About Scapa Distillery
Scapa Distillery stands above Scapa Flow on Orkney Mainland, south of Kirkwall. Glasgow blender Macfarlane & Townsend established it in 1885 during the late-Victorian expansion of Scotch. Its modern character comes from unpeated malt, extended fermentation, a single pair of stills and the last whisky wash still retaining the broad barrel-shaped form developed for the Lomond design.
Scapa is usually fruity, honeyed and tropical rather than smoky. That contrast with many assumptions about island whisky is deliberate: the malt is not dried over peat, and copper-rich distillation preserves a bright spirit for maturation principally in American oak.
History
The distillery opened in 1885 to supply the growing blended-whisky trade. Scapa Distillery Company took control in 1919, the same year a serious fire damaged the site. Production later ceased when the company entered liquidation in 1934. Bloch Brothers acquired and reopened it in 1936, followed by Hiram Walker in 1954.
Hiram Walker rebuilt Scapa in 1959 and installed a Lomond wash still. The original Lomond concept used adjustable plates in a straight or barrel-like neck to vary reflux and make different spirit styles. Scapa's plates were removed by 1979, but the distinctive copper neck remained. It is therefore accurate to call it a surviving Lomond-shaped or Lomond-style wash still, not a fully functioning example of the original adjustable system.
Scapa was mothballed in 1994, although crews from nearby Highland Park carried out occasional production runs. A major refurbishment began in 2004, returning it to regular operation. Pernod Ricard acquired Allied Domecq in 2005 and placed Scapa within Chivas Brothers. A visitor centre opened in 2015, giving the previously discreet blending distillery a clearer public identity.
What makes it distinctive
Official information identifies Orquil Springs as the source for mashing water, while technical references name the connected Lingro Burn. These descriptions appear to concern the same local water system rather than competing distant sources, so the article uses the official spring name and acknowledges the burn in the source record. Unpeated malt and clear wort proceed to a relatively long fermentation that encourages tropical fruit and honey.
The barrel-necked wash still provides extensive copper surface, while a purifier returns heavier condensate and increases reflux. A conventional spirit still completes double distillation. First-fill American oak from bourbon producers is central to maturation, adding vanilla and sweetness while preserving pineapple, pear and citrus from the new make. Selected other casks broaden the range without defining the core spirit.
Whisky character and significance
Scapa is associated with pineapple, pear, honey, vanilla, citrus and a smooth oily thread, sometimes accompanied by a coastal mineral impression. It is not normally a peated whisky. The distillery's individuality depends more on fermentation and the unusual wash-still geometry than on an assumed Orcadian smoke profile.
Visiting Scapa Distillery
The visitor centre offers bookable tours and tastings at a small working distillery. Access to production areas can depend on operations, and current formats should be checked directly. The Lomond-shaped still is a genuine technical highlight, but visitors should understand that its former internal adjustable plates are no longer used.
Location and surrounding area
Scapa Flow is a large, sheltered natural harbour with major naval history as well as expansive coastal views. Kirkwall and Orkney's archaeological sites are nearby, but island flights, ferries and weather require itinerary margin. Scapa and Highland Park are geographically close yet stylistically distinct.
- Whisky region
- Highlands
- Location
- St Ola, Kirkwall, KW15 1SE
- Visitor information
- Check the official website for current tours, tastings, access and booking arrangements.
Further information
Visit the official Scapa Distillery website
Scapa: official production process