Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Review - Diageo Prima & Ultima Collection



The Prima & Ultima Collection are a new set of super-premium old and rare whiskies collated from around its extensive estate of Diageo, Scotland's largest produced of whisky. There are eight whiskies in total and each bottling is either the first or the last of its kind from a distillery - this marks a particular point or story in history of each place. They have been selected by whisky industry legend Dr. Jim Beveridge OBE, a 40-year veteran at Diageo and senior member of the blending team.

The eight bottles come from a diverse set of distilleries and are all bottled at their natural cask strength. There will be only 238 complete sets. These will retail for £20,000/ $25,000 US and global registration is now open. Registration is via www.exceptionalwhisky.com. Each complete set is accompanied by a limited-edition book of personal stories from curator Dr. Jim Beveridge OBE and a 20ml sample of each whisky.

The price for remaining individual bottles and how or where to buy them were not included in the press release. All are released at their natural cask strengths and are non chill-filtered and of natural colour.

Our Tasting Notes

Caol Ila 1984
 
35 years old/ 50.8% ABV/ Cask #5773/ 499 bottles/ Islay

This whisky is taken from a single re-fill European oak butt and is one of the last remaining casks containing a 'revised Islay style' of Caol Ila from the 1980s.

The colour is deep gold with a tint of amber and the nose is a lovely mix of sweet and savoury. Aromas of caramel and dried fruit (think of sultanas and currants especially) mingle with delicate and slightly understated peat smoke - this has an earthy and ashy feel to it.

On the palate this immediately shows more peat smoke than the nose suggests. This has a distinct ashy, charcoal-like quality and is reminiscent of long-dead bonfire embers. There is also a floral note associated with this, which is hard to pinpoint but reminds us of Spring flowers such as primrose and violet. These notes are wrapped around a central sweetness - think of hard caramel and toffee combined with dried fruits such as raisin, sultana and currants, maybe a hint of fig. Underneath are pinches of baking spice and cocoa powder, along with some dried tobacco leaf.


Clynelish 1993
 
26 years old/ 49.8% ABV/ Cask combo/ 941 bottles/ Highlands

A combination of re-fill American oak casks that were some of the first to be filled after a distinct waxiness was detected in Clynelish's spirit, a quality that the distillery is now well known for.

The colour is a deep golden yellow and the nose has an immediate aroma of tropical fruit with a pleasant background oily and earthy quality. There are also hints of red apple, cinnamon and a twist of lemon zest.

On the palate this whisky has a viscous, creamy and mouth coating feel. The tropical fruit notes hit first - think of pineapple, lychee, peach and a hint of mango especially - and this juiciness is quickly joined by a complex mix of more savoury notes. There is an earthy, almost sooty, quality now and it reminds us of dried spices (especially cardomon, cinnamon, clove and a pinch of ginger) and earthy roots such as ginseng. The finish is warming and long. The tropical sweetness and fruitiness fades and the earthy/sooty element becomes more prominent.


Cragganmore 1971

48 years old/ 43.7% ABV/ Cask #2301/ 352 bottles/ Speyside

This single first-fill ex-sherry butt was the last to be filled with spirit made from Cragganmore's coal-fired stills before they were converted to oil-fired steam heating.

The colour is deep amber, almost mahogany, and the nose is rich and packed with tropical fruits and deep earthy spice aromas. Toasted cinnamon stocks and all-spice mingle with grilled pineapple and mango. Underneath is hard caramel and peanut brittle. It is a heady mix.

On the palate this whisky is initially very savoury with an oily feel - first come those deep earthy spices (especially cinnamon, and clove) and the faintest hint of soft sooty peat smoke. Dark chocolate, cocoa nibs and espresso coffee mix with beeswax furniture polish, cedarwood and sandalwood. Then comes the tropical fruit, over ripe with one sip and chargrilled with the next, followed by treacle and hints of apricot jam and a twist of dried orange peel, possibly candied peel. The finish is long and warming with an interesting note of gingerbread developing right at the end, and a pinch of white pepper.


Lagavulin 1991

28 years old/ 50.1% ABV/ Cask combo/ 1013 bottles/ Islay

This whisky has been matured in a selection of re-fill American oak hogshead casks that were filled in the early 1990s, just after the distillery's Islay style had been redefined.

The colour is golden yellow and the nose is packed with peppery hot, earthy peat smoke. This has a feel of damp moss and freshly turned soil to it. There is also a lovely malty sweetness along with honey, vanilla, butterscotch and golden syrup.

On the palate this whisky follows a similar pattern to the nose. There is an immediate boldness to it and it is the peat smoke that leads the way. This is largely savoury but has a sweet unexpected twist to it - think of damp moss, earth and wet heather. This becomes well integrated with a rich sweetness - again, imagine honey, butterscotch and golden syrup but with some milk chocolate - and expressive maltiness, which give a hint of bittersweet quality. The warmth and peppery nature continue through to the finish, which also includes a very late ashy note. Very classy.


Mortlach 1994

25 years old/ 55.1% ABV/ Cask #2652/ 389 bottles/ Speyside

This single cask is a rare 'double seasoned' cask - a first-fill Pedro Ximenez sherry & Oloroso sherry seasoned European oak butt - and one of the last of its kind that was used.

The colour is a deep golden yellow and the nose has a rich, slightly heavy feel to it. Aromas of caramel dominate, along with a distinct nuttiness (especially toasted almond and walnut) and hints of treacle toffee, dried orange and coffee grounds.

On the palate this whisky has a heavy and slightly oily quality. Caramel notes lead the way as on the nose and this is followed by further notes of orange oil, hard toffee sweets, raisins and black treacle tart. Then comes a distinctive maltiness and that nuttiness from the nose again - this adds to the heavy/viscous feel mentioned. Underneath are hints of cinnamon spice, cedarwood, mace and the faintest suggestion of dried tobacco leaf/cigar box. The finish is long and warming, becoming increasingly dry. The sweet elements fade to leave the savoury ones to the fore.


Port Ellen 1979

40 years old/ 51.2% ABV/ Cask #6422/ 436 bottles/ Islay

This single cask is one of the last remaining re-fill European oak butts from the Islay distillery of Port Ellen prior to its closure in 1983.

The colour is golden and the nose has a wonderful mix of sweet, peaty and seaside aromas - think of vanilla, golden syrup and candied lemons mixed with earthy, ashy peat smoke and hints of seaspray and kelp. Underneath are hints of ripe tropical fruit, shortbread and dusty wood spices.

On the palate it is the ashy peat smoke that hits first and this then weaves its way through the other characteristics, accentuating them as it does. The smoke is soft and drying. Juicy tropical fruits (especially mango and papaya), golden syrup and a hint of warm gingerbread are joined by a distinct biscuit-like malty cereal note. Then comes the candied lemon from the nose with a hint of lime too, plus dried kelp. Late dusty spices add to the depth and complexity - think of all-spice, cinnamon and white pepper. It is so multi-layered. The finish has great depth and swings from sweet to earthy to drying and spicy.


Singleton of Dufftown 1988

30 years old/ 48.8% ABV/ Cask combo/ 469 bottles/ Speyside

This whisky is a marriage of the last three remaining casks, all re-fill American oak, that were filled in 1988 from the Dufftown distillery in Speyside.

The colour is golden yellow and the nose is filled with aromas of green apple, vanilla and delicate baking spices. There are also hints of soft peaches and milk chocolate.

On the palate this whisky feels soft and creamy in the mouth. Vanilla custard is the first note to come through, along with some stewed apple and poached pears. Underneath are plenty of delicate baking spices - cinnamon, all-spice, mace, ginger and a pinch of clove - and a gentle malty note. There are also background floral notes that are reminiscent of jasmine and rose, along with milk chocolate and cocoa powder. The combination is delicious and mouth watering. The finish is long and fruity, especially once the spices fade, and filled with apple and pear.


Talisker 1988

31 years old/ 51.4% ABV/ Cask combo/ 721 bottles/ Skye

Another marriage of casks, this time a combination of the last six remaining casks that Talisker filled in 1988. All are re-fill American oak casks and contained an unusual less peated version.

The colour is deep yellow and the nose is rich and peppery with sweet vanilla, heather honey and fruit syrup mixing with punchy toasted spices and peat smoke. Underneath are further aromas of damp cereals, soft red apple and milk chocolate.

On the palate this whisky immediately grabs the tastes buds with its vibrancy. The peppery peat smoke combines with the sweet elements from the nose - honey, vanilla and syrup - to give a good first impression. Then come notes of stewed apple, cinnamon-spice and fine chocolate granache with hints of red chilli, cocoa powder and dried seaweed. Further depth of flavour is added by developing notes of star anise, liquorice and a hint of maple syrup. The finish is long and very warming. The peppery nature nevers leaves and lingers longest as the other characteristics slowly fade.


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