🥃 Scapa Skiren
Scapa's core expression without an age statement: unpeated single malt from Orkney, 40% ABV, first-fill American oak; released in 2015.
Scapa Skiren is the core single malt expression from Scapa, the Orkney distillery, with no age statement. According to Difford's Guide, it was released in September 2015 at 40% ABV. Tasting descriptions mention honey, tropical fruit, citrus and a creamy texture, and there is no peat in it.
According to Difford's Guide, Skiren matures in first-fill American white oak casks. Cool Hunting adds that Scapa does not peat its malt, and the water is even protected from peat. The wash still has a barrel-shaped pot, a Lomond-style still, which is rare in whisky. The whisky is released in batches, so flavour can vary slightly between them.
Why this matters to you. This is a reference point for the Scapa range: compare it with Scapa Glansa, where the smokiness comes from casks rather than from peat in the malt. If you are looking for a soft island single malt Scotch without smoke, this expression is the closest match. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | expression released in September 2015 (Difford's Guide) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | unpeated barley malt |
| Distillation method | twice; Lomond-style wash still (Scapa, Orkney) |
| Cask type | first-fill American oak casks |
| Minimum maturation | no age statement; by law at least 3 years in oak |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV (Difford's Guide) |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Scapa Skiren → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🐝 American white oak
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Scapa, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Scapa Glansa, 🥃 Scapa Glansa
Frequently asked questions
Is Scapa Skiren peated?
No. According to Cool Hunting, Scapa does not peat its malt, and the smokiness appears only in Glansa, thanks to its casks.
What is the ABV of Scapa Skiren?
According to Difford's Guide, 40% ABV.
What casks is Skiren matured in?
According to Difford's Guide, first-fill American oak casks.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Peated whisky — Whisky with a smoky aroma from malt dried over a peat fire; it is a style, not a separate legal category.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Scapa Glansa · 🥃 Ardmore Legacy · 🥃 Ardmore Port Wood Finish · 🥃 Glen Moray 12 Year Old · 🥃 Glenmorangie The Original · 🥃 Glen Moray 18 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Scapa Skiren (40 % ABV; first-fill American oak; released September 2015; Lomond wash still; Pernod Ricard)
- Cool Hunting: Scapa single malt on Orkney (Skiren 2015, first-fill American oak, 80 proof; Glansa 2016, ex-peated-whisky cask finish; unpeated malting; Lomond still)
- LCBO Whisky Shop: Scapa distillery feature (Skiren unpeated style; Glansa American oak then ex-peated casks)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)