Diageo Special Releases 2024 [Tasted #685 - 692]

A belated Happy New Year! What better way to get into the 2025 swing of things than with Diageo's "Special Releases" set (from uh, 2024, LOL). This year I'm trying something new with some quick-fire IG reel video reviews (the first here) which may well continue throughout 2025, but for those who like our lengthier written reviews, they'll continue too. Read on...

For those unfamiliar with Diageo’s Special Releases, they've been around since 2001, but have become somewhat different in recent years. Longer term whisky fans will recall the series being focused on well-aged examples of popular Diageo malts and grains, some from closed distilleries. However as the demand, scarcity (and of course price) for those rose - especially Brora and Port Ellen - Diageo took them out of the Special Releases in 2018 and put them into other series (like Prima & Ultima) and some one-off releases (like Port Ellen Gemini & Brora Triptych).

Hendy and I have covered Special Releases for a while now, having seen this evolution first hand (see our 2016, 2018/2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 articles), and at times we've even been lucky enough to try the rarer malts that are no longer in Special Releases, like this 41yo Port Ellen and this 40yo Brora. Despite the changes, we always get a thrill from new Special Releases, and it's always fun to see well-known (and not so well-known) whiskies in a new light.

So, what do we have in the 2024 lineup? 

8 whiskies, all from operational distilleries, spanning 8-21yo (and one NAS). We have mainstays of the collection (like Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength and more recently, Talisker 8yo) but some more unusual releases too, like a 21yo Benrinnes, the second ever release of Roseisle, and an unpeated Caol Ila!

(We even have a dram finished in "stone spun" casks, and no I had no idea what they were either...)

Let’s get into them…

Roseisle 12yo "Origami Kite II" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (55.6% ABV, Single Malt, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, $1,080HKD / £112.50)
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To be honest this was probably the one that interested me the most last year, as the inaugural release from this Speyside distillery that only opened in 2010. It didn’t disappoint (quality-wise) so I’m eager to see how this second release fares, especially as it shares age and cask types in common with 2023’s. I really appreciate that despite the focus of the range, Diageo have kept this one simple without fancy cask finishes.

Colour: Light honey.

Nose: Honied spice, slight hints of white pepper with a vanilla creaminess.

Palate: Consistent with the nose, with spice at the front of the palate, followed by a creamy sweet vanilla noteat the back. Very subtle tropical hints - mango mostly.

Finish: Med to long finish with notes of vanilla cream.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100 (Martin). Strong showing, like last year.

The Singleton of Glen Ord 14yo "Autumnal Walk" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (54.7% ABV, Single Malt, 14yo, Highlands, Scotland, $1,215HKD / £110)
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Not everyone knows this, but Singleton is actually a brand rather than a distillery, and there are a few distilleries (Dufftown, Ord, Glendullan) sold under the label. Of the 3 Ord (which this is) is my favourite, with some amazing releases in the past (especially the 16yo Manager’s Dram). This one saw maturation in ex-Bourbon, ex-wine and refill casks with Pyrenean and Spanish Oak cask ends.

Colour: Orange marmalade.

Nose: Candied orange peel, stone fruits (pear mostly) and some hints of strawberry.

Palate: Retains the fruity confectionary notes of the palate, alongside some woodspice and sweet ginger.

Finish: Long, with subtle oak tannins and citrus.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100 (Martin). 

Oban 10yo "Coastal Orchard" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (58% ABV, Single Malt, 10yo, Highlands, Scotland, $890HKD / £108.33)
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From the first whisky distillery I ever visited! Part finished in new, freshly-charred Oloroso-seasoned American oak barrels and bottled at 58%.

Colour: Amber gold.

Nose: Slight cereal spice, with apricot hints. Breakfast in a glass!

Palate: The spice and apricot from the nose follows, with a more rounded, creamy mouthfeel with hints of custard, slight oak, and berry spice. I didn't find much sherry influence, despite the use of Oloroso-seasoned casks.

Finish: Oak spice.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100 (Martin). Breakfast dram.

Mortlach “Midnight Dusk” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (57.5% ABV, Single Malt, NAS, Speyside, Scotland, $1,980HKD / £208.33)
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The only NAS in the lineup, this Mortlach deviates from the usual heavy, meatier, darker nature with a lighter, more youthful spirit, thanks to finishing in both red and white Italian wine casks. 

Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Youthful and grassy, with noticeable new oak.

Palate: Simple and straightforward, with stone fruits and subtle salty smoke, followed by apple, pineapple and salted caramel

Finish: Long with a slight oak astringency.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100 (Martin). I always enjoy seeing whiskies presented in a different light, but if I’m honest I don’t see nearly $2,00HKD worth of value in this one...

Benrinnes 21yo “Grand Crescendo” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (55.4% ABV, Single Malt, 21yo, Speyside, Scotland, $3,625HKD / £283.33)
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The oldest and most expensive in the line up, Speyside’s Benrinnes has (as far as I’m aware) only featured in Special Releases twice since the start, also last time in a 21yo in 2014 with a heavy sherry influence. This time around it’s been matured in a mix of American and European Oak wine casks, interestingly with a finish that’s longer than the original maturation (13yrs vs 8yrs).

Colour: Dark orange gold.

Nose: Subtle, understated and elegant. Nutty hints, berry hints and some toffee.

Palate: Soft, elegant but still powerful. Sherry notes are there, but they're subtle, slowly growing. Cherries, baked pie crust, hints of strawberry.

Finish: Long, baked cherry pie.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). Probably my top pick of the lineup this year (just edging out the Roseisle).

Caol Ila 11yo “Ambrosial Feast” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (% ABV, Single Malt, 11yo, Islay, Scotland, $820HKD)

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As many of my whisky mates have heard me say, I reckon Caol Ila is one of the most versatile spirits out there. It can be delicious under 10yo, fantastic in its mid to late teens, beautiful in its 20s, and so on (and don’t get me started on early 1980s…beautiful spirit). What’s most interesting about this 11yo release however is it’s a rarely-seen unpeated Caol Ila! It’s not the first time we’ve seen one (there was one in 2015 and if I’m not mistaken, 2018 too) but it’s certainly not common, and for me is probably the most interesting “twist” we see in the lineup this year.

Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Oranges, pear, mango with an underlying nuttiness.

Palate: Less fruity than the nose, more hazelnut icecream, honey and oak (but with subtle hints of mango from the nose)

Finish: Long, with slight oak tannins

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100 (Martin).

Talisker 8yo “Tidal Churn” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (58.7% ABV, Single Malt, 8yo, Islands, Scotland, $780HKD / £75)

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I’m always excited to try a new young Talker, mostly because the 8yo from 2018’s Special Releases still holds the title of best young Talisker I’ve ever tried - and probably best 8yo whisky I’ve ever tried! If you ever come across a bottle, do yourself a favour and try it - you won’t be disappointed. With that lofty benchmark set, we have this year’s 8yo which is said to be finished in “stone-spun” casks. Yep...."stone-spun". I like to think I’m pretty au fait with whisky terminology, but that was a new one for me. As best I can tell, it’s a method of decharring a cask using stones and water. Ok...

Colour: Straw

Nose: Saline, coastal, very slight peat but of a coastal/maritime nature, not iodine or BBQ-esque.

Palate: More peat than the nose suggests, with brine, nutty salted fish, and some noticeable camfourwood.

Finish: Medium in length, with strong salinity.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100 (Martin). 

Lagavulin 12yo “Fireside Tails”(Diageo Special Releases 2024) (57.4% ABV, Single Malt, 12yo, Islay, Scotland, $1,250HKD / £129.17)
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The mainstay of the special releases - Lagavulin’s famed 12yo Cask Strength. One of the most consistent and enjoyable releases of the lineup in my opinion, this year’s release is back to more traditional cask types (1st fill ex-Bourbon, refill hoggies and refill European Oak butts) rather than the past two years which saw Virgin Oak and even ex-Añejo tequila casks.

Colour: Light yellow gold.

Nose: Fruity campfire smoke - apples, pears (toasted), bonfire smoke.

Palate: Creamy, salted BBQ notes - think a salted caramel or vanilla tart with a campfire-toasted crust.

Finish: Long, fruit smoke with a drying spice.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). The classic Laga 12 CS rarely disappoints, and this one continues that trend.

So there you have it, 8 drams from 8 different distilleries. A big thanks to MHDHK for setting aside a tasting kit for us.

Cheers,

Martin.

Diageo Special Releases 2022 [Tasted #628 - 635]

It's that time of the year when Diageo unveils its annual Special Releases, albeit for us down under, it's a six-month delay from our northern hemisphere brethren.

Diageo has unveiled its annual Special Releases for 2022, which continue with the mythical theme similar to last year’s special releases. The 2022 series dubbed ‘Elusive Expressions’ sees Illustrator Ken Taylor back again, this time joined by a fellow visual artist, Kevin Tong. Ken Taylor was the Illustrator behind last year’s Fable theme illustrations.

While this year’s theme may be similar to last year’s, the lineup for the 2022 Special Releases is slightly different to last year’s. The 2022 Special Releases see Cameronbridge feature as part of the lineup as well as many familiar distilleries.

When the sample set arrived, Marto was in town and we decided that it would be heaps of fun to split the sample do a joint tasting and combine our notes. While there are some clear favourites amongst us, it was fun to compare the notes for the eight whiskies from the 2022 series. Though, from the entire series, there was one distillery that came out on top.

Here we go...

Cardhu

An interesting Cardhu 16yo, 56%, finished in Jamaican Rum casks. A$299

Martin: Pear, apple and hints of peach on the nose are complimented by a slight herbal note. On the palate, some subtle strawberries & cream notes along with hints of oak, following through to the long finish. 90.

Hendy: Tropical notes on the nose with some mango, and pineapple. Some hints of apples and stone fruits. The palate is soft and creamy, with loads more apples with some strawberries added. The spices appear gradually and slowly evolve into a nice milky chocolate finish. 91.

Oban

Oban 10yo, 57.1%, finished in ex-sherry and amontillado-seasoned casks. A$179.99

Martin: A herbal grassiness and slight saline smoked note on the nose, followed by a fairly simple, slightly salted beef note with underlying red berry notes. A long and warming finish with residual oak to the end. 87.

Hendy: The nose is quite fruity, apples, berries and grapes. Spices kick on the palate followed by the apples, and pears. The palate evolves with some chocolate mixed with some berries and pepper. The finish is long and warming and similar to Marto's note, quite an oaky finish. 90.

Clynelish

An unusual 12yo Clynelish, 58.5% ABV, matured in refill American Oak, then finished in PX/Oloroso seasoned casks. A$350

Martin: Baked apple pie with vanilla on the nose. Things are a bit more robust on the palate, with more of the expected notes from a sherry finish - nuttiness, a robust toffee note, some red berries and a hint of red apple. A long finish, slightly drying at the end. 90.

Hendy: Stewed apples and vanilla custard flows through the nose. You can also smell a hint of apple turnovers. The palate is fulsome and viscous, with apples, and raisins coming through from the apple turnover. There are some peppermint spices that follow. The finish is nice and round with remnants of white pepper spice and a layer of chocolate. 90.

Singleton of Glen Ord

A 15yo The Singleton of Glen Ord, 54.2% ABV, aged in refill American and European Oak, then double matured in wine-seasoned casks. This was one of my highlights from the 2022 series. A$199

Martin: The rich, robust but fruity nose is a welcome departure from the rest of the range tasted so far. Raspberries and strawberries, and after time some green apple. On the palate, cranberries and raisins are coated in milk chocolate, leading to a long and consistent finish. 91.

Hendy: Nice and fruity, raspberries, oranges, and stone fruits. The palate is soft at first and the spices gradually build. The fruits have come out again, apples, raspberries and stoned fruits. The spices remain for some time, into a somewhat long finish with a nice milk chocolate undertone. 92.

Mortlach

A rich and fruity NAS Mortlach, 57.8% ABV, finished in Tawny Port, Red Muscat and Virgin Oak casks. A$425

Martin: Rich and expressive on the nose, I wouldn't call it 'meaty', but it's definitely 'robust'. A well-polished palate that suggests some age, set against the backdrop of spicy, drying red fruit notes on the palate, and long, lingering raspberry on the finish. 90.

Hendy: Rich and fruity, baked apple pie with apple bits, and some glazed cherries on a warm baked loaf cake. The palate is quite welcoming with rich spices, more of the stewed apples from the apple pie, some berries and salted caramel brittle. The nutmeg and pepper spices continue to build and gradually disappear leaving an oaky, berry finish. 91.

Talisker

Talisker 11-Year-Old, 55.1% ABV, matured in first-fill ex-bourbon, refill, and wine-seasoned casks. A$199

Martin: Youthful saline smoke on the nose, leading to slightly herbal salted beef notes with a slight medicinal salinity. The palate follows the nose, with the herbal, grassy, saline smoke notes. The finish is long but a little thin, leading to residual dry smoke notes. 88.

Hendy: Quite briney and full of sud, dry seaweed amongst bonfire smoke. There are some subtle herbal notes as well on the nose. The palate is sweet but quite simple. There is some apple and cinnamon with very light nutmeg spice. The finish is slightly herbaceous and oaky but does linger for a while. 89.

Lagavulin

A 12yo Lagavulin, 57.3% ABV, matured in virgin oak casks and our smokiest reserves. A$229.99

Martin: A classic and thankfully, this one doesn't disappoint. Whilst the nose is lighter than you might expect (albeit with classic Lagavulin DNA still showing through). On the palate, things come to life, with briney Islay peat and complex chocolate orange amidst seaspray-soaked ropes. A long and smoked citrus finish rounds things out. 91.

Hendy: Earthy and Briny. The nose reeks of sea brine and salted fish. There are remnants of bonfire smoke by the beach. The palate is quite distinct to the nose, the sweetness of toffee green apple comes through with some milk chocolate. There is also some mulchy earth with black pepper spices and oak notes. The finish is quite tarry, there is an earthy oaky undertone but overall, the sweetness of the milk chocolate remains. 91.

Cameronbridge

For the first time ever, Cameronbridge 26yo single grain whisky, 56.2%ABV, finished in refill American oak. A$599.99

Martin: Citrus tea notes on the nose give way to a more drying, but rich palate with notes of stone fruits (pear, apple, peach) and drying oak. I found the finish reasonably short, with those stone fruit notes carrying through to the end. 88.

Hendy: Sweet milk chocolate, some nougat and toffee apple on the nose. The palate is equally as creamy, milky - milk chocolate. Some Ribena juice gradually follows followed with mint spices and shortbread. The finish is minty and oaky and the milky notes continue for some while. 90.

Cheers

Hendy (and Marto)

Thank you to Diageo and Example for sending us the Diageo Special Releases 2022 Collection kit for us to spend some time with.

Tasted #598: 1980 Port Ellen "Prima & Ultima III" 41yo (TimeforWhisky 10 Year Anniversary Dram)

We kicked off our 10th Anniversary tasting celebrations with a 40 Year old Brora from the Prima & Ultima collection (#2), so it felt fitting to (almost) bookend it with an even older Port Ellen, also from the Prima & Ultima collection - #3 this time.

Distilled in 1980 and bottled in July 2021 from two casks (refill American Oak hoggy, ex-Sherry European butt), this bottling joins the rarified ranks of the 40+ year old Port Ellen club - a club with few members and even fewer open bottles. 

1980 Port Ellen "Prima & Ultima III" 41 Year Old (59.6% ABV, 41yo, 1 of 605 bottles, Islay, Scotland, $15,200SGD)
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Colour: Golden sunset.

Nose: Oak, lemon zest...if I didn't know better, I'd guess this could be a Caol Ila in its late teens or early 20s. Lemon pie with a freshly-baked crust. With a few drops of water, there's a lot of peppery peat.

Palate: Dusty lemon, salted, then lemon tart, BBQ'd pineapple rings, brine, salted plum, salted lime, then some hints of seaweed. There's a noticeable smokiness - more BBQ than medicinal or coastal, but the saltiness cuts through. 

Finish: Long, salted lemon with some subtle residual peat smoke.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. A very enjoyable dram, with no signs of over-aging and no "off" notes. If you'd told me it was a 20-something year old Caol Ila (and priced accordingly), I'd believe you and be impressed....but at this sort of level ($15k SGD) I think I expected just a little bit more. 

A very big thanks (again) to Kam Daswani of Dram Good Stuff for his generosity sharing all three Prima & Ultima collections to date.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #591: 1980 Brora "Prima & Ultima II" 40 Year Old (TimeforWhisky 10 Year Anniversary Dram)

As I wrote last week, this month sees us celebrate 10 years of TimeforWhisky.com, and to mark the occasion Hendy and I decided to write our tasting notes for 5 epic drams, in the lead up to the actual anniversary (22nd Oct).

..then we decided, "hold on...it's a tenth anniversary, we should make it ten posts!"

So that's what we're doing. One post a day from today until 22nd October, each suitably epic, each tasted by either Hendy or myself. Without giving too much away, we'll have:

• Four whiskies in their 50s
• Two whiskies from the 50s
• Some crazy Bowmore
• Whiskies from closed distilleries; and
• A 30yo Japanese single malt from a distillery which most people don't realised produced a 30yo

It should be acknowledged that these are whiskies we've tasted (and taken notes on) over the past 3-4 years - and just never gotten around to uploading onto the blog. 

It should also be acknowledged that many of these whiskies came from very generous whisky folk who provided them freely - simply to share great whisky with other whisky lovers! 

So without further ado, let's kick things off with a 40 Year Old Brora OB, distilled in 1980 and bottled in 2021 as part of Diageo's "Prima & Ultima II" collection.

It's been a while since we've tried a Brora on this TimeforWhisky. Brora Distillery closed in 1983 (but re-opened in May 2021) and in that time has attained legendary status. This particular release is comes from the last of the 1980s casks (3 refill American Oak hogsheads), bottled 18th Jan 2021, and will be the last OB 1980s release. 

Any Brora is sought-after (and expensive) these days, but a 40yo is a unique thing indeed...

1980 Brora "Prima & Ultima II" 40 Year Old (49.2% ABV, 40yo, 1 of 505 bottles, Highlands, Scotland, $13,400SGD)
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Colour: Golden straw.

Nose: Orchard fruits, with subtle wisps of smoke. There's a breadiness, a slight nuttiness, some beeswax, a floral smokiness that lingers through.

Palate: Big and oily, with more orchard fruits, marzipan, peaches and cream - no peach pie, with a freshly baked crust. Slight caramel notes follow, with more of that toasted oak breadiness.

Finish: Very, very long - following the palate with residual fruit, toasted oak and caramel notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Not my favourite Brora to date (it's a high bar, to be fair) but a lovely dram regardless.

A very big thanks to Kam Daswani of Dram Good Stuff for the taste of this Brora.

Cheers,

Martin.

Lagavulin 30 Year Old "Cask of Distinction" Single Cask #5403 [Tasted #581]

A month or so ago, I got word that House Welley Bar in Hong Kong (see our review here) had a pretty special bottle about to be released. I didn't get any clues as to what it was, but with bottles like a 23yo Cask of Distinction Lagavulin & a 100+ year old Cognac to their name already (or those of their founders'), I figured it would be something pretty special.

Turns out, it was...

Yep, they'd gone and bottled (along with their friends from Wu Dram Clan, HK Whisky Fellows & Kirsch Whisky) a single cask of 30 Year Old Lagavulin.

Not just any single cask of 30 Year Old Lagavulin, mind you, a Diageo Cask of Distinction Single Cask.

For those unfamiliar with the "CoD" program, you can find a little more detail here on our write-up of another excellent HK-exclusive CoD (a 35yo Clynelish). Suffice to say, these are truly rare and excellent casks, and I don't believe we've seen a 30yo Lagavulin bottled yet (a few 1991 Lagavulin casks have been bottled, but at 25-28 years old).

Diageo's CoD terminology means a "Select Cask" is a cask that underwent secondary maturation (e.g. a finish, or a vatting of casks - bottled from a single cask, but not matured entirely in that single cask) whereas "Single Cask" (what we have here) denotes the whisky maturing its entire life in a single cask - in this case, a 1st Fill European Oak Sherry Butt (interestingly, seasoned with both PX and Oloroso). 

Distilled on 4th November 1991, the whisky was bottled at 44.3% on 6th Jan 2022, yielding 318 bottles.

The whisky was released when I was in hotel quarantine, but as soon as I was free, I made a bee line for House Welley Bar. Conventional wisdom might suggest you don't start your night with a peated, sherried dram...but for this dram, the rules went out the window...

Lagavulin "Cask of Distinction" 30 Year Old Cask #5403, bottled for Hong Kong Whisky Fellows, Welley, Christoph Kirsch, Sebastien Jaeger & Boris Borissov (44.3% ABV, 30yo, Cask #5403, One of 318 bottles, Islay, Scotland, $900HKD/15mL @ House Welley Bar, Hong Kong)

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Colour: Coffee copper.

Nose: Immediately intoxicating. Which is more prominent? The beautiful clean sherry (which has sweet PX hints and dryer Oloroso hints), or the subtle peat? Sometimes one, sometimes the other. There are whole oranges alongside barbecued bacon fat. It's so obviously a Lagavulin, but the most elegant and clean Laga you've ever nosed. One of those noses you just want to sit on forever. After about 15 minutes, I started getting notes of really elegant old sherry casks - dunnage warehouses and a slightly earthy mushroom note. I'm talking about notes I generally only find on recently-released, but old sherried G&M drams (whiskies in the 60-80 year old age bracket) - not "old bottle effect", but "they don't make casks like that anymore" effect.

Palate: Follows the nose, with the bacon fat, mushroom notes following through, alongside some Crème Caramel, raspberry pie (with a flamed crust), leather, citrus and always the contrasting sherry and peat notes complimenting each other beautifully. After time, there are some sweeter icing sugar on a raspberry muffin notes coming through.

Finish: Medium in length, with just a hint of oak tannins, alongside raspberries, residual campfire smoke. After some time, the sweetness of the smoke increases.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100. That's a high score, but this is a deserving whisky. Just sublime. Likely to spoil you for every Lagavulin you'll drink in the future (but still...worth it).

 

Congratulations to Hong Kong Whisky Fellows, House Welley Bar, Christoph Kirsch, Sebastien Jaeger & Boris Borissov for bottling such a stunning CoD, and for actually ensuring bottles are opened and enjoyed by as many whisky lovers as possible (I was at the bar less than a week after the announcement, and this was already the second bottle).

For those in Hong Kong, I can highly recommend dropping into House Welley Bar to try a dram. For those in Europe, I hope some of the other bottles get opened shortly!

Cheers,

Martin.

Diageo Special Releases 2021 [Tasted #569 - 576]

Just like Christmas, the eagerly anticipated Diageo Special Releases Collection has arrived in Australia. Though it should be said that we do get things six months later than our Northern Hemisphere friends. The 2021 Diageo Special Releases Collection 2021 dubbed 'Legends Untold' features similar malt set to last year's collection and no, there's no sign of any ghost distillery malts such as Port Ellen or Brora. Those rare malts are now part of the Rare & Exceptional Collection.

The Diageo 2021 Special Releases Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection feature:

• The darkly robust and rich Mortlach 13yo from the Speyside Dufftown distillery
• A briny, bold fire-breathing sea monster of malt with smoky undertones in the Talisker 8yo
• A rare Highland expression of the Royal Lochnagar with a nimble springtime freshness
• Two unique and enchanting expressions of the Lagavulin, ‘The King of Islay’: A fiercely intense, yet perfectly balanced sweet and salty 12yo and, 
• The ultimate jewel in the set, a 26yo, finished in first-fill PX/Oloroso casks

I couldn't make the event that Diageo put together in Sydney but they did send the collection. I must say, when I received the package, I was blown away by the overall design and details. 

This year's collection takes inspiration from the fable world and is represented by the brilliant pop-culture designs by Digital Illustrator Ken Taylor. His striking signature style and interpretation of the mythical creatures take cues from his portfolio of pop culture artwork. The designs incorporate ancient fables and mythical creatures that are linked to Scotland's heartland. The 2021 ‘Legends Untold’ collection like all the previous Special Releases collections is there to represent the diversity of Diageo's malt portfolio.

Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson selected each of the whiskies and he commented:

“We have delved into the core characteristics of several classic distilleries for the ‘Legends Untold’ collection. Taking inspiration from this year’s mythical creatures, we have revealed new depths of flavour and embraced the essence of each whisky’s unique profile, unveiling the legend it brings to life. The 2021 Special Releases Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is just the very beginning of the story.”

What's also unique this year is the use of the QR code that is found on the bottle. On the sample kit, the QR code was printed on the box that also told the tale of the legends. Diageo is using the QR code to give people the ability to dive deeper into each of the releases and promises a multi-sensory experience as well as details behind the cask-strength Single Malts’ tale. All from the comfort of people's homes.

Mortlach 13yo (55.9%, Speyside, Scotland, A$243) 

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Nose: Light, freshly cut grass, vanilla granolas, there's some orange marmalade, lemon and honey lozenges.

Palate: Creamy, floral, vanilla, there's some tannin, quite tarty followed by some sweet ginger heat.

Finish: Long remnants of tannin, chalky and the spices remain for a while. 

Rating: 91/100 

Lagavulin 12yo - The Lion's Fire (56.5%, Islay, Scotland, A$234) 

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Nose: Iodine, sea salt with lemon zest. It's pleasant despite the slightly peaty, briny influence. There's a hint of vanilla and chocolate.

Palate: There's the smoke, bonfire smoke. The brine from the nose follows on the palate. There is lemon zest and seaweed. Simple pleasure, very Lagavulin.

Finish: Long, the smoke and lemon citrus notes lingers, as well as the brine note.

Rating: 94/100 

The Singleton of Glendullan 19yo - The Siren’s Song (54.6%, Speyside, Scotland, A$252)

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Nose: The nose is fruity, with apples and licorice and currant

Palate: The palate is smooth, with peppermint, fresh mint, a hint of fresh malt, popping candies, sour cherries and quite herbaceous

Finish: The finish is sweet, light, 

Rating: 91/100 

Oban 12yo - The Tale of Twin Foxes (56.2%, Highlands, Scotland, A$189) 

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Nose: The nose is herbaceous, sweet maple syrup, grassy, toffee apple, green apple, 

Palate: The palate is rich, elegant, and lightly spiced, oranges, warhead sour lollies, spices, and nutmeg hit the back of the palate

Finish: The finish is long zesty and salty (in a delicious way)

Rating: 94/100 

Cardhu 14yo - The Scarlet Blossoms of Black Rock (55.5%, Speyside, Scotland, A$216) 

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Nose: Deliciously sweet, berries, strawberries and cream, plenty of dessert, icing sugar, caramelised apply to candy, vanilla and coconut shavings

Palate: The palate follows the nose, the sweet strawberries and cream, there are some fruit tingles, raspberry candy, slight sourness, popping candy perhaps?! but it's sweet through and through.

Finish: The popping and buzz from the popping candy remain along with the berry notes. Delicious.

Rating: 93/100 

Talisker 8yo — The Rogue Seafury (59.7%, Islay, Scotland, A$162) 

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Nose: There's the Talisker, bold smoke with loads of unashamed peats. It's briny, there are sea salt remnants, and you can smell the ocean.

Palate: The bold peat and smoke follow through to the nose. It's charred and it hits you big time. There's some vanilla amongst the brine and ash.

Finish: Long, the smoke lingers for a while and there are some spices, peppery. The finish is also chalky with lots of tannins left behind. It's a delicious Talisker.

Rating: 92/100

Royal Lochnagar 16yo — The Spring Stallion (57.5%, Highland, Scotland, A$360) 

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Nose: Fresh and fruity, honey, vanilla custard, subtle notes of mandarin.

Palate: Very surprising and different to the subtle notes. Creamy, orange and lemon zest, popping candy or is it orange juice. There are spices that develop gently, black pepper mixed with a drizzle of lemon.

Finish: Long with a chalky finish, the spices fizzle out first before leaving a sweet fruity finish.

Rating: 93/100

Lagavulin 26yo — The Lion's Jewel (44.2%, Islay, Scotland, A$2,971) 

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The grandeur of the lot, the Lagavulin 26yo - dubbed the Lion's Jewel. The King of Islay guarded a gem of precious worth that has been won through decades of fire and ferocity. As the legends have it, this was truly a nice drop.

Nose: The smoke and ash hit you, in a nice way. There are raisins and stone fruits, and some berries. There is also some sweetness, honey glazed smoked ham?! 

Palate: Sweet at first but the smoke continues on the palate and continues to grow. There are ash notes that are mixed with dried fruits, and raisins. The smoke is followed by some spices, black pepper and oak spice. Overall, very creamy and complex.

Finish: Long, the peat lingers and the bonfire is still alive, you are yearning for more of that smoke. A beautiful Lagavulin rendition.

Rating: 95/100

Cheers
Hendy

Thank you to Diageo and Example for sending us the Diageo Special Releases 2021 Collection kit for us to spend some time with.

Diageo Special Releases 2020

The Diageo Special Releases 2020 have now arrived in Australia.

This year's series is made up of eight whiskies including Cardhu 11yo, Cragganmore 20yo, Dalwhinnie 30yo, Lagavulin 12yo, Mortlach 21yo, The Singleton of Dufftown 17yo, a Caribbean Rum cask finished Talisker 8yo and another release from the ghost distillery Pittyvaich 30yo.

The annual collection once again explores different age points, experimental maturation techniques and introduces the first-ever release finished in pot-still Caribbean rum casks. This was an interesting one. The theme of 'Rare by Nature' alludes to the relationship between nature that surrounds each distillery and also in the illustrations used on the bottles.

Dr Craig Wilson, Diageo Master Blender, says, “I’ve created this year’s Special Releases Collection, from some of my favourite distilleries across Scotland, with whisky enthusiasts in mind.  For those who enjoy spicy flavours, my recommendation would be to try our Cardhu, and for those who favour rich, intense and smooth flavours my choice would be Mortlach 21 year old. If you are curious about discovering something very rare, the Pittyvaich - the single ghost distillery in our Special Releases Collection this year is an unforgettable dram.”

For those curious to discover the very last drops from unique casks or get a little taste of history, the collection includes: Pittyvaich, from the Speyside ghost distillery, finished in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, a rare Highland expression of Dalwhinnie matured in refill hogshead casks filled in 1989, the best of Isle of Skye, Talisker, finished in pot-still Caribbean rum casks, and the stalwart Lagavulin, a perfect expression of this Islay distillery’s character.

I was lucky enough to have had the pleasure to sit down through the eight releases. I've noted my notes on the different releases below but I'll do a write up on each one over the next few weeks:

Dalwhinnie 30 Year Old (51.9% ABV, 30yo, Highlands, Scotland, A$970.00) Clean and elegant, matured in refill hogsheads filled in 1989. The nose smells of leather, floral, sweet honey and peaches. The palate is peppery-spicy and warm on the tongue with a good mixture of oak and citrus and an elegant and smooth (yet short) finish.

The Singleton of Dufftown 17 Year Old (55.1% ABV, 17yo, Speyside, Scotland, A$209.99) Mellow and mild. A first-ever release matured only in refill American oak hogshead instead of the usual combo of European oak/ex-sherry cask and American oak/ex-bourbon cask. The taste intense and sweet overall with honey, marshmallow, I'm in a candy shop with lots of creamy candy. The palate is also quite viscous and soft with some citrus and ginger snap. The finish is both drying and slightly coating.

Cardhu 11 Year Old (56% ABV, 11yo, Speyside, Scotland, A$159.99) A small-batch distilled in 2008 and combined from three distinct casks refill, new and ex-bourbon American oak. The nose is floral and sweet, with a hint of apples and stone fruits. On the palate, it's sweet, juicy, creamy with a delicious vanilla slice within. The finish is long and peppery.

Cragganmore 20 Year Old (55.8% ABV, 20yo, Speyside, Scotland, A$239.99) An age never before released from the distillery, matured in refill and new fresh-charred casks. The texture is creamy-smooth, while the taste is ladened with citrus, sour warhead notes; it's both rich and sweet. The finish is mellow with charred notes, ginger spice and some lingering apple note.

Pittyvaich 30 Year Old (50.8% ABV, 30yo, Speyside, Scotland, A$690.00) A 1989 ghost, the first release ever to be finished in first fill ex-bourbon casks. The taste is rich, oily and creamy vanilla-sweet. There are also some dry notes from non-ripe banana. Overall, there's a balance between the sweetness, lemon/citrus notes, orange peel to some peppercorns. The finish is clean and drying with a gentle spice at the end.

Mortlach 21 Year Old (56.9% ABV, 21yo, Speyside, Scotland, A$1,100) Rich and smooth, breakfast on the nose with dried fruit, warm croissants and mild, malty rich golden syrup. The intensity comes from a small batch finished in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso-seasoned casks. The palate is both savoury and fruity, there are melons, lemon and some resinous leather. The finish is nice and long and warming.

Talisker 8 Year Old (57.9% ABV, 8yo, Islay, Scotland, A$169.99) A big taste, the first-ever release of Talisker finished in pot-still Caribbean rum casks. A soft, smooth texture and a big taste; salty and lightly sweet, before the full-on Talisker pepperiness takes over.

Lagavulin 12 Year Old (56.4% ABV, 12yo, Islay, Scotland) Soaring and intense, lots of tar and iodine/medicinal notes. The Lagavulin 12 is a small batch of single vintage Lagavulin matured in refill American oak casks. A clean, fresh Lagavulin that is very lightly drying mid-palate. The finish is relatively long, coated with the char and spices from the palate.

Cheers

Hendy

Tasted #500: Port Ellen 40yo 1979 "Prima & Ultima"

When I started this blog over 8 years ago, I didn't really know where it would lead, but it's fair to say I didn't expect that after all this time it would still be running with regular updates, spanning two countries and with two writers. I also didn't expect we'd ever see a 500th tasting post either, and yet here we are!

Over the years I've tried to keep the "100s" posts for special drams. #200 was a 60yo Glenfarclas, #300 was a 65yo Macallan, #400 was a 50yo OB Balvenie...and for this 500th post, I was fortunate enough to try a 40 Year Old Port Ellen from Diageo's recent "Prima & Ultima" range, which in some ways seems to have picked up the mantle from the Special Releases (themselves becoming a bit more accessible - no bad thing, mind you). 

 

You don't say no to a Port Ellen, and whilst they're not all deserving of the hype, this one bottled from a single refill European Oak Butt, and matured for 40 years from 1979-2019, certainly filled me with a lot of hope. Thankfully, my hope was justified.

Port Ellen 40yo 1979 "Prima & Ultima" (51.2% ABV, 40yo, OB, 1979-2019, Cask #6422, Islay)

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Colour: Rich deep amber gold.

Nose: Lemons at first, then a grassy herbaceousness. A hint of mint? Subtle salty smoke, leading to seaweed and finally hints of an old cigar box.

Palate: The smoke comes through stronger on the palate - BBQ smoke, followed by orange wheels and an explosion of meatiness. Quite different to the much more subdued nose, this was chewy, viscous and "big". Dried fruits, chocolate, smoked seaweed all feature too.

Finish: Long, with sea salted peanuts, followed by charcuterie and a residual longing BBQ smoke at the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. What an experience.

A humungous thanks to Kam of Dram Good Stuff for the taste of this. Whilst they don't currently have this bottle listed, they do have another OB 1979 40yo Port Ellen available if this one has whetted your appetite!

Cheers,

Martin.

Johnnie Walker Game of Thrones "A Song of Ice" and "A Song of Fire" (Tasted #471-472)

Diageo is continuing its Game of Thrones series with the release of two limited edition blends – Johnnie Walker "A Song of Ice" and Johnnie Walker "A Song of Fire". These two new releases are based on the overarching book series "A Song of Fire and Ice", of which Game of Thrones was part of.

A Song of Ice, containing malt whisky from Clynelish distillery, is described as having a ‘crisp, clean taste’ with a ‘green and grassy’ flavour and notes of ‘vanilla and tropical fruit’.

A Song of Fire containing peated malt whisky from Caol Ila distillery, is said to feature ‘subtle smoke tempered by a rich, rounded sweetness’, and is bottled at 40.8% abv

These releases follow the launch of "White Walker" by Johnnie Walker last year and Diageo's Game of Thrones Single Malt Collection earlier this year.  The latter was a series of eight limited edition single malts that represented the Great Houses plus the Night's Watch. Personally, there were some real highlights from the collection including the Lagavulin (Lannister), Oban (Night's Watch) and Dalwhinnie (Stark).

Now, the White Walker and the Single Malt Collection were launched in anticipation of the final season of Game of Thrones which aired in April 2019. However, both A Song of Ice and A Song of Fire have been released post the end of the final season. Whether this point to an upcoming Game of Thrones series, it hasn't been confirmed though there are rumours a prequel is in the works.

The bottle design have been inspired by the two great houses who face off in final season of the series - House of Stark (represented by the Direwolf) and House of Targaryen (inspired by Daenerys Targaryen aka Mother of Dragons). The sigil of both houses, a direwolf and a dragon were used on the bottle design.

Tasting notes aside, the bottles have been impeccably designed. A Song of Ice share the same colour and design as its White Walker release from last year. On the contrary, A Song Fire incorporates a bolder design featuring what looks like Drogon, one of Daenerys' dragons.

Tasting them side by side, is one tastier than another? They are both different and I personally, prefer the A Song of Ice over A Song of Fire though they may appeal to different taste buds.

Johnnie Walker "A Song of Ice" (40.2% ABV, NAS, Blend, Scotland, A$69.99)
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Colour: Pale Straw

Nose: Herbaceous, fresh hay. There are some sweet treats from apple stew, stone fruits, vanilla and orange zest.

Palate: The palate is soft yet lightly spiced and has layers of flavours from oranges, vanilla, nutmeg and stone fruits. Although the palate is soft, it still packed quite a complex profile.

Finish: Short to medium, with warming spice and herbaceous notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100.

Johnnie Walker "A Song of Fire" (40.2% ABV, NAS, Blend, Scotland, A$69.99)
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Colour: Flame Amber

Nose: Orange, vanilla and black pepper. Very soft and light on the nose. There's a small hint of peat.

Palate: Light and soft. There's tannic when you first taste it which is then followed by vanilla, black pepper spices and a hint of peat. You would think this is the one with the Clyenish malt but no, the primary malt is in fact, Caol Ila.

Finish: Short, with warming fading notes. The spices also disappear quickly .

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 85/100.

At $69.99 a bottle, these new blends are great for those looking to fill Santa's stockings ahead of Christmas. Both Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice and A Song of Fire are now available from liquor stores nationwide.

Cheers
Hendy

A big thanks to Diageo and Fuel Communication for providing samples for review.