Diageo unveils the 2019 Special Releases Collection

Diageo has announced the highly anticipated launch of the 2019 ‘Rare by Nature’ inspired special releases whisky collection.

Comprised of eight cask strength single malt Scotch whiskies from some of Scotland’s most renowned distilleries, this year’s line-up has been hand selected by master blender, Dr Craig Wilson. The collection launches with a visually impactful and unified theme, evoking the distinctive nature and characteristics of each distillery.

This carefully selected line-up features discoveries from Diageo’s most precious stocks maturing in Scotland. The collection celebrates whiskies with distinctive maturation techniques, rare finishes and unexpected taste profiles, with this year’s cask strength bottlings bringing to life each distillery’s unique character.

Featuring expressions from famous, to supreme examples of the less well known and even closed distilleries, the bottlings are all extremely rare and sought-after whiskies.

Launched earlier this week at an exclusive event at Somerset House in Central London, guests were guided through a sensorial journey, transporting them from the hustle and bustle of the city to the wild Scottish habitats that inspired this year’s ‘Rare by Nature’ theme.

Ewan Gunn, Diageo Global Whisky Master, said: ‘Discerning drinkers around the world will delight in this new collection. From the hand selected Single Malt Scotch to the visually arresting bottles, they each tell a strong story of the extraordinary place and the people who have shaped each dram. These prestigious and limited-edition bottlings offer fans an opportunity to collect and explore some of our rarest stocks.’

The visually striking packaging celebrates the special and varied surroundings of each distillery on the bottle and allows whisky enthusiasts to uncover each distillery’s story one by one.

The Singleton of Glen Ord

The collection includes whiskies from Speyside distilleries, Mortlach, Cardhu, Cragganmore and Pittyvaich, expressions from the Highland distilleries of Dalwhinnie and The Singleton of Glen Ord and the best of the West Coast of Scotland’s Islands, Islay distillery Lagavulin and the Isle of Skye’s Talisker.

The 2019 Special Releases collection will be available in limited quantities from specialist Scotch whisky retailers.

The collection comprises:

Cragganmore 12 Year Old – An unusual smoky expression of a Speyside classic, never released before, matured in refill American oak casks.

Dalwhinnie 30 Year Old – Extra-mature and gentle highland malt with rich flavours from over thirty years of maturation in refill hogsheads and butts.

Talisker 15 Year Old – Rugged and smoky, made by the sea, the first ever release of Talisker as a 15 year old, matured only in freshly charred American oak hogshead.

Singleton 18 Year Old – A previously unreleased expression of lively rich fruit & spiced oak matured in freshly charred American oak hogshead.

Pittyvaich 19 Year Old – A 1989 ghost, double matured in Pedro Ximenez & Oloroso sherry seasoned casks.

Mortlach 26 Year Old – Rich & bold, a small batch of ‘The Beast of Dufftown’ matured in first-fill Pedro Ximenez/Oloroso-seasoned casks.

Lagavulin 12 Year Old – Powerful and peaty, the king of Islay, a small batch of Lagavulin matured in refill American oak casks.

Cardhu 14 Year Old – Smooth and generous, a small batch double matured for two years in Amontillado sherry seasoned hogsheads

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