Highland Park and Laila Gohar Release 17-Year-Old 'Between You and I' Collaboration

# What happened Highland Park expanded its Between You and I series with a limited 17-year-old single malt created in collaboration with New York–based artist Laila Gohar. Master Whisky Maker Marc Watson led the cask selection and blending to match Gohar's sensory memory and creative references.

# How the whisky was made Watson sampled over 80 casks to find a profile that resonated with Gohar's background and imagination. The final liquid matured for 17 years in total: eleven years in refill casks, followed by a finishing period in highly active, unseasoned American oak barrels. The oak was chosen to amplify expressive notes of orange blossom, leather and warming spice while retaining Highland Park's subtle aromatic peat smoke and sweetness.

# Flavor and creative intent The release aims to prompt memories and associations tied to Gohar's Egyptian heritage and the personal imagery she shared with the distillery. Described tasting notes include bright fruit and sweetness balanced by peat smoke, plus specific accents of orange blossom, leather and spice. Marc Watson framed the whisky as "an opportunity to step into Laila's universe," noting the recipe was intended to feel like home for Gohar while remaining recognizably Highland Park.

# Packaging and storytelling Gohar was the first to taste the whisky and used that experience to inform the visual and narrative identity. The packaging combines hand-drawn illustrations by Silja Goetz with layered references inspired by Gohar's sensory response. Inside each pack a booklet replaces conventional tasting notes with evocative vignettes penned by Gohar, inviting consumers to approach the release through imagination as well as palate.

# Release details

# Context on Highland Park

# Why this matters to readers This release continues Highland Park's approach of partnering with creatives outside the whisky world to craft limited editions that tie flavor, memory and visual storytelling together. For collectors and drinkers interested in artist collaborations or in finishing strategies that highlight aromatic and spice elements, this bottle represents a specific stylistic iteration of Highland Park's core character.