article and photograph by Richard Carleton Hacker

There is a raw, windswept spirit that permeates the very soul of the Orkneys.  This must have been the chilling siren call that summoned the Vikings, and other civilizations before them.  The Neolithic remnants of Skara Brae, unearthed in the 19th century by fierce gales, are but one reminder of the islands remoteness - and mystery.

Another is Scapa Flow, a vast, protected body of water that became a prime objective during both world wars - to defend or invade, depending on whether you were British or German.  Even today, the rusted hulks of sunken ships protrude from their watery graves at low tide.  Straddling the flow is Churchill Barriers, a manmade stretch of concrete blocks built to keep out enemy ships during WWII.  It was on these rugged banks that I found the perfect setting for Highland Park 18 Year Old and the Honduran-made Excalibur Royal Sterling.

Even on a comparatively sunny day, the unrelenting wind stirred the clouds and churned the icy sea. Yet the pale amber hue of the 18 Year Old hinted at the warmth from its sweet, peaty smoke.  Honeyed floral notes suggest that slightly more than half of this whisky was matured in bourbon barrels, to tame the meatier influences of candied toffee and fudge from first-fill sherry casks. Its complexity is hardly surprising: listed as 18 years, the average age of this single malt is actually 23 years.

The underlying woody tones compliment the broadsword-sharp, heavily spiced taste of the Royal Sterling.  And what better size to smoke in this setting than a Churchill?  Fittingly, its cedar box carries a miniature replica of King Arthur’s legendary sword.  Grown in Honduras' remote San Agustin Valley, the shade-grown Cuban-seed wrapper harmonizes with a Connecticut broadleaf binder.  Even the filler has the fabled San Agustin spice.  The result is a medium-to-full-bodied cigar that gives a gentle slap across the taste buds.

Readily identified by its silver band, the tanginess of the Royal Sterling plays well against the gentle smoke of Highland Park 18 Year Old, a legacy of ancient peat from Hobbister Moor that overlooks Scapa Flow - two timeless entities in a remote land.