A rare, 54-year-old single cask of one of Scotland’s most revered single malts has been released for sale in limited quantities this month. Cask broker Duncan Taylor has announced ‘The Accolade’ Highland Park 1970 as a 54-year-old single cask, single malt Scotch whisky. The whisky was distilled and barrelled by Orkney-based Highland Park the year Apollo 13 launched, and has been aged primarily at Duncan Taylor’s Huntly, Scotland headquarters since The Beatles broke up.
Duncan Taylor is an independent company that helps distilleries and individuals buy, sell and manage their whiskey casks. The company has amassed an untold amount of whiskey stock over eight to ten years and has the ability to wait until a Scotch whisky is truly at its peak, without the pressure of releasing new products quarterly or even annually.
Duncan Taylor describes the Accolade range as a collection of the brand’s rarest, most exclusive spirits, but the cellars at Huntly would be more aptly described as Highland Park’s applied sciences department, a place where great things gather dust until it’s time for a show-stopper.
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Drawn from a single cask (number 3,254 to be exact), the whisky is bottled at 42.9% ABV in a “hand-crafted dagger decanter, complete with a themed wave in the form of an illuminated copper plinth,” according to Duncan Taylor. The whisky comes with a certificate of authenticity and a carrying kit that includes gloves.
According to tasting notes from Duncan Taylor, The Accolade 1970 has “a rich and multifaceted nose with layers of leather, caramel, marzipan and a symphony of seductive red fruit, melon and soft, lingering smoke on the palate.”
On the palate, notes of cherry, apricot, coconut and “a soft embrace of peat” blend, followed by layers of sweet woody notes, wet stones and mineral sea air.
“Full of light spice and a creamy, luxurious finish, this flavor evokes the sumptuousness of crème brûlée and the comforting sweetness of red apple tart tatin.”
Duncan Taylor bought the cask the year it was filled and has been maturing it in his own cellars for over half a century, so this whisky is truly, truly, one of a kind. But not in the broadest sense.
Duncan Taylor's 54-year-old Highland Park single malt is actually second The 54-year-old liquid, which was released under the name Highland Park in the last two years. Highland Park released a 54-year-old liquid to the U.S. market in 2023, a liquid the distillery has had on hand since it was first aged in oak barrels.
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How different are the Scotches, exactly? Highland Park’s own bottling has a distinct ginger sweetness and subtle hints of smoke. Price-wise, Duncan Taylor’s is around $28,600, while Highland Park’s is a sobering $54,000. Finally, yield. A total of 225 bottles were released as a big celebratory launch for Highland Park’s 225th anniversary last year. Only 158 bottles of Duncan Taylor’s version will be sold exclusively online through The Spirits Embassy at The Rarest Accolade.
As for Highland Park’s own version, you’ll need a middleman to find a bottle. Or a time machine. But if you have one of those, you can go back in time and buy a few barrels of your own—and maybe even get some Apple stock while you’re at it.
Related: The Best Sherry Bomb Single Malt Scotch Whiskies
