Want Something Special? Try Diageo Special Release Whiskies 2011

Once again, it's that time of year where Diageo announce their special release bottlings. A selection of rare and unusual whiskies, which have been superb in previous years.

I'm positive the 2011 offering will be no different as it includes a 32 year old Brora, limited to only 1,404 bottles, and a Port Ellen, also at 32 years old (both are priced at approx. £300). These two iconic whiskies alone will undoubtedly sell out before retails have even received stock. Although I feel a majority are destined to linger in cupboards and on the shelves of collectors internationally, gathering dust, and rapidly increasing in value.

However, hope is in sight as a handful of enthusiast, such as Jon Beach at Fiddler's Highland Restaurant & Malt Whisky Bar, will for sure be cracking open a bottle, or two.

Jon hosts incredible vertical tastings, an example being at this years Feis Ile, where Jon put on a tasting of Port Ellen. Starting with the inaugural 2002 special release, and finishing on the 2010. It also included other independent bottlings of Port Ellen.  Money raise from the event, housed in the old Port Ellen Bottling hall, went to Charity. To read more on this tasting check out the caskstrength.net blog post here. 

In addition to the Brora and Port Ellen this years collection includes a 21 year old Rosebank (a guaranteed quick sell judging from the recent buying frenzy of the Single Malts of Scotland Rosebank release), a 40 year old Glenury Royal, a 20 year old Port Dundas, and not to mention old crowd pleasers like the Caol Ila Unpeated and Lagavulin 12 year old cask strength.

Normally, the launch of the Diageo special releases marks the start of the build up to Christmas, and impending release of some new interesting releases from the other brands too.

Hopefully, we'll see these whiskies pop up at The Whisky Show in London, October 7th - 8th, otherwise I'll keep you updated once more information on release dates have been confirmed. 

Update on Mon, September 12, 2011 by Diageo Whisky PR

Diageo’s prolific collection of single malt Scotch whiskies, the Classic Malts Selection™, is augmented every year by the issue of a small portfolio of limited edition single malts, under the heading of Special Releases.

The series has always aimed to intrigue, delight and sometimes surprise whisky connoisseurs and collectors, by presenting unusual,  rare, collectable  -  but always deeply enjoyable  -  expressions of single malt whisky, all from original distillery stocks.

The details for 2011 have now been announced. There are eight Special Releases this year; five are from closed distilleries;  and the whole production is less than 60,000 bottles. See http://tinyurl.com/4ggz6ow

As Diageo’s Nick Morgan explains, “We set out to include one or two really unexpected bottlings in the 2011 Special Releases collection. Very few whisky connoisseurs  -  possible none at all  -  will ever have encountered anything like the 20 year old glorious Port Dundas™ single grain whisky that we are offering this year, and since the distillery closed two years ago, it’ll be a rare experience for those who who get to try it now.

“By contrast, the 25 year old Knockando™ from first-fill ex-sherry casks might astonish those who thought they know this malt: this bottling is rich, deep-flavoured and very complex. The Glenury Royal™ at 40 years old is a very venerable (and inevitably expensive) bottling, an old-style after-dinner experience; but it shows no fatigue and is packed with flavour. Lovers of the Lowland style will be charmed by the Rosebank™ 21 year old.”