DIAGEO’S SPECIAL RELEASES FOR 2020

 Diageo ANNUAL Special Releases FOR 2020
Features Eight Whiskies

WHAT ARE THE DIAGEO SPECIAL RELEASES?

The Diageo Special Releases are a much anticipated range of annual whisky releases from Diageo, the world’s largest whisky company. They’ve been going since 2001, and took over from both the Rare Malts Selection and a few occasional special releases (no capital letters) from Diageo and its precursor companies, DCL and UDV.

These days, it’s an established part of the yearly whisky release line-up. The past few years have seen some shake-ups, with the annual releases of whisky from closed distilleries Port Ellen and Brora disappearing from the range in 2018, and the long-running Caol Ila release – pretty much the only way for the general public to get their hands on unpeated whisky from the Islay favourite – disappearing last year.

Despite rumours of the Special Releases’ potential demise, last year’s rejig of the range both down in price and into a new look has had a good response, and they’re back again for another year. The Diageo malts team have been working on next year’s releases for a couple of months already and the range looks to have a new lease of life.

The 2020 Diageo Special Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection features eight vibrant expressions, each selected to bring a taste of Scotland to every enthusiast's home. This collection, curated by Master Blender Dr. Craig Wilson, includes eight cask strength single malt Scotch whiskies drawn from some of Scotland’s most interesting distilleries. The annual collection explores unusual age points, experimental maturation techniques and this year, welcomes the first-ever release finished in pot-still Caribbean rum casks. The "Rare by Nature" theme highlights the extraordinary nature that surrounds each distillery, with each whisky visually brought to life through intricate illustrations that decorate the bottles. 

If you remember last year’s Diageo Special Releases, then the line-up for 2020 might look somewhat familiar. Not only do we have eight whiskies again, but seven of the eight distilleries are the same as those in 2019 – Singleton of Glen Ord has been replaced by Singleton of Dufftown – and even some of the ages and vintages match up.

“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.” Dr Craig Wilson

For those curious to discover the very last drops from unique casks or to explore a 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, its foremost finished in pot-still Caribbean rum casks.

    -The stalwart Lagavulin, a perfect expression of this Islay distillery’s character.

Whiskies Listed In Alphabetical Order:

Cardhu 11 Year Old - $115, 56% ABV 

Description: A combination of refill, ex-bourbon and new American oak casks.

Nose: Checks off a few interesting boxes. Apples, caramel, and raisins also leaves space for turmeric, malty notes, white ch ocolate, and a slight hint of play-doh.

Taste: The apples and malt are present on the palate, and that orchard vibe is complemented by sage, toffee and strawberries.

Overall: A summery whisky is given a little bit of an additional zing by the new oak. The Cardhu this year for the collection is delightful. The age statement has decreased for this encore, but it lives up to its promise and shines. It is a more delicate whisky, but it is a Speyside. Strongly  recommended if you can find it.

Cragganmore 20 Year Old - $175, 55.8% ABV

Description: This mix of refill and new charred oak casks has a lot to live up to following the smoky Cragganmore that was released last year.

Nose: Undertones of musty velvet and leather provide the foundation for lighter fare like lemons, mint, lavender, and pineapple.

Taste: Super smooth and springy. Fresh lemonade and meringue sits on top of a buttery texture, with Twizzlers candy and a touch of new sneaker rubber provide additional depth.

Overall: Not what you’d typically expect from a 20 year old whisky, but the fresh tangy flavors are delicious. This expression, a 20 Year Old, is an age never released from this distillery. It is quite a punched up, oak-driven expression of Cragganmore, with the new oak bringing not only a layer of charred flavours and spice, but also added sweetness. 

Dalwhinnie 30 Year Old - $745, 51.9% ABV 

Description: The only information officially given about this whisky is that it is matured in ‘refill hogsheads’. Dalwhinnie is known for distilling a fairly robust sweet Scotch whisky we all know and love. The robust style of the new make spirit is partially due to the spirit vapour being condensed using traditional worm tub condensers. However, in the mid 1980s these worm tubs were switched for the more modern shell and tube (column) condensers which tend to make a lighter style of spirit.                                  

At Dalwhinnie they did indeed create a lighter style of spirit which resulted in them eventually being switched back to the traditional worm tub condensers in the mid 1990s. It is extremely unusual to find a high-aged expression from this relatively small window of production in this distillery’s great history, and the Dalwhinnie 30 Year Old from this year’s Special Releases Collection is therefore a rare opportunity to taste a fascinating slice of distilling history.

Nose: An initial hit of roses descends into milk chocolate, crème brulee, and raspberries. There is a darker layer under this though, combining eucalyptus and oak.

Taste: This is wonderfully soft but also propped up nicely by the oak. Blueberries and cranberries provide fruity sweetness, the creamy indulgent texture is like white chocolate, while roasted pumpkins helps account for a weighty mouthfeel. 

Overall: It’s got a surprising heft given the production notes above, but that’s largely owing to those three decades in cask rather than the condenser shift.    There’s something alluring and romantic about this profile which would make it perfect for a date.

Lagavulin 12 Year Old - $170, 56.4% ABV

Description: This is officially the first whisky introduced (virtually) at a tasting by new Lagavulin distillery manager Pierrick Guillaume in his official capacity, a nice little treat. This younger Lagavulin has been matured in a combination of refill hogsheads and butts, which implies sherry influences.

Nose: It’s an extremely dirty nose. Petrichor and walnuts, with whiffs of hay and a maritime mineral tang.

Taste: This is a dirt bomb. It’s quite malty, and a combination of chocolate and nuts here reminds me of Nutella. Some fruit does barely sneak in, including strawberries and blueberries. However, the big tar smoke takes center stage.

Overall: Tar-like glory. The natural cask strength is perfect as it only warms the palate rather than burns and overwhelms it. Lagavulin is not messing around. You cannot go wrong with Lagavulin. It is a staple scotch for a reason. The 2020 edition just seems classic. 

Mortlach 21 Year Old - $775, 56.9% ABV

Description: Last year’s sherry monster has now been tamed and caged. The sherry influence from this year’s release is a finish in lightly seasoned sherry  casks.

Nose: While there is a hint of Spanish chorizo, clementines and orange marmalade are the star aromas of this particular show, with whispers of nutmeg and wax.

Taste: A waxy texture and leathery mouthfeel hosts rich flavors like grapes, grilled peppers, and cloves. There’s a lovely long dark chocolate bitter finish too.

Overall: This Mortlach was matured for rich distillery character in small batches then carefully finished in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso-seasoned casks to build yet more levels of aroma and taste. The many-layered outcome mirrors the complexity of the mysterious Mortlach 2.81 distillation itself. Very gentle for a Mortlach. That’s not a bad thing, indeed far from it.

Pittyvaich 30 Year Old - $540, 50.8% ABV

Description: Pittyvaich closed its doors in 1993 and this single malt was distilled in 1989. This bottling is the only one in the collection to come from a ghost, or closed, distillery. Availability is limited to 7,056 bottles in the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, South Africa, select Asian markets and airport duty free. Diageo has been releasing 1989 Pittyvaichs in the Special Releases for a while now, and this bottle features ex-bourbon casks.

Nose: Wonderfully fragrant. Oranges, jasmine, and cinnamon notes lead into a deeper tones, a reminder of tomato sauce with a healthy sprinkling of oregano.

Taste: That complex fragrance faded away here for a malty, buttery profile. Caramel and peanut butter emerge, but those fun fragrant elements from before are missing.

Overall: The nose is let down by the palate a little here.

Singleton (Dufftown) 17 Year Old - $150, 55.1% ABV

Description: Singleton is a brand that features single malt released from three different distilleries, this one is from Dufftown, and is matured in refill American oak hogsheads.

Nose: A very fresh nose begins with pears and coconut before heading to more herbal ground, involving hay and a whiff of herbal air freshener.

Taste: Very tangy to start, though after the initial citric hit it rapidly takes a surprisingly robust turn towards roasted peanuts, blackberries, and basil. A little water also opens it up and smooths it out, turning it into a creamier affair.

Overall: This manages to hit a wide spectrum of flavours in a really fun way. This bottling is the first ever Singleton of Dufftown matured exclusively in refill American (ex-bourbon) hogsheads. This whisky is all about restraint, with malt, cotton balls, dried flowers, and a quinine note all smoldering on the nose. The palate is bittersweet and heavier with florals, with notes of camphor and a touch of walnut giving the whisky a significant austerity, the finish evoking hints of furniture polish. Quite wooly and largely savoury, it’s got a significantly more brooding character than the typical Speyside bottling.

Talisker 8 Year Old – $125, 57.9% ABV

Description: This is an exciting and exotic prospect, it’s the first ever Talisker finished in pot-still Caribbean rum casks. This Talisker is a very limited edition cask-strength (57.9% ABV) batch of the familiar Talisker 10 except at 8 years, which is a bit of a reference to earlier 1980s bottlings of Talisker that were released at that age (although not at that strength).

Nose: Vanilla, coconut, gorse, and almonds provides a soft pillow that is then soaked by the seaside; briny, mineral, and smoked fish aromas lurk nearby.

Taste: Marshmallows are being toasted on a smoky beach bonfire accompanied by papaya and liquorice elements. Talisker’s characteristic oily texture shines through as well.

Overall: This very unusual and tropical Talisker is excellent, and wouldn’t be out of place in a Pina Colada if you can stand the smoke. The aroma is so decked out in Caribbean funk it feels like it should have a little umbrella sticking out of the glass, but the palate is hurricane-force salt spray in your face. The finish is a little of both. An experience… it takes several tastings to just make sense of what was going on in the glass. And reach for the bottle again! 

 THE SPECIAL RELEASES OF 2019