Booze News Feature: The Diageo 2018 Special Release Collection
By Stephanie MorenoSomewhat surprisingly, Diageo announced names of nine out of ten whiskies for this year’s Special Release collection back in April. However, bottle details weren’t made public at the time. While Diageo kept the final mystery bottle under-wraps, we finally have the news on it along with bottle prices to share.
Take a gander at the particulars of the collection and make sure to update your wish lists with these beauties!
BLENDED MALT
Cladach Blended Malt
At last, the final mystery bottle has been announced. Cladach, meaning “coastline” in Gaelic, is fittingly comprised of single malts from coastal distilleries. These include Caol Ila, Clynelish, Inchgower, Lagavulin, Oban, and Talisker. These blended malts seem to be something Diageo will continue to do after the success of last year’s Collectivum XXVIII. That blend incorporated single malts from 28 Diageo-owned distilleries.
Maturation:
Mix of first-fill American ex-bourbon casks, refill American oak hogsheads, refill European oak butts, and ex-bodega European butts
ABV:
57.1% ABV
Availability:
Limited quantities worldwide
Price:
£155/$200
Cladach Blended Malt / Photo Credit: Diageo
LOWLANDS
Carsebridge 48 Year
This is the oldest Carsebridge to be released by parent company Diageo to date. This Lowland single grain distillery closed its doors in 1983.
Maturation:
Refill American oak hogsheads
ABV:
43.2% ABV
Availability:
1000 bottles worldwide
Price:
£750/$975
Carsebridge 48 Year / Photo Credit: Diageo
SPEYSIDE
Pittyvaich 28 Year
This is only the third time a bottling from Pittyvaich—a distillery which closed its doors in 1993—has been included in the collection. This single malt was distilled in 1989.
Maturation:
Refill American oak hogsheads
ABV:
52.1% ABV
Availability:
4680 bottles worldwide
Price:
£330/$430
Pittyvaich 28 Year / Photo Credit: Diageo
Inchgower 27 Year
This is the first bottling from this distillery to be released by Diageo for the collection. Founded in 1871, this Speyside distillery is located in Moray near the northeast coast. It’s rarely seen as a single malt bottling, but some independent bottlers have featured it in its collections. More commonly featured in Diageo’s blends such as Bell’s.
Maturation:
Refill American oak hogsheads
ABV:
55.3% ABV
Availability:
8544 bottles worldwide
Price:
£300/$390
Inchgower 27 Year / Photo Credit: Diageo
HIGHLANDS
The Singleton of Glen Ord 14 Year
Located in the Highlands, Glen Ord was established in 1838 but only recently (1980s) has been seen bottled as a single malt. Diageo has marketed it under its Singleton line of single malts with a focus for this distillery targeted for the Far Eastern markets.
Maturation:
“Triple matured in a five cask process.” First, the whisky matured in European oak ex-sherry and refill American oak ex-bourbon barrels. Next, the whisky then moved into ex-Pedro Ximénez and ex-Moscatel wine casks. Finally, the whisky was married together into European oak puncheons.
ABV:
57.6% ABV
Availability:
Limited quantities worldwide
Price:
£100/$130
The Singleton of Glen Ord 14 Year / Photo Credit: Diageo
Oban 21 Year
A well-regarded Highland single malt distillery with its special release bottled at cask strength.
Maturation:
Refill European oak butts
ABV:
57.9% ABV
Availability:
Limited quantities worldwide
Price:
£450/$585
Oban 21 Year / Photo Credit: Diageo
ISLANDS
Caol Ila 15 Year Unpeated Style
An unpeated release for the Islay distillery, it is one of two Caol Ila bottlings for this year’s Special Release collection. It is bottled at cask strength.
Maturation:
Mix of refill and rejuvenated American oak hogsheads with ex-sherry European oak butts.
ABV:
59.1% ABV
Availability:
Limited quantities worldwide
Price:
£100/$130
Caol Ila 15 Year Unpeated Style / Photo Credit: Diageo
Talisker 8 Year
In the 1970s and ’80s, Talisker had an 8 year bottling as its standard single malt release. Today, the signature single malt from the Isle of Skye is its 10 Year.
Maturation:
First-fill ex-bourbon
ABV:
59.4% ABV
Availability:
Limited quantities worldwide
Price:
£70/$90
Talisker 8 Year / Photo Credit: Diageo
Lagavulin 12 Year
A now expected release from Diageo, a 12 year version has been included in the Special Release collection since 2002.
Maturation:
Refill American oak hogsheads
ABV:
57.8% ABV
Availability:
Limited quantities worldwide
Price:
£110/$143
Lagavulin 12 Year / Photo Credit: Diageo
Caol Ila 35 Year
Since the series launched in 2001, this 35 year-old bottling is the oldest release to appear in the Special Release collection.
Maturation:
Vatting of refill American oak hogsheads, refill American oak butts, and refill European oak butts
ABV:
58.1% ABV
Availability:
3276 bottles worldwide
Price:
£675/$879
Caol Ila 35 Year / Photo Credit: Diageo
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