A.D. Rattray Cask Orkney 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
A.D. Rattray Cask Orkney 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a 46% ABV, 18-year-old single malt fully matured in superior ex-bourbon casks — bottled from an undisclosed Orkney distillery by independent bottler A.D. Rattray. Released in May 2018 as a limited edition, this lightly peated, non-chill-filtered, natural-colour 750mL bottling won Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2019 — confirmed by the bottler itself. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 46% (92 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Aging: 18 years — fully matured in ex-bourbon casks
- Origin: An undisclosed distillery on Orkney, Scotland
- Production: Limited edition (May 2018); lightly peated, non-chill-filtered, natural colour; SFWSC Gold 2019
Eighteen Years from the Islands, Bottler's Choice
Orkney makes some of Scotland's most distinctive malt — maritime, heathery, touched with peat — and A.D. Rattray's Cask Orkney series is the independent bottler's love letter to it. This 18-year-old spent its entire life in ex-bourbon wood, emerging with the island signature intact: honey and heather over a gentle peat ember. The bottler won't name the distillery — that's the independent-bottling game — but the SFWSC Gold in 2019 (announced by A.D. Rattray itself) and 94 points from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible (2021) say the cask selection was sound. Among scotch whisky drinkers, an 18-year island malt at 46% is a sweet spot of age and value.
Tasting Notes
Heather honey, sea air and soft peat on the nose. The palate is rich and rounded — malt, dried fruit, gentle smoke, vanilla oak. Finish is long with lingering honey and a final wisp of island peat.
How to Enjoy
Neat, with a few drops of water to open the honey and heather. A superb fireside dram and a strong pick for anyone exploring island malts beyond Islay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which distillery makes Cask Orkney 18?
The distillery is undisclosed — A.D. Rattray's official materials name only "an Orkney distillery."
Is Cask Orkney 18 peated?
Lightly peated, in the Orkney island style — heathery smoke rather than Islay intensity.
Where can I buy Cask Orkney 18 online?
This 750mL bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor — it ships from San Diego, CA.
Island-aged eighteen years and award-winning — buy Cask Orkney 18 online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.