Orkney distillery Highland Park has launched two 17-year-old single malts with New York-based artist Laila Gohar as the second edition of its Between You and I series. A global release and a travel retail exclusive, Between You and I: Journeys, go on sale from September 24, 2026, each with a recommended price of $160 (£120 / ₹15,400).
Highland Park created the series in conversation with talents from the worlds of food, art and fashion.
Launched in 2025, the first edition was created with Swedish chef Björn Frantzén. For the first time, Highland Park used new, unused Swedish oak during maturation.
What Will Whisky Look Like in 2027? Voices from Whisky Live Paris
READ THE STORYFor the global edition, master whisky maker Marc Watson sampled more than 80 casks. He took inspiration from Gohar’s Egyptian heritage. The liquid spent 11 years in refill casks. It then finished maturing in highly active, unseasoned American oak.
According to the official notes from the brand, the wood brings out orange blossom, leather and warming spice. These notes sit alongside the distillery’s signature aromatic peat smoke.
“Working on Between You and I was an opportunity to step into Laila’s universe and create something deeply personal for her,” said Watson, master whisky maker for Highland Park. “We drew from exceptional Highland Park casks to create a flavor that would feel like home for Laila, reminiscent of Egypt.”
Trending Content
Journeys takes its inspiration from New York, Gohar’s home city. Watson built it around a core of new Spanish oak casks. Its official notes from the brand list cinnamon, warming spice, subtle smoke and vanilla from ex-bourbon casks. Sherry-seasoned oak adds deep chocolate notes.
“This release was about creating a whisky that feels cinematic, adventurous and transportive,” said Watson. “What I love most is how it invites conversation, encouraging people to experience flavor in a more personal and imaginative way, with each sip taking everyone on a different journey.”
Gohar was the first person to taste both whiskies. Her responses shaped the packaging, which features hand-drawn illustrations by Silja Goetz.
With the global release, leather notes made her think of ancient artifacts in a Cairo museum. Orange blossom brought an Andalusian courtyard to mind. Journeys conjured a Moroccan night market, a frozen plateau and Tokyo backstreets after dark.
“The whisky Marc created for me immediately sparked my imagination,” said Gohar. “This is something that feels very personal to me, and something I can’t wait to share with the world.”
Each pack contains a booklet of short vignettes written by Gohar. It replaces conventional tasting notes.
Speaking about Journeys, Gohar said: “Together, we built a world around the whisky that invites exploration without defining it too much.”
She is known for turning food into surreal, theatrical art. Her work includes butter sculptures, towering seafood displays and eccentric tablescapes.
“My work is all about reimagining objects, ingredients, flavors, creating something familiar but totally unexpected to spark curiosity and conversation,” she said. “That’s why this collaboration felt so natural.”
Magnus Eunson founded Highland Park in Kirkwall in 1798. Its 18-year-old expression was recently named Robb Report’s best single malt of the 21st century.
Shoppers can buy the global edition online and in stores worldwide. Journeys will be sold only at duty-free travel retail locations.
