The Perfect Collection by Mr. Richard Gooding Digital Catalogue - Magazine - Page 54
O.O. OLD ORKNEY
REAL LIQUEUR WHISKY CIRCA 1930s
FROM STROMNESS DISTILLERY
By Angus MacRaild
Rare Whisky Expert and Writer
S
tromness distillery operated for a century
you are fortunate enough to come across a bottle.
between 1828 and 1928 in its eponymous south
The brand ‘Old Orkney’ - famously abbreviated
east port on Mainland, Orkney.
to ‘O.O.’ - can still be found on very
All these years later, and unlike many
rare occasion. Indeed, a remarkably
of its other contemporary distilleries
well-intact example bottled around the
“...few names
which closed through Scotland in the
1930s has surfaced as part of The Perfect
are as thrilling,
1920s, it is a name which still ignites
Collection. Previous bottlings of O.O.
thrills and intrigue amongst whisky
have exhibited a stunningly pure,
tempting and
enthusiasts. This is primarily because
intense and profound peat character. A
fascinating as
it was commonly bottled in its ‘self’
flavour of peat which is idiosyncratic
Stromness”
single malt form during its operational
to Orkney and which is only really
lifetime, something notably scarce
shared with similarly old bottlings from
amongst Scotland’s malt distilleries in
Stromness’ neighbour Highland Park.
the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Add to this
These are ancient examples of liquid history; a style
the fact it hails from such a far-flung and evocative
of distilling and whisky making which is utterly
northern isle as Orkney and it is easy to see why it
extinct. Not only in the British isles but the world
holds such powerful sway over the shared whisky
over. For lovers of single malt, Scotland, flavour and
imagination.
history, there are few names as thrilling, tempting
and fascinating as Stromness.
Perhaps most tantalisingly of all is the fact that
you can actually taste Stromness still to this day if
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