It is not known when the first distillery was established in Orkney, but there were almost certainly local producers by the middle of the eighteenth century. However, there were none who had a license to export their whisky outside the islands. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, a number of events combined to drive nearly all the commercial distilleries in the Highlands underground. During 1788 the five largest Lowland distillers became bankrupt after losing a price war with the powerful London gin distillers; consequently the Scottish market was flooded with cheap harsh grain whisky. There were swingeing increases in excise duty during the next decade to help pay for the war with revolutionary France. As a result, most Highland distillers began to work illegally and a complex network of smugglers was quickly established to carry their whisky to Lowland markets where it was highly prized. Orkney was no exception and its merchants soon became involved in the contraband trade, not only in whiskies but also in foreign wines, spirits and other dutiable goods like tea, salt and sugar.

Thomas Traill
The principal Orkney smugglers seem to have been Thomas Traill, the provost of Kirkwall from 1792 to 1812, his son William Traill.

Following an outcry at the turn of the century by the licensed Lowland manufacturers, the government and the Church, Excise officers made a determined effort to stamp out this unlawful trade. During 1805 a large number of stills were seized on the outlying Orkney islands. The local Excise officer was hampered in his efforts by the involvement of the resident Naval Commander, Captain William Richan, himself an Orcadian, in smuggling.

Licensed Distillery
When Captain Richan was caught in the act, William Traill, finding it harder to obtain illicit whiskies and contraband foreign spirits, decided to open a licensed brewery and distillery in Mill Street, Papdale, Kirkwall. This was not an unusual turn of events; many Highland distilleries that can trace their origins back to the early nineteenth century were established by poachers who had turned gamekeeper.

He continued to use his smuggling friends to distribute whisky, one of them being Magnus Eunson of Gallowhill. Like William Traill, Magnus Eunson had been in regular trouble with the Excise. He worked a small illicit distillery from 1798 near to the Parks of Rosebank, part of the Kirkwall Hill common land, where the Highland Park distillery now stands and he is reputed to have been helped by a relative, David Eunson, in hiding his smuggled goods in a local church.

Battle of Waterloo
After the final defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the government became concerned about the almost total eclipse of distilling in rural Scotland. The following year the Small Stills Act was passed in an effort to encourage the re-establishment of licensed business, particularly in the Highlands and Islands.

In 1822 and 1823, harsh penalties were imposed on those caught distilling illicitly, making it easier for licensed producers to expand. In 1825 Robert Borwick, a merchant and straw plaiter of Kirkwall decided to set up a distillery on the two southmost parts of Rosebank, by then called Highland Park.

The property belonged to none other than John Robertson, the Excise Officer who had helped to arrest Magnus Eunson a decade earlier. By 1825 John Robertson was married to Robert Borwick's daughter Janet, and had been promoted to the position of supervisor of Excise at the village of Kincardine O'Neil in south Aberdeenshire.

Crystal Clear Water
Robert Borwick chose Highland Park as the site for his distillery as it was served by two strong springs of crystal clear water fed by a pool at Cattie Maggie's at Greenvale. On 18 August 1826, he acquired the ground together with the distillery, malt barn, and 'whole other buildings' from John Robertson.

The distillery changed hands over the years, but never ceased to have enthusiastic customers, and was highly prized for its ability to enhance blended whisky.

Robertson & Baxter, the Glasgow firm of wine and spirit merchants, bought their first parcel of Highland Park whisky in 1879. Satisfied with the result, they took nearly 14,500 gallons in 1881/2, and in the following year just over 19,000 gallons, representing then nearly fifty percent of total output.

'As Chalk and Cheese'
In 1883 Sir Donald Currie, the founder of the Castle Line, took a party of distinguished visitors to Kirkwall on the maiden voyage of the Pembroke Castle. No sooner had this famous brand been tasted than they one and all agreed that the had never met with such whisky like it before, that what was called Scotch whisky in EngIand was as different from this as chalk and cheese, and that if they could be supplied direct from the distillery, they should like to send in orders.

At Copenhagen, where the vessel called after leaving Kirkwall, the King of Denmark, the Emperor of Russia, and a very distinguished party were entertained on board. The Highland Park whisky was procured and pronounced by all as the finest they had ever tasted.

When James Grant bought the distillery in 1908, trading conditions were difficult, but still the praise flowed. T W Dewar of Highland Distilleries commented: 'one of the finest specimens of Scotch whisky that I have ever seen.'

First World War
Despite the difficulties caused by the presence of the Grand Fleet's base at Scapa Flow throughout the war, Highland Park remained in production until 1918 when along with all the pot distilleries in Scotland, it was closed.

In March 1937, Highland acquired the whole share capital with the intention of operating the company as a wholly owned subsidiary. Immediately after the takeover, James Grant & Co (Highland Park) Ltd had to take pre-emptive action to secure the distillery's vital water supply by purchasing Cattie Maggie's at Greenvale'. The pool there feeds the springs at Highland Park that give the whisky its unique flavour.

Under Highland Distilleries, the distillery was extended during the boom times in the 1970s and its excellent whisky was launched as a single malt, made using the same methods that have made it so popular and successful throughout the years.