The Special Releases first appeared in 2001 and have been released annually ever since. The collection has grown to be eagerly anticipated by whisky fans, consumers and collectors around the world. The whiskies included each year are designed to showcase some of the best and rarest whisky, both single malt and single grain, held within Diageo's extensive portfolio of maturing stocks.
McDowell's Reserve No.1 is the biggest selling whisky brand in India. Not only that but it is officially the largest seller in the world (source - Drinks International 2022 report) with an incredible 30 million 12-bottle cases sold every year. Infact, the first four whiskies on the world sales list are all Indian - McDowell's is joined by Imperial Blue, Officer's Choice and Royal Stag. These four brands push Johnnie Walker into fifth place. McDowell's sells six million more cases than its closest rival. The brand is engrained in Indian culture and regularly features in Bollywood movies and cricket sponsorship. McDowell's also release popular brandy and rum expressions, plus a ready-to-drink whisky and soda.
It is that time of the year again. Each Autumn the Special Releases are released by Diageo, Scotland's largest producer of whisky. The 2023 Edition features eight whiskies from across their 28 single malt distilleries, which show the diversity within their extensive portfolio. The series carries the title of Spirited Xchange this year and each whisky has been selected by Dr. Stuart Morrison, one of Diageo's Master Blenders.
This new limited edition single malt whisky is this year's bottling for the annual Fèis Ìle festival for the Islay distillery of Lagavulin. The Lagavulin Fèis Ìle 2023 Edition is bottled at 14 years of age and has been matured in American oak and European oak barrels before a finishing period in ex-Armagnac casks, which were sourced from France. This is the first ever expression of Lagavulin with such a finish. The casks were hand selected by Jordan Paisley, the Distillery Manager of Lagavulin. It is bottled at the natural cask strength of 58.4% ABV and will retail for £220. The Lagavulin 14 years old Fèis Ìle 2023 Edition is on sale from today at the distillery to celebrate their open day.
This whisky is a distillery exclusive bottling from the west Highland distillery of Oban. Oban Young Teddy is the second whisky in The Macleans Series, which honours the distilling legacy of the Maclean family and their long association with the Oban distillery. It follows Old Teddy, which was released in 2019 - this was dedicated to Old Teddy Maclean, their long-serving distillery manager who began working there in 1953. To read our review of Oban Old Teddy - click here. The new whisky is dedicated to his son, recently-retired Young Teddy Maclean, who joined in 1985. The legacy continues as Young Teddy's son, Derek Maclean, joined the distillery staff in 2017.
The Special Releases are an annual set of bottlings released by Diageo - Scotland's largest producer of whisky. The collection of whiskies appears each Autumn and has been given a theme for the last couple of years. The 2022 edition has been named Elusive Expressions and is designed to push the boundaries of cask strength whisky through the innovative use of casks and cask finishes. Each whisky has been created by Dr. Craig Wilson, Master Blender of the Special Releases programme.
This whisky is a new core range product from the Talisker distillery on the western isle of Skye. Talisker Surge will be a travel retail exclusive. The new whisky is designed to show the elemental stormy forces that shape Skye and the Talisker distillery. Surge features whiskies of differing ages that have been matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks. The travel retail exclusive will be available in UK airports from September, before being released in Asia during October and Australia in December. There will also be a Talisker sample bar located in Terminal 5 at London's Heathrow Airport during October and November. Talisker Surge is bottled at 45.8% ABV and will cost £85/ €95/ $115 US per bottle.
This limited edition bottling from the popular Singleton single malt brand celebrates the opening of its innovative new visitor centre at the Glen Ord distillery in the north Highlands. The Singleton of Glen Ord Celebratory Edition will only be available at the distillery in Muir of Ord, which is north of Inverness. It has been created by Maureen Robinson, the retiring Master Blender for The Singleton, and uses just 12 second-fill ex-sherry hogshead casks. It is designed to show off and enhance Glen Ord's fruity distillery character. The Celebratory Edition is bottled at 51.8% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. Details of the price were not included in the press release.
This whisky is the latest release from the famous Talisker distillery from the isle of Skye. It is their oldest ever single malt to date. The Talisker 44 years old : Forests of the Deep is a partnership with ocean conservation charity Parley For The Oceans. The collaboration saw wooden staves from Talisker whisky barrels taken on a research trip to kelp forests located off the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
The staves were then returned to Talisker and casks reconstructed before being 'marine charred'. This involved toasting the inside of the barrels with dried seaweed smoke. The whisky, which had previously been maturing for over four decades in ex-bourbon casks, was then finished for a few months in these special maritime barrels. For further information on the work Parley For The Oceans do or to donate - click here.
There are just 3,072 bottles and these are released at the natural cask strength of 55.2% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. It is on sale from Caol Ila Day (today, May 30) onwards. As Caol Ila is currently closed for major refurbishment, Caol Ila Day events will be held at the nearby Islay House instead. Bottles will be on sale there on a first come first served basis, at Lagavulin distillery and via www.malts.com. A bottle will cost £165.
Today is Lagavulin Day, the opening event at the annual Fèis Ìle festival on the famous whisky island of Islay. Each distillery on the island hosts a special day and release a limited edition whisky to celebrate. Lagavulin is always the first which makes this even more exciting. The Lagavulin Fèis Ìle 2022 Edition features casks selected by the distillery team including new Distillery Manager, Jordan Paisley.
The whisky was initially matured in re-fill American oak ex-bourbon hogsheads, before being finished in virgin American oak barrels. It has been released at 12 years of age and there are just 6,336 bottles in the batch. It has been bottled at the natural cask strength of 57.7% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour.
This whisky is the fourth bottling in the Blue Label Ghost & Rare series from Johnnie Walker. The best selling Scotch whisky brand created the limited edition series to highlight old and rare whiskies from closed distilleries. This new release focuses on the 'ghost' Speyside distillery of Pittyvaich, which only operated from 1974 to 1993 and was located in Dufftown. The whisky's creator is Dr. Jim Beveridge OBE, the Master Blender for Johnnie Walker, and features two other 'ghost' closed distilleries of Carsebridge and Port Dundas. Other rare whiskies included come from the Highland and Speyside distilleries of Auchroisk, Cragganmore, Mannochmore, Royal Lochnagar and Strathmill.
