Scapa 21 Year Old Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky
48% ABV (96 proof) | 700mL | 21 years old | First-fill ex-American oak | Unpeated Orkney single malt | Scapa Distillery, Isle of Orkney, Scotland — Scapa 21 Year Old is the flagship of the distillery's permanent Signature Collection (launched November 2024 — Scapa's first permanent range since 1885). Matured exclusively in first-fill ex-American oak barrels in Orkney warehouses, it is the unpeated, tropical-fruited counterpoint to the island's smoky reputation: the distillery overlooks Scapa Flow and runs one of Scotland's rare Lomond wash stills with an extended fermentation. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Scapa spent years as a connoisseur's secret — single annual batches, distillery-only whispers. The 21 Year Old anchors the new core range instead: same 21-year-old, first-fill American oak recipe, now permanently available. Among Scotch whiskies, few 21-year-olds stay this bright — the American oak keeps the profile on apricot, mango and vanilla cream rather than dry sherry wood.
Tasting notes
Nose: homemade apricot jam, fresh raspberries, ripe bananas, whipped cream, aromatic oak, subtle nutmeg. Palate: fresh peaches and mangoes, vanilla cream, condensed milk, buttery shortbread with cardamom and cinnamon. Finish: sweet, rich, syrupy — lingering tropical fruit and gentle spice.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 21 years old, 48% ABV — matured exclusively in first-fill ex-American oak
- Unpeated Orkney single malt from one of Scotland's most northerly distilleries (est. 1885)
- Rare Lomond wash still, extended fermentation
- Permanent Signature Collection expression — not a one-off batch
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Neat in a copita or Glencairn — 48% carries the tropical fruit without water, though a drop opens the vanilla cream. This is a contemplative pour, not a mixer.
Frequently asked questions
Is Scapa 21 peated?
No — Scapa makes unpeated single malt; the 21 Year Old is all tropical fruit, vanilla and honeyed oak.
Is the Scapa 21 a limited annual batch?
The current 21 Year Old is a permanent core-range expression (Signature Collection, since November 2024). Older "The Orcadian" 21 releases were single annual batches — a different, cask-strength bottling.
Where is Scapa distillery?
On the Isle of Orkney, Scotland, overlooking Scapa Flow — one of Scotland's most northerly distilleries, established 1885.