Scapa 10 Year Old

Mention Orkney whisky and most people will think of Highland Park. Scapa sits just a couple of miles down the road, overlooking Scapa Flow, but it has always been the quieter of the two. It's a small distillery with a quirk all of its own: it's the only one in Scotland still running a Lomond wash still, an unusual cross between a pot still and a column still. For years the core range was a pair of no-age-statement bottlings, Skiren and Glansa, which never really set the world alight. That changed in 2024, when Scapa launched a 10, 16 and 21 year old, its first permanent age-statement range. My bottle of the 10 year old was a gift from my father-in-law, who brought it back from a visit to the distillery. Fully matured in American oak and bottled at 48%, it ticks a lot of boxes on paper. The question is whether it delivers in the glass.

Bottle

This is a nicely put together bottle. The broad shoulders and chunky base make it feel solid in the hand, and the wooden stopper is a lovely touch. The pale sea-green label is very understated, but the standout feature sits just above it: an embossed sailing boat riding over the waves, which catches the light with the whisky behind it. It's a subtle nod to Scapa Flow and Orkney's seafaring history, and it gives the bottle a real sense of place. Nothing flashy, just quietly well thought out, which is a fair summary of what's inside too.

Colour

The whisky is a rich golden colour in the glass, sitting around Burnished on the colour scale, just past the midpoint. It's bottled at 48% ABV and isn't chill-filtered, which is exactly what I want to see. Scapa doesn't say anything about colouring on the label, but as far as I can tell it's naturally coloured, so that golden hue should be all down to the American oak rather than a splash of caramel.

Nose - Tropical from the first sniff. Fresh pineapple and mango lead the way, backed up by vanilla and a rich, crème brûlée sweetness. Give it a minute and some warm spice appears, a bit like cinnamon buns, with a twist of citrus peel keeping it bright. It's sunny and uplifting, not quite what you'd expect from an island that spends half the year battered by wind and waves.

Palate - Full-bodied and properly creamy, with the 48% and lack of chill-filtration really earning their keep. Stewed apple with warming spice comes first, then vanilla custard, banana and more of that tropical fruit from the nose. A touch of milk chocolate rounds it out, with some gentle pepper and oak giving it enough structure that it never gets cloying.

Finish - Medium to long and creamy. Banana and vanilla custard linger with a little milk chocolate, before a light char from the oak and a gentle drying spice see it out.

Overall

Scapa 10 is a really enjoyable whisky. It's sweet, fruity and full of character, and that creamy texture makes it very easy to keep coming back to. The production choices are spot on too: 48% ABV, non-chill-filtered and, as far as I can tell, naturally coloured. That makes for an interesting contrast with its neighbour's Highland Park 12, which is bottled at 40% and chill-filtered. Two Orkney distilleries a stone's throw apart, taking very different approaches, and on this evidence Scapa has the edge.

It normally sells for around £55, which feels fair for a 10 year old with this much character and these production credentials. Keep an eye out, though, because it occasionally drops to around £40, and at that price it's an absolute steal.

If you've always reached for Highland Park when you fancy something from Orkney, Scapa 10 is well worth a try. I'm keen to see what the 16 year old has to offer.