Text Wizard Copywriting - single malt whisky copy

Background

The long copy on the rear of a malt whisky tube is the sort of thing you read as you doze in front of the fire, glass in hand. It makes a connection between drink and drinker; it creates a sense of ownership. It should add to the enjoyment of the drink.

This is the copy that I wrote; a slightly amended version (minus references to peat and brine) appears on the actual carton. It wasn't difficult to write because Scapa has such a fabulous story to tell.

	Orkney and the sea are entwined. This archipelago of around 70 islands and nine lighthouses – the name 'Orkney' includes them all – lies to the north of mainland Scotland. Orkney's steadfast lighthouses mark the boundaries between peat and brine as much as those between Atlantic and North Sea. In their midst lies Scapa Flow, an expanse of calm water ringed by islands of soft turf. This safe anchorage shelters modern seafarers, just as the islands once protected Norse warriors and Celtic nobles. For those who stay, the prize is a climate of endless variability – Orkney weather can go through the four seasons in a single day – and endless golden summer evenings when the sun barely dips below the horizon. Into this safe haven in 1885 came the Scapa distillery, with its two small copper stills, sea-fresh Orcadian air and abundant fresh water. From that unique mix of people, place, water and climate comes a sweet and silky-smooth whisky with a heather-honey taste. Tranquil Scapa Flow, with its gently matured amber whisky and resolute lighthouses is a place apart, the true spirit of Orkney.