Highland Park is the world's most northerly single malt distillery, and it makes some of the most respected whisky in Scotland. Founded in 1798 on a site above Kirkwall, it still malts some of its own barley on the premises, using local heather-rich Orkney peat to dry it. The result is a distinctive smoky-sweet character that has earned multiple "best in world" designations from spirits critics.
The distillery is about a mile south of Kirkwall town centre and runs guided tours that take in the maltings, the still house, and the warehouses where the whisky matures, ending with a tasting. The 12-year-old expression is the accessible starting point; the older expressions are properly excellent.