South Panorama & Highland Park Distillery

A highly scenic panoramic drive that showcases several Orkney landmarks, and a visit to a Scotch whiskey distillery await you on this tour.

Head south from Kirkwall along the road overlooking historic Scapa Flow, a great inlet surrounded by protective islands, and cross the Churchill Barriers, constructed using Italian prisoner of war labor. You'll stop to see the Italian Chapel created out of Nissen huts by the prisoners in their spare time. It is a miracle of faith with delicate wrought-iron tracery and frescoes whose artist, Dominico Chiocchetti, returned in later years to restore the original work.

At Highland Park Distillery, you'll learn about the unique character of Highland Park 12-year-old single malt whisky and its relationship to the local peat beds. A video introduces you to the northernmost Scotch whisky distillery in the world. Then on a guided tour of the distillery, you'll see the floor maltings, peat kiln and the viewing warehouse before returning to the Visitor Center for a "wee dram" of Highland Park.

Between mid-June and mid-August (exact dates vary), whisky production ceases for 3-weeks and most employees take a vacation, and routine maintenance is carried out. Tours are still offered during this time, and you will learn all about the whisky-making process, but the tour is slightly different from when the distillery is in full-production mode.