Highland Park collaborates with Laila Gohar on a 17-year-old single malt that explores the relationship between flavor, memory, and imagination.
Certain scents trigger memories in our brains. A hint of citrus can remind someone of a summer holiday, while the warmth of vanilla can evoke the comfort of home. These associations are precisely what Highland Park explores with “Between You and I,” its latest limited-edition 17-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Created in collaboration with Egyptian-born, New York-based artist Laila Gohar, the release invites whisky enthusiasts to experience their drink through their own memories and imagination. Besides its unique flavor profile, the whisky comes with illustrated packaging inspired by Gohar’s personal interpretations of its tasting notes, weaving another layer of storytelling into the whisky experience.
For Highland Park—which has been producing whisky in Kirkwall, Orkney, since 1798—the release also introduces a different expression of its centuries-old whisky-making tradition.
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“Between You and I” By Highland Park: 17 Years In The Making
Behind “Between You and I” is Highland Park’s Master Whisky Maker Marc Watson, who carefully selected the casks and maturation process to achieve the whisky’s character. The 17-year-old expression spent its first 11 years maturing in refill casks before being transferred to 100% new, unseasoned American oak casks for its final six years. This combination gives the whisky a brighter, fruitier character, with vibrant notes of citrus, spice, and creamy vanilla.
These flavors are complemented by Highland Park’s signature subtle aromatic smoke, derived from the heather-infused peat of its Orkney home. The result combines the distillery’s familiar character with the lively influence of new American oak.
A Personal Interpretation Of Flavor From The Mind Of Laila Gohar
While the whisky itself is the product of 17 years of craftsmanship, its presentation tells another story altogether. For the collaboration, Highland Park invited Laila Gohar, an artist whose work frequently explores the relationship between food, design, and human connection, to interpret the whisky’s flavors through her own experiences.
Gohar’s interpretations took her across different places and memories. Notes of leather reminded her of ancient artifacts inside a museum in Cairo, while orange blossom brought to mind sun-drenched patios in Andalusia. The warmth of vanilla, meanwhile, conjured the rather unexpected image of a tropical volcano.
These associations became the inspiration behind the whisky’s packaging, which features a series of illustrated windows offering glimpses into Gohar’s imaginative world.
Each pack also comes with a booklet containing the artist’s first-person account of her tasting experience, as well as prompts encouraging drinkers to consider what the flavors remind them of. After all, two people can taste the same whisky and come away with entirely different impressions. With Between You and I, Highland Park makes those personal interpretations part of the experience, giving enthusiasts an opportunity to discover the stories and memories that a single sip can bring to mind.
Highland Park’s Between You and I 17-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is available online through Singlemalt.ph. For more information, visit Highland Park’s official website.
All photos courtesy of Highland Park
Frequently Asked Questions
Between You and I is a limited-edition 17-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Highland Park, created in collaboration with Egyptian-born, New York-based artist Laila Gohar.
The whisky features vibrant notes of citrus, spice, and creamy vanilla, complemented by Highland Park’s signature subtle aromatic smoke from heather-infused peat.
The 17-year-old single malt is matured for 11 years in refill casks, followed by six years in 100% new, unseasoned American oak casks. It is bottled at 47.5% ABV, non-chill-filtered, and retains its natural golden color.
Highland Park collaborated with artist Laila Gohar, who interpreted the whisky’s flavors through personal memories and associations. Her illustrations inspired the packaging, which also includes a booklet featuring her tasting experience and prompts for drinkers.
Highland Park’s Between You and I 17-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky has a suggested retail price of ₱13,999. It is available online through Singlemalt.ph.
