BenRiach Maltings reopen

Word came through this week that BenRiach's maltings have reopened.

Billy Walker, the company's MD, said: “From a commercial point of view, it makes no sense because the costs of producing malted barley are significantly more.  The reason we’re doing it is because we had everything in place and in fantastic condition.  Bolting the maltings onto BenRiach is a beautiful join-up.”

It brings to eight the number of distillers who malt at least a portion of their own barley.

Today, I have a meeting of Delph Pond Forum and can advise them that the group, of which I am the treasurer, has been successful in its bid for funding from The Co-operative's Community Fund.  The Forum is attempting to raise funds for interpretation boards around the pond giving visitors to the area and schoolchildren (as the park has been used by local schools as an outdoor classroom in the past couple of years) information about the area's flora and fauna.  We are gradually having the locals accept some responsibility for the area and to understand the importance of protecting the area's biodiversity.

Highland Park Thor

HP are putting out regular limited edition bottlings and the most recent of these, the Valhalla Collection, was presaged by a week of small parcels containing runes and cryptic clues along the lines of:
"Few are chosen to drink with the gods. Open this pouch with bravery in your heart.
The secrets of the runes will be revealed as four days pass and you will be rewarded for your valour."
and
"Lightning strikes. He is amongst us. The earth trembles as it yields to his hammer. Only the brave remain."
Finally at the end of it all, a larger parcel with a sample of THOR.
To quote from their press release, "Thor represents the first coming for Highland Park's stunning Valhalla Collection; a range of unique whiskies, released annually, taking inspiration from the legendary Nordic gods of old. Not for the faint hearted, only those brave enough to accept the challenge of Thor shall be rewarded with the ultimate experience; a whisky of divine power."
The packaging is pretty impressive, echoing the "fearsome contours of a traditional Viking long ship".
It is also a pretty impressive whisky, with more obvious peat than HP's usual.
see my tasting note at http://www.johnlamond.com/HighlandParkThor.pdf.
With Scotland's recent focus on a referendum towards independence from England, is this a case of Highland Park leading the Orkney bid for independence from Scotland?