The intersection of gastronomy, art, and distillation has long been a space for experimentation, but rarely has it been approached with the metaphysical curiosity found in the latest release from the Orkney-based distillery, Highland Park. For the second iteration of its Between You and I series, the distillery has eschewed traditional marketing tropes in favor of a provocative, sensory-led design brief: What does a flavor look like?
By enlisting the creative direction of New York-based artist and food designer Laila Gohar, Highland Park has transformed a 17-year-old single malt into a vessel for travel, memory, and surrealist interpretation. The result is more than a bottle of whisky; it is a multi-sensory exercise in synesthesia that challenges how consumers perceive the spirits they drink.
The Genesis: A Collaboration of Craft and Concept
The partnership between Highland Park and Gohar is rooted in a shared appreciation for the transformative nature of ingredients. Gohar, celebrated for her ability to reimagine the familiar through an unexpected, often whimsical lens, was tasked with translating the olfactory profile of a specifically curated whisky into a visual and tactile language.
Highland Park Master Whisky Maker Marc Watson approached the liquid development with the same rigor Gohar applies to her culinary installations. Watson sampled over 80 casks to arrive at a profile that felt both grounded in the distillery’s heritage and elevated by a global narrative.
“My work is all about reimagining objects, ingredients, and flavors—creating something that feels familiar yet remains totally unexpected to spark curiosity and conversation,” Gohar says of the collaboration. “That is why this partnership with Highland Park felt so organic. We were both interested in the architecture of taste.”
Chronology: From the Orkney Casks to the Gallery Floor
The development of this release was a multi-year undertaking, blending the patient maturation required of high-end Scotch with the rapid, iterative creative process of contemporary art.
- Initial Maturation (Years 1–11): The base spirit began its journey in traditional refill casks, allowing the signature Highland Park peat smoke—a delicate, heather-honeyed profile—to integrate with the distillery’s base character.
- The Finishing Phase (Years 12–17): To introduce the specific notes of orange blossom, leather, and warming spice, Watson moved the spirit into unseasoned American oak. This decision was critical; by avoiding the heavy influence of previous sherry or bourbon maturation, the wood allowed the "pure" notes of the spirit to sing.
- Creative Immersion (Early 2026): Gohar was invited into the sensory world of the distillery. Rather than receiving a standard tasting sheet, she was presented with the raw profiles of the whisky.
- The Translation (Mid-2026): Gohar began the process of "synesthetic mapping," where she matched the whisky’s flavor profile to her own life experiences and cultural memory.
- Final Production (Late 2026): The packaging, featuring hand-drawn illustrations by artist Silja Goetz, was finalized to reflect the vignettes Gohar developed, culminating in the current global release.
Supporting Data: The Anatomy of a 17-Year-Old Expression
While the marketing focuses on the abstract, the technical specifications of the Between You and I 17-Year-Old remain a point of pride for the distillery. Highland Park, located on the rugged coast of Orkney, has long been defined by its unique microclimate and the use of local peat, which provides a floral, rather than medicinal, smokiness.
The Flavor Profile Breakdown:
- The Peat Smoke: Serving as the foundation, this is the consistent "North Star" of the liquid. It provides the depth upon which the higher notes are layered.
- Orange Blossom: Extracted through the careful selection of American oak, this floral note provides a bright, citrus-forward counterpoint to the smoke.
- Leather: A deeper, savory note that Gohar identified as a tether to ancient history, mimicking the scent of aged parchment or the interior of a Cairo museum.
- Warming Spice: A lingering finish that elevates the whisky, providing a "heat" that feels like a sun-drenched landscape rather than alcohol burn.
The selection of unseasoned American oak is the pivot point here. By avoiding the common "shortcut" of aggressive sherry seasoning, the distillery has allowed the spirit to show its true age. At 17 years, the whisky has achieved a level of integration where the tannins are soft, the oils are rich, and the finish is remarkably extended.
Official Responses: Reimagining the Tasting Note
In a move that deviates from industry standards, Highland Park has opted to remove traditional tasting notes from the bottle’s interior packaging. In their place is a booklet of vignettes authored by Gohar.
“When you taste a spirit, you aren’t just identifying notes of vanilla or oak,” says a representative from Highland Park’s blending team. “You are experiencing a moment in time. Laila has successfully turned the internal monologue of the drinker into a shared experience.”
Gohar’s vignettes are designed to guide the consumer toward subjective association. For instance, the "Leather" note is no longer just an ingredient; it is the atmosphere of a Cairo museum. The "Vanilla" note is reimagined as the base of a tropical volcano under a midnight sky. This approach aims to democratize whisky consumption, moving it away from the gatekeeping of "expert" descriptors toward a more personal, emotional landscape.
Implications: The Future of Luxury Spirits
The Between You and I series represents a significant shift in the luxury spirits market. For decades, the industry has relied on age statements and cask types to justify price points. While these remain important, the success of this collaboration suggests that the "story" behind the liquid is becoming just as valuable as the liquid itself.
The "Experience" Economy
By partnering with a figure like Laila Gohar, Highland Park is positioning its whisky within the world of high-end design and lifestyle. The collaboration acknowledges that the modern luxury consumer is looking for an experience—a way to connect with a brand that reflects their own aesthetic and intellectual interests.
Challenging the "Whisky Bro" Culture
The aesthetic of the campaign—incorporating bright, yellow-and-white striped tablecloths, silver teapots, and yellow gloves—is a far cry from the dark, leather-bound, hyper-masculine imagery historically associated with Scotch whisky. This shift is intentional. It invites a broader audience to the table, suggesting that whisky is not just for the study, but for the dining room, the art gallery, and the creative studio.
Sustainability and Craft
The decision to use unseasoned American oak and focus on the inherent character of the spirit is also a nod to sustainability. By reducing the reliance on exotic, hard-to-source casks, the distillery is showcasing the quality of its base production. It is a confident statement: the spirit is good enough to stand on its own.
Conclusion: A New Standard for the Dram
The Between You and I 17-Year-Old by Laila Gohar is not merely a product; it is a provocation. It asks us to slow down, to look at our glass, and to question what we are actually experiencing. Is it just fermented grain and water? Or is it, as Gohar suggests, a liquid map of our own memories and imaginations?
At a retail price of $160, it sits firmly in the accessible luxury category—a price point that encourages the bottle to be opened and shared rather than kept as a dust-gathering trophy. As the spirits industry continues to evolve in a crowded marketplace, Highland Park has provided a blueprint for how to remain relevant: stay true to your heritage, but never be afraid to let an artist change the way you see it.
In the end, perhaps the flavor does look like something. And thanks to this collaboration, we finally have the vocabulary—and the imagery—to describe it.
