Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky is Vegan Friendly

Company email (April 2013):
"Diatomaceous earth also known as D.E., diatomite, is a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder.

Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid in the chill filtration process when we make all of our whiskies.
This is made into a paper that the whiskies will then be passed through.

As this material is made from fossilised algae it does affect the vegan whisky consumer.
If a whisky is un-chill filtered then you will have no problems with our whiskies."

Company email (March 2013):
"No sherry will be treated in this way before it is filled into casks.

This would be the same for all of our whiskies so we are all clear on the vegetarian front.

We know this because we work with our forestry teams, coopers and sherry bodegas from start to finish and through these relationships we can monitor what is happening with every cask."

Note from Craig (March 2013):
"Famous Grouse has Highland Park as a principle ingredient and all Highland Park is from sherry casks, one of the very few distilleries to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Famous_Grouse
The single malt whiskies used in The Famous Grouse blend include the Edrington owned Highland Park and The Macallan.

Highland Park
http://www.highlandpark.co.uk/lda/

SHERRY OAK CASKS
The type of wood from which the cask is made is the most important element in encouraging specific flavours which give this single malt its own distinctive character. Spanish oak and American oak are both used to make casks for maturing Highland Park and each of these types of oak impart specific flavours to the spirit.

Most of the Scotch whisky industry uses Bourbon barrels for maturation. At Highland Park Bourbon barrels are not routinely filled. Traditional oak casks are used; butts, puncheons or hogsheads – no barrels – seasoned with dry Oloroso sherry.

The oak source (American or Spanish) is of greater importance than the wine type. Spanish oak sherry casks give colour and dried fruit character whereas American oak sherry casks give vanilla and butterscotch flavours. Sherry casks are far more expensive but the view at Highland Park is that they are worth it for the character they give the maturing spirit. Typically, a sherry cask will cost 10 times as much as a Bourbon barrel.

The Edrington Group, proprietor of Highland Park, is the leading proponent of wood management within the Scotch whisky industry. It is estimated that up to 80% of the final flavours in bottled whisky can come from the wood. Sherry oak casks contribute to the distinctive richness and multi-dimensional complexity of Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky and are certainly a justifiable expenditure."

"No sherry will be treated in this way [i.e. fined with animal ingredients] before it is filled into casks. This would be the same for all of our whiskies so we are all clear on the vegetarian front. We know this because we work with our forestry teams, coopers and sherry bodegas from start to finish and through these relationships we can monitor what is happening with every cask."