Diageo, has today announced the launch of its latest annual
collection of Special Releases, which are said to be a testament to the
artistry of craft and flavour exploration.
Selected by Master Blender Dr. Stuart Morrison, this year’s
collection which has been titled 'Spirited Xchange Second Edition' is comprised
of eight rare and collectable single malt Scotch whiskies.
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| The Diageo 2024 Special Releases |
While this is the second instalment of the Spirited Xchange theme, it builds on the two decades long legacy of Special Releases, a collection that has continuously celebrated exceptional and rare whiskies.
The Diageo 2024 Special Releases Collection is comprised of:
Mortlach ‘Midnight Dusk’ (57.5% ABV) NAS Speyside single
malt. Matured in refill and ex-Bourbon American oak casks, then finished in
Ramandolo white wine and Sangiovese red wine casks. RRP: $300.
The Singleton of Glen Ord ‘Autumn Walk’ (54.7% ABV) 14 Year
Old Highland single malt. Matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon, rejuvenated
ex-wine and refill casks, before being finished in a combination of experimental
casks with European oak and unique Pyrenean oak cask-ends. RRP: $155.
Talisker ‘Tidal
Churn’ (58.7% ABV) 8 Year Old Island single malt. Matured in refill and ex-Bourbon
American oak casks, before being finished in stone spun and toasted American oak
casks. RRP: $105.
Lagavulin ‘Fireside Tales’ (57.4% ABV) 12 Year Old Islay
single malt. Matured in ex-Bourbon barrels, refill hogsheads of American oak
casks and refill European Oak butts. RRP: $180.
Benrinnes ‘Grand Crescendo’ (55.4% ABV) 21 Year Old Speyside
single malt. Matured for eight years in refill casks then double matured for thirteen
years in wine-seasoned American oak, European oak, and rejuvenated casks with
charred ends. RRP: $480.
Roseisle ‘Origami Kite 2’ (55.6% ABV) 12 Year Old single
malt. Matured in refill and ex-Bourbon American oak casks. RRP: $150.
Oban ‘Coastal Orchard’ (58% ABV) 10 Year Old single malt. Matured
in refill American oak and part finished in new fresh charred Oloroso-seasoned
American oak casks. RRP: $120
Caol Ila ‘Ambrosial Feast’ (57.3% ABV) 11 Year Old Islay
single malt. Matured in refill, rejuvenated and rejuvenated ex-wine American and
European oak casks. RRP: $110.
Commenting on the launch, Master Blender Dr. Stuart Morrison,
said: “Each year, our Special Releases collection showcases hand-selected,
distillery-first expressions that push the boundaries of traditional
whisky-making. This year's collection is a continuation of the Spirited Xchange
that delves deeper into flavour exploration, experimenting with various cask
combinations that challenge expectations.”
He went onto say: “This collection is about curiosity and
what happens when you challenge yourself to think ‘what if’. This has led us to
explore a variety of exciting maturation techniques, from selecting a novel
combination of casks for The Singleton, to taking both Ramandolo white wine and
Sangiovese red wine casks to finish Mortlach and bringing a totally new
dimension of flavour to its unmistakably umami identity. We are excited for
whisky lovers to experience it."
The Diageo 2024 Special Releases Collection, will be available
in limited quantities from malts.com and specialist retailers, over the coming
weeks.
Posted by Steve Rush