DIAGEO’S 2021 SPECIAL RELEASE BASED ON ‘LEGENDS UNTOLD’
Autumn is an interesting time for whisky lovers, and
among the highlights of the season are the Diageo Special Releases—the
company’s annual collection of limited, highly sought-after single malt
whiskies. The 2021 edition was unveiled on 30 September 2021.
Diageo’s Master Blender Craig Wilson was given carte
blanche and roved free through unparalleled stocks that set his imagination
free. Each of the whiskies included in the collection expresses “an individual
character, inspired by the mythical creatures that inhabit the lands around
each distillery.”
THE STORY OF THE
SPECIAL RELEASES
For those who haven’t encountered this Yearly Release
of Limited–edition Drams, you can find out all about them in the What Are The Diageo Special Releases blog posted by Billy for The Whisky Exchange. In short, it’s a
collection of whiskies that has appeared each year since 2002 (after a smaller
release in 2001), and which has slowly evolved into a showcase of lesser-known
distilleries in Diageo’s portfolio – they own more distilleries in Scotland than
any other whisky maker – as well as new takes on more familiar names.
The past few years have seen some major changes in both
the make-up of the collection and its intention, The Prima and Ultima range has
taken on the role of super-high-end-whisky showcase, leaving the Special
Releases as a more accessible way to get your hands on some very special drams
from Scotland’s biggest whisky maker.
The collection comprises the usual eight bottles of Single
Malt Scotch Whisky, this time linked to the mythical creature associated with them and referred
to in their history:
- A 19-year Singleton: The Singleton Siren.
- A 14-year Cardhu: The Cardhu Secret Blossoms of Black Rock.
- A 13-year Mortlach: The Mortlach Moonlit Beast.
- An 8-year Talisker: The Talisker Rogue Seafury.
- A 12-year Oban: The Oban Twin Foxes.
- A 16-year Royal Lochnagar: The Royal Lochnagar Spring Stallion.
- A 26-year Lagavulin: The Lagavulin Lions.
- A 12-year Lagavulin: The Lagavulin Jewel.
As expected, these are all at cask strength. When it
comes to cask strength scotch, valuation is considerably more tricky. The idea
of “value” begins to go out the window as proofs rise in the Scotch world, and
this is a reality of the industry for a few reasons. For one, barrel proof or
cask-strength single malt scotch whisky is relatively more rare as a
phenomenon, with a greater percentage of the industry’s output being consumed
at a mere 40% ABV (75 proof), or close to it. That’s 80 proof in the USA. Secondly,
the greater amount of time inherent in ageing most Scotch brands means a
greater investment on the distillery’s part, which translates directly into
higher price tags. Yes, one can find some year-round brands of cask-strength Scotch
for less than $100, but don’t expect to see any limited release going for that
amount. This is a category that many drinkers inherently find they can’t
afford.
In keeping with its trend of recent years, the releases
include fewer ultra-aged (and thus ultra-priced) whiskies. This year’s oldest
and most expensive expression is Lagavulin 26 year old at $2,400. The pricing
then drops to $250 for Royal Lochnagar 16 year old, and the remaining six are
pegged at below $200. They may seem affordable, but the fact remains that one needs
deep pockets to indulge one’s fancy. Compare that to the 2017 collection, when
five of the eight whiskies were older than 20 years—including a 52 YO Port
Dundas ($900), 37 YO Port Ellen ($3,500), 34 YO Brora ($1,700), 32 YO
Convalmore ($1,400), and 24 YO Blair Athol ($460). Only three Special Releases
in 2017 were priced below $200.
The entire collection will set you back around £ 2,560 ($3,500). For that, you gain ownership of eight limited-edition Scotch whiskies that are unlikely to be seen again. Each one represents the height of experimentation with rare cask finishes and unusual age statements, ensuring that the mythical creatures of the collection represent the true expressions of the distilleries.
Each bottle in this year’s Legends Untold Edition carries
a QR code linking to what Diageo calls a “multi-sensory experience” of legends
and tales from the distilleries in the collection. By scanning the QR code, an augmented reality is activated. “The legends are unlocked, and the multi-sensory experience begins with a narration of the cask-strength Single Malts’ tale. Whisky fans are then guided through a mixed reality tasting experience, designed to captivate their senses, all from the comfort of their own homes.” The whiskies were made
available at specialist retailers in Europe, the U.S., Canada, Australia,
selected Asian markets and airport Travel Retail.
Diageo, the global alcohol megalith, gets the most out
of having many classic single malt distilleries via yearly features like the
Special Releases, which assemble dream teams of rare, cask-strength whiskies
from distilleries such as Mortlach, Oban, Lagavulin and Talisker. They feature
admittedly beautiful artwork on all of these labels in the 2021 collection. This
is another aspect of the overall presentation where Diageo’s overarching
influence creates a gorgeous result. Each of these labels is truly a work of
art; credit to digital illustrator Ken Taylor who designed them all.
Lagavulin 26 YO, The Lion's Jewel, 44.2% ABV, £1,650
Unlike all the other selections, which each note that they are available in “limited quantities,” this is the one selection that comes with a bottle count: 7,542, which is actually quite high for any cask-strength Scotch with this kind of price point. Fittingly, given its sherry route, it has the very deep, burnished amber colour you’d expect as a result. After 26 years, the smoke here has been smoothed out quite a bit, being only a distant wood fire now, while elements of the barrel and the fortified wine it once held swim to the forefront. Candied almond jumps out, along with brown sugar cookie and a bit of butterscotch, and hints of dark, syrupy fruit.
Nose: Sweet peat, tarry ropes and bung cloth. Singed apples and pineapples hide under the smokiness, with a touch of fresh and zingy mint and menthol. Then it’s time to dive into sherry-cask fruit, with sultanas leading to stewed plums and surprisingly gentle notes of dark fruitcake. Layers of spice build: nutmeg, cinnamon and clove.
Palate: Soft and fruity barbecued apples and grilled pineapple, all backed up by soft cinnamon spice, mint and bubble tar. Sweet pink shrimp sweets and liquorice are followed by black pepper spiciness, a touch of bitter barrel char and lashings of sweet baked apples.
Finish: Smoky barbecued fruit, hints of tar and lingering spice.
You can identify this as a Lagavulin even before your nose gets to the glass. The casks have added their dark and fruity character, but other than allowing the distillery’s punchiness to soften, they have in no way masked the classic Lagavulin feistiness. Evidence that first-fill sherry casks don’t have to create sherry monsters, even with 26 years in wood.
Singleton Of Glendullan 19 YO, The Siren’s Song, 54.6% ABV, £135
Glendullan is popular in, but still not that often seen
outside of the USA; its normal fragrant and floral character is very well
suited to refill casks, and a Cognac finish shouldn’t overwhelm it.
Nose: Candied fruit, sharp apples and buttered pastry – a part-baked pie with a dusting of sugar. Fruity jelly – orange and lemon – is joined by spiced pear, lemon drizzle cake, sultanas and muscat grapes. Lemon madeleines, trail-mix fruit vanilla cream, and oatmeal and raisin cookies follow.
Palate: Sweet, butter-rich caramel sauce leads to sultana-studded fruit sponge cake, polished oak and soft baking spice. Mint cream builds, followed by fruit: fresh, baked and puréed apple, a touch of brown banana and poached pear. Brown-butter toffee-studded cookies and green leaves sneak in at the end.
The sponge cake notes often found overpowering in Cognac finishes are very well controlled here, adding a sweet and candied dimension to the fruity Glendullan spirit.
Royal Lochnagar, The Spring Stallion 16 YO, 57.5% ABV, £199
Sunlight in a bottle. A rich, vivid Scotch that will remind you about the pleasures of springtime. A deep golden colour, this Royal Lochnagar 16 Year Old is a regal dram in many ways. It underwent a dual maturation process, between American oak and European oak refill casks. The Highland dram is presented at a hearty 57.5% ABV, and is cask strength (which means no artificial colouring nor chill filtration).
Royal Lochnagar is a rare whisky, and official
bottlings like the 12 Year Old are offered at the lowest possible ABV. This may
be spring in the glass, because the release was called 'The Spring Stallion'.
This Highlander was matured in both American oak and European refill barrels.
Would the horse be in the stables of Balmoral Castle? After all, that is close
to the distillery. The equine on the front of the bottle is somewhat less bold
on the nose; it is the palate is where the horse kicks on. Here’s a chance to
get a better insight.
It is the most standard of all the maturations in this
year’s range – refill European and American oak, the classic mix of sherry and
bourbon casks. This is definitely a whisky where they’re not trying anything
weird and wonderful and are just showing what the distillery does best.
Nose: Crisp apples and crunchy pears, with a
surrounding blanket of green grass and meadow flowers. Gentle mint cream notes
are joined by white grapes, sweet sultanas and touches of beeswax polished oak.
White melon, fragrant oak, candy bracelets and stewed apple notes develop.
Palate: Thick and buttery pie filling to start – sharp
apples with mint springs. Oak and lemon peel are followed by sultanas and
sponge cake. Sharp apple is balanced by candied almonds, and buttery
frangipane. Floral notes build as it sits: honeysuckle and violet.
Finish: Green leaves, mint creams, butter mints and
damp grass.
The sherry casks are dialled back, giving a touch of sticky fruit, while the bourbon casks allow the grassy and fruity Royal Lochnagar spirit to shine.
Cardhu 14 YO — The Scarlet Blossoms of Black Rock ABV: 55.5% £115
Cardhu – Gaelic for “Black Rock” – was founded in the
early 1800s by John Cumming, then a distiller of illicit whisky. As the fable
goes, upon a hill of blackened rock grew a mysterious tree with scarlet
blossoms of irresistible charm. The scarlet blossoms are a reminder of the red
flag Helen Cummings would fly above the farmhouse to warn other distillers in
the area about the taxman. Their sweet aroma of honeycomb and spice was so
alluring, it transformed the dark hill into lush abundance. Where crimson
petals had fallen, a distillery took root. The spellbinding scent filled the
air, infusing Cardhu with its distinctively enchanting character. Johnnie
Walker & Sons bought the distillery in 1893 for his three brands, to be
known in 1909 as Johnnie Walker White Label, Red Label and Black Label. About
30% of its malts are used solely today for the same brand, but with many more
expressions.
Cardhu is a soft and easy-drinking drinking whisky, one
that continues to go from strength to strength, and has now broken out of its
Mediterranean heartlands of popularity and turned its eyes to the rest of the
world. It is a very likable whisky – mixtures of bourbon- and sherry-matured
spirit combined to create stereotypically sweet and spicy Speyside drams. This
release, however, adds in something that is rare in the Diageo line-up: a
red-wine finish. The scarlet blossoms? It promises a major quality uplift
compared to last year's edition given that the price almost doubled (for just
three additional maturation years)...and to be honest: It is of about the same
quality as last year's Special Release Cardhu, maybe a little more mature.
Nose: the soft nose appears with fresh, fruity
lightness of pleasant aromas such as light grapes and lychee in the clear presence
of green apple, pear and a trace of orange peel - embedded in buttery pastries
- behind it hovers a slightly sharp note that frees the wood that is stored in
the wine - a drop of water presents light nuances of meadow flowers that evolve
with each sip; Flatters the moment more clearly
Palate:
Finish: quick, sweet, pure and warming with a lingering fragrance in the finish - a little more with water until a warming pinch of
white pepper appears, which rises in a finale of green apples in the aftertaste.
The Cardhu this year for the Diageo Rare by Nature Special Releases collection is delightful. It is a more delicate whisky, but it
is a Speysider; the sweet-and-spiciness has had a surprisingly elegant blanket
of fruit and spice draped over it. Recommend picking up a bottle if you can
find it.
Lagavulin 12 Year Old — The Lion’s Fire 56.5% ABV £128
As the fable goes, The King of Islay seen upon the
crest of Lagavulin was no ordinary feline, but a lion rampant who prowled the
grounds of an Islay castle, a fresh victor, intense in power and pride. This
brooding and battle-worn beast, won its crown through flame and ferocity – and
came to represent one of Scotland’s most fiery distilleries.
This cornerstone of the Special Releases appears in
every line-up since the first full release in 2002. The annual release
originally shocked by showing Lagavulin 16 Year Old’s rich and dark smoke
wasn’t the limit of the distillery’s powers, instead pushing a fresher,
sea-drenched style. While we now have the punchy ongoing 8-year-old to keep us
going between Special Releases, it’s still a must-have for Lagavulin fans.
This is a no-frills Lagavulin malt without any
secondary finishing, aged exclusively in refilled American oak. The
distillery’s marketing language says it comes from their “fiercest and
smokiest” casks, but oddly it doesn’t really seem to revel primarily in those
flavours, on either the nose or the palate. This may come down to marketing
bloviation, but the reality of The Lion’s Fire is that it ultimately displays
superb balance.
Nose: dry peat with lots of coastal notes and medicinal
elements. Beach sand, tarry ropes, with sea spray and iodine bandages. Dried seaweed.
Hints of green apple and lemon. A slight mineral sharpness, as well as green
olive juice, but also subtle sweetness in the distance. Like most of these 12
year-olds, slightly fierce but very high quality.
Palate: oily, with a sweetness of salted caramel and
bready malt coming out first, before you’re struck by deep bonfire notes, char
and plenty of brine. Lemon peels, smoked oysters, iodine and tingling pepper.
Dry leafy notes, olives and chalk in the end, with light oak tannin as well.
Finish: rather long, on tar, slightly acrid smoke,
green wood and lemon, sweet mint and chocolate touches.
2021 has brought us a great Lagavulin 12 Years, less sweet than last year and perhaps more briny and coastal than most other years. This is the most Caol Ila-y Lagavulin in a while. The chocolate-lime notes are classic Caol Ila, but it’s backed up by the Lagavulin meatiness and crashing waves. A true classic. I know people are complaining about the price creeping up, but on the other hand it’s almost impossible to to find this level of quality at a better price. One to savour!
Oban 12 YO,—The Tale of Twin Foxes 56.2% ABV, £105
As the fable goes, wedged between the Highlands and
Isles where Oban’s distillery came to lie, twin foxes were born into light and
dark. They were relentless opposites; one, with a bright orange coat, possessed
the Highland’s gift for lightness and speed. The other, dark as smoke,
possessed the Isles’ camouflaged mystique. Each fox contrasted and skillfully
balanced the other. That makes for an evocative dram, shaded with spice yet
also suffused with sunlight, out of the ordinary while remaining a fine
representative of Oban’s understated, easy-drinking style. Both foxes are found
on the label of this Oban Legends Untold version for the 2021 Special Release.
At first glance, one might look at this Oban release
and wonder how a distillery with a 14-year-old flagship single malt chooses to
put out a “merely” 12 year old limited release for the Diageo Special Releases
lineup, but the answer lies in the barrels. Rather than the standard re-used
American oak casks, this one seems to have been matured exclusively in freshly
charred, or “virgin” American oak, which isn’t often employed for this length
of time in maturing scotch whisky—or if it is, often used as a component of a
blend, rather than presented solo. Which is to say, this is a whole lot of
virgin oak influence, meeting up with Oban’s already unique fusion of Highland
single malt/coastal single malt styles.
The ‘freshly charred American oak’ doesn’t mean new
casks, but instead rejuvenated casks – old casks that have been stripped of
their inside layer and recharred to give them new life. They don’t have the
oomph of virgin oak, but they do have something that showcases the Oban
character more than a new cask might.
Nose: Butterscotch, browning leaves, orange zest and
touches of treacle to begin. Butter toffees and stewed apple are followed by
incense touches. The butter notes sit at the heart while balanced citrus pith
and peel, and a grind of black pepper fill in the around the edges.
Palate: An immediate hit of sweet orange and lemon is
drenched in toffee sauce. Salt and pepper touches sit alongside sharp apple and
buttered fruit loaf. Spice builds – black pepper and a tingle of cinnamon.
Fruity jelly – apple and pear – is hit with a squeeze of lime, a touch of cask
char and a drizzle of salted caramel.
Finish: Butter toffee and salted caramel linger, fading
to reveal candied lemons.
A dive into the heart of what makes Oban tick –
orange-forward citrus notes, a hint of smoky char and lots of sea spray.
Generally the brininess is more restrained, but here it’s amplified and
perfectly balanced by the sweet and fruit notes.
Mortlach 13 YO, The Moonlit Beast, 55.9% ABV, £135
The Mortlach distillery is once again included in the
2021 Special Releases. The 13-year-old whisky is aptly named The Moonlit Beast.
Mortlach itself is known as the “Beast of Dufftown.” How did this legend arise?
As the fable goes, “when darkness falls, and the sapphire glow of the full moon
lights up the sky, a lone beast stirs amidst the shadows. As the singing stills
of Mortlach begin to play their haunting melody, a howl breaks and rings in
unison. The beast leaves no trace but his formidable song, vibrating throughout
the distillery, gives Mortlach its extraordinary, magnetic nature.”The bottle
itself features The Moonlit Beast, a beautiful illustration of a howling wolf
in front of the moon.
Mortlach, the Beast of Dufftown, is darkly robust, a
true creature of the moonlight shadows; this expression presents finely tuned
highlights that pour from its rich, primal heart. This expression is a magnificently
intense, well-structured Mortlach with a character that rises to new heights
inspired by virgin casks.
Within Diageo’s portfolio, Mortlach has one major
aspect that separates it from the rest: it’s all about sherry casks. The
12-year-old has a bit of American oak in its make up, but the other bottles in
the distillery’s range are focussed around rich sherry-matured flavours, which
pair up well with Mortlach’s meaty spirit. This whisky, however, is the exact
opposite, stripped back and focussed on virgin oak and refill casks. It could
be a bit of a shock for traditional Mortlach fans, but should leave them
intrigued.
Appearance: Full gold. Very good beading.
Body: Medium to full.
Nose: You can certainly get the influence of the virgin
oak on the nose, which has no shortage of freshly scraped vanilla bean to go
along with more savory influences. A mellow and rounded nose-feel lulls the
senses, then introduces a first soaring note of freshly oiled wood. Next,
rising through this, savoury and meaty notes suggest the beast within yet also
carry a sweet tartness, suggesting roast pheasant with redcurrant jelly. The
senses are heightened as these pitch perfect aromas in turn reveal a deeper
moorland base-note, rich in heather pollen and freshly crushed herbs. A drop of
water completes the anticipation, bringing out a sweet, fruity hint of lime.
Palate: The pleasure builds still more, as a big,
supersmooth texture envelops the palate. The wonderfully intense taste is
vanilla-sweet yet easily embraces a savoury finish, spicy-dry as the new oak
makes its presence felt, with a surprising kick of chilli-pepper in the
swallow. Magnificently feral and full of life on the palate, these flavours
race across the tongue.
Finish: Long and deeply impressive, with power, fruit
and spiciness in perfect harmony as a warming peppery glow spreads out in the
aftertaste, in which a dash of water brings up a fresh floral-herbal note to
light the deepening night.
Even with the sherry stripped out, Mortlach is a still
a bit of beast. Meaty spirit with loads of weight and some well-balanced creamy
cask character.
Talisker 8 YO, The Rogue Seafury, 59.7% ABV, £89.95
The Talisker 8 Year is a tried and true whisky since
1830. On the shore of Loch Harport, the island’s extremes impact the whisky’s
flavour profile, but the legend of a Rogue Seafury is a much better tale.
So how did this legend arise? Well, as the fable goes,
“on the rugged Isle of Skye stood Talisker, an enduring distillery with a
fierce protector of an otherworldly nature: the ferocious Sea Fury. Beneath the
smoky, mist-draped surface of the island’s dark waters, this leviathan of the
loch lay in wait, keeping watch over its ancient home, imparting the whisky
that leaves its shores with its powerful and unmistakably brine-licked
character.”
The Rogue Seafury features a beautiful illustration of
a sea dragon you would find on old maps to mark unexplored areas and haunting
details of this legend have been captured with masterful artwork.
The Isle of Skye is 50 miles long and the largest of
the Inner Hebrides. All the far western edge sits the oldest distillery on
Skye. Talisker makes a variety of whiskies. Their whisky is popular and even
has a cult-like following. Founded in 1830, the history of Talisker is filled
with ups and downs. The whisky was originally triple distilled, but eventually
reverted to double distillation in 1928. In 1960, heartache and tragedy took
the Talisker Distillery by surprise. A fire destroyed the stillhouse. It took
two years to replicate and replace the five stills lost in the fire.
This one more than lives up to the raw power of its illustration, being perhaps the punchiest and most purely intense bottle in this lineup. It’s unsurprisingly the strongest in terms of ABV, while also being the youngest—this is common in scotch, where cool climate aging often results in barrels losing proof over the years as they age. The press kit notes that this comes from Talisker’s most heavily peated reserves, and you need only to uncork it to get ample proof!
The maturation is described very simply here as
‘heavily peated refill casks’. This is not a whisky matured in casks that once
held heavily peated whisky, as thought suggested. Instead, the blending team took
a parcel of Talisker casks and tested the phenol levels in the matured spirit,
choosing only those with the highest readings – the smokiest casks – for this
release. Talisker with dialled up smokiness? You bet!
The maturation is described very simply here as ‘heavily peated refill casks’. This is not a whisky matured in casks that once held heavily peated whisky, as thought suggested. Instead, the blending team took a parcel of Talisker casks and tested the phenol levels in the matured spirit, choosing only those with the highest readings – the smokiest casks – for this release. Talisker with dialled up smokiness? You bet!
Nose: Rich and briny smoke bursts out of the glass: beach bonfires and buttery biscuits. Austere mineral and gravel notes are contrasted by puréed orchard fruit; fresh salt-and-pepper sea breezes are set against rich and earthy peat smoke. Barley sugar and fruit jelly notes develop, joined by damp green ferns.
Palate: A burst of sweetness pulls back to reveal intense smoke, liquorice and anise. Chocolate, spice and damp earth build, with the chocolate notes becoming creamy as salted caramel and green, leafy notes also develop.
Finish: Sea breezes and beach bonfires, just as at the start of the nose – full circle. Sweet apple sauce and a touch of crashing wave lingers.
This does exactly what it says on the tin – lashings of smoke and all the seaside Talisker character you could want. A stepping stone to the Islay distilleries’ bigger smoke, but well integrated with the salt-and-pepper spiciness of Talisker’s spirit.
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