf Stream create a temperate climate ideal for the long ageing of whisky, while trees find it difficult to grow in Orkney’s windy weather, meaning the islands’ peat is infused with floral heather, rather than woody roots.

This peat is used to create a distinctive whisky with a subtle hint of aromatic smoke that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.

The new packaging design pays tribute to these elements of Orkney geography through a bright and contemporary colour palette, while nodding to the influence behind Highland Park’s unique flavour with heather-flecked labels bearing the updated logo.

The colours of the many layers of the Orcadian landscape and the influence of the wind are captured across the outer packaging’s strata patterns, bottle label and capsule details.

Inside, the bottle shape has been updated to allow the natural colour of the whisky, derived entirely from the cask, to shine through, while a “Product of Orkney” icon has been cut into the glass.  

Highland Park’s Global Brand Director, Paul Condron, said: “For Highland Park, everything comes back to Orkney, from how we craft our whisky, to how it gets its distinctive taste, to the incredible community of people, who do things their own way.

We’ve been here for more than 200 years, and the beauty and creativity of our island home continues to inspire us, as well as the unique flavour of the local heathered peat, which, with the new packaging design, is now celebrated, front and centre.”

The new Global Travel Retail packaging will be available to purchase exclusively from travel retail and duty free outlets.

“We’re excited to share this new design direction across our Global Travel Retail whiskies for Highland Park. The new look reflects the freshness and modernity of our Orkney home,” added Condron.

As part of Highland Park’s continued commitment to sustainability, the redesign will see the new bottles contained within 100% recyclable cardboard cartons, made from FSC-certified forests.

Highland Park’s Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, said: “With the packaging update, we have a great opportunity to celebrate a new look, whilst continuing to share the distinctive, consistent whisky we’re famed for. It’s a flavour that just can’t be replicated anywhere else in the world.”  

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