Diageo launch the next batch of their single-cask collection of Malt Scotch Whiskies

Following the first batch launched in September, and a second collection released in January, Diageo are now launching the third batch of their single-cask collection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.

Among the seven expressions that feature in this third release are several single malts familiar to many malt whisky drinkers  –  Caol Ila™, Glenkinchie™, Glen Ord™ and Royal Lochnagar™.
But Dailuaine™, Inchgower™ and Mannochmore™ normally enjoy only very limited availability.

Each of the whiskies is drawn from one single oak cask, picked after a careful examination of distillery stocks, and bottled at its natural cask strength.

The collection encompasses all 27 of Diageo’s Single Malt Scotch Whiskies  –  the first time that Scotland’s biggest estate of Single Malt distilleries has issued a comprehensive series of single-cask bottlings. Labelled The Managers’ Choice because of the way the whiskies were selected, each distillery is represented by a special bottling of its Single Malt Whisky .

The rare limited-edition series is aimed at collectors and connoisseurs who will enjoy owning and exploring an unusual expression of their favourite Single Malt or even a whole anthology of highly individual Single Malts, chosen to represent a unique take on each of the 27 distilleries’ distinctive distillery character.

The releases are being staged in four batches over several months, starting in September 2009 and concluding in May 2010.

For each Single Malt, the cask was nosed, tasted, discussed and finally chosen as a highly distinctive expression of that distillery’s Single Malt by a judging panel of acknowledged experts, including leading maturation experts and the distillery managers themselves.

In many cases, unusual cask woods will have had their influence on the final result. Perfect maturation and spirit quality have been the criteria, resulting in a bottling that delights with original and sometimes unexpected flavours whilst allowing the distillery character to still shine through.

Depending on the size of the cask and the rate of evaporation over the years since it was filled, the volume of bottles obtained from the chosen casks can vary between approximately 640 and as little as 200. These are, consequently, extremely rare and distinctive whiskies.

Classic Malts Selection™ spokesperson Nick Morgan said: “This series has provoked a great deal of interest and comment. Many serious buyers, including those who know and enjoy our malt whiskies in their more familiar bottlings, are fascinated by the unique and unexpected insights and flavours that The Managers’ Choice offers. All of the whiskies intrigue and delight: some are simply outstanding.”

Full details, including tasting notes, are displayed on the Classic Malts Selection™ website www.malts.com. The updated website content includes the story of The Managers’ Choice and the selection process, a “Meet the Managers” page where they talk about The Managers Choice collection & questions related to the world of whisky, whisky tasting notes & audio, Q&A with a Sensory Expert, and details of where to buy the whiskies. Whisky enthusiasts registered as Friends of the Classic Malts™ have been given early notice of the launch.

Distribution

The Managers’ Choice bottlings are available from specialist retailers in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Benelux only.

Previous releases

September 2009 saw the first release of six malts: Cardhu™ (1997), Glen Elgin™ (1998), Linkwood™ (1996), Mortlach™ (1997), Oban™ (2000) and Teaninich™ (1996).

The second release in January 2010 comprised Blair Athol™ (1995), Cragganmore™ (1997), Dalwhinnie™ (1992), Dufftown™ (1997), Glen Spey™ (1996), Strathmill™ (1996), and Talisker™ (1994).

Release details – third release

Caol Ila 1997 366 Bodega Sherry – European Oak Rich sweet smoke with dried fruit aromas.

Dailuaine 1997 564 Bodega Sherry – European Oak Sweet woody aroma with smooth bitter notes.

Glen Ord 1997 204 Bourbon – American Oak Soft aroma.  Creamy with a lingering spicy finish.

Glenkinchie 1992 528 European Oak Fresh.  Cereal flavour with a hint of vanilla.

Inchgower 1993 564 Bodega Sherry – European Oak Sweet sherry nose with a long woody finish.

Mannochmore 1998 588 Bodega Sherry – European Oak Fruity Sweetness with a cereal taste.

Royal Lochnagar 1994 528 Bodega Sherry – European Oak Creamy with sweet citrus fruit aromas.

The UK RRP are as follows:

Caol Ila £300
Dailuaine £200
Glen Ord £250
Glenkinchie £250
Inchgower £200
Mannochmore £200
Royal Lochnagar £250

TASTING NOTES

Mannochmore™ 1998/2009, 59.1%, cask #6582, bottle 398/588, (Bodega sherry European oak

Colour: Rich amber with a gun-metal tint. Oily with elegant legs.
Nose:  Firm but not entrenched. Deceptive early aromas of linseed oil and putty quickly give way to a sharp, fresh, forest-fruit compote underscored by white chocolate, vanilla and beeswax. Water banishes the waxiness in an explosion of light, fruit-salad freshness.
Body:  Dense; though lightly syrupy with water.
Palate:  Fiery and insistent: An oily balance of sweet and sharp notes on a charred base of burnt orange peel; crêpes suzettes flamed for just a fraction too long in orange eau de vie. Lighter, more delicate and cooling with water; filled with the flavour of summer fruits, orange blossom and a whiff of peppermint.
Finish:  Warming and mentholic at cask strength; soft and fragrant with water. A surprising late sweetness, cut with orange oil, balances velvet-smooth, lengthy tannins and some very late, rounded, and much appreciated, smoke.
Comment:  A rich whisky at cask strength, perhaps moving to the after dinner slot; with water, more of the classic Mannochmore floral and fruit freshness. In both cases a beautiful balance of citrus sharpness and oaky-vanilla notes

Glenkinchie™ 1992/2009, 58.1%, cask #502, bottle 345/528, (European oak)

Colour:  Pale gold; Chardonnay.
Nose:  Delicate and refined with soft hints of lemon semifreddo and top notes of fresh straw and barley sugar. Later, smooth honey-and-lemon and the scent of marshmallows. With water, sweet and floral notes: Tuberose or Turkish delight dusted with powder sugar on a cereal base.
Body:  Rich and creamy.
Palate:  Light and drying. Immediate fresh citrus quickly develops into liquorice and eucalyptus notes at cask strength. Mineral hints. Rounded, cooling and faintly spicy with water.
Finish:  The fruit tang quickly gives way to lengthy mature oak off-set by creamy vanilla notes and very late menthol. Cooling with water; silky, yet drying. Cleansing. Appetising late cereal.
Comment:  A very delicate whisky composed of complex, though beautifully balanced, elements: Mediterranean citrus, exotic florals and creamy vanilla. Long and smooth in structure, and though light throughout, it is never superficial.

Glen Ord™ 1997/2009, 59.2%, cask #10181, bottle 089/204, (Bourbon American oak)

Colour:  Cool gold with warm, orange hints in sunlight.
Nose:  A quiet, confident complexity. Slightly winey with apple stalks, pear skins and suggestions of Cuban tobacco. Later, a balance of autumnal fruit acidity with hints of orange zest and Cognac warmth. Later still, mature, drying oak: pleasantly dusty with a trace of vanilla pod.
Body:  Medium. Extraordinarily silky with water.
Palate:  Rich and warming; oily and orangey. Then clean, drying oak: smooth dark cocoa, white chocolate and orange oil; moving to aromatic cedar, new leather and hints of spirits of turpentine. Richer and cooler with water; smoother, silkier and with the merest suggestion of peat.
Finish:  Long and rounded with a loving warmth. White chocolate mousse sprinkled with orange zest and shavings of fruity south American chocolate. Later, more cedar and tobacco: the memory of a walk-in humidor.
Comment:  A fabulously refined bourbon wood experience: an exquisite balance of fresh vanilla and oaky dryness; of oily richness and orange acidity. The courteous, urbane sophistication of Glen Ord and the youthful confidence of American oak producing a truly adult whisky.

Dailuaine™ 1997/2009, 58.6%, cask #8476, bottle 381/564, (Bodega sherry European oak)

Colour:  Antique gold; polished phosphor bronze.
Nose:  Fat. Immediate oaked chardonnay notes are balanced by big, soft, treacly, wodges of gingery Yorkshire Parkin. Later, slices of buttered malt loaf spread with honey and marmalade. Water reveals huge depth; Muscat notes of honey, buttery-vanilla and tropical fruits are complimented by cleansing wood-smoke.
Body:  Very rich; very dense.
Palate:  Warming. Spicy. Soft fig rolls. Medjool dates and smooth dark Swiss chocolate. Cooling and oilier with water: hints of menthol, aniseed and burnt sweet-shortcrust pastry.
Finish:  Smooth and warming. Creamy vanilla notes complement a syrupy ginger pudding spiciness. Later; drying, herbal oak. Lighter and longer with water, and seductive suggestion of Cherry-wood smoked malt.
Comment:  Instantly comforting, it is extremely well balanced at cask strength; taking time to reveal the full, indulgent, depth of fruity malt, creamy oak and smoke notes. Water cools, softens and dries. An incredibly pleasing and affirming whisky.

Royal Lochnagar™ 1994/2009, 59.3%, cask #837, bottle 346/528, (Bodega sherry European oak)

Colour:  Rich coppery-gold. Light legs.
Nose:  Big. Initially drying with slightly dusty, oaky notes; then masses of sherry. Homemade rum and raisin ice cream – dense with vanilla and tropical spice. In the far distance, pine resin and wraith-like phenols. Water releases patisserie aromas of glazed fruit tarts and orange blossom; later, sherbet powder [Keli for Scots].
Body:  Light to medium.
Palate:  Hot, thin and drying at cask strength. Herbal. Clove with hints of eucalyptus. Liquorice bitterness and linseed oil seek to obscure a base note of rich fruit-cake; and there is also a fugitive note of red berry tartness. Softer and sweeter with water; treacle toffee and orange oil soften some crunchy cereal notes.
Finish:  Warming and mentholic with a toasted cereal graininess. Again, clove and aniseed but now moderated with some molasses sweetness and a delicate, late cocoa dryness. With water, a richer dried fruit character emerges against a dustier, nuttier background.
Comment:  Mature oak harmonizes beautifully with the spice and cereal signature of Royal Lochnagar. An indulgent nose, rich in creamy vanilla and sweet, spicy notes, joined with a lengthy, malty palate. This expression also retains a pleasing light fruity freshness throughout.

Inchgower™ 1993/2009, 61.9%, cask #7917, bottle 369/564, (Bodega sherry European oak)

Colour:  Deep, polished mahogany with crimson flashes in sunlight.
Nose:  Initially, very reserved. Notes of liquorice, bubblegum and clove top the faintest hints of sawn oak, burnt oak and bitumen. Suggestions, too, of the sea; brine, ozone and salt air. Fresher with water; traces of pear, red apple, eucalyptus, linseed oil and sandalwood.
Body:  Thick.
Palate:  Astonishingly cool at first. Dense, with a near-impenetrable herbal bitterness. Italian bitters [Fernet Branca]. Rapidly becomes fierce and intensely drying. Pure liquorice and strong Assam black teas. Water transforms some tannin character into a perfumed, slightly oily, sweetness with hints of quinine and citrus pith.
Finish:  Beyond bitterness comes enormous complexity: Myrrh-like in its resinous astringency it hints at molasses sweetness; peat and tar, brine and ozone; burnt fruit cake, and late bitter chocolate.
Comment:  The essence of this exceptional malt, of truly hard core complexity when taken at cask strength, lies almost wholly in the finish. Though a challenge to decode, it will eventually yield its secrets with a little water and a patience.

Caol Ila™ 1997/2009, 58.0%, cask #14185, bottle 073/366, (Bodega sherry European oak)

Colour:  Gloriously attractive; clear, sparkly amber. Lightly viscous.
Nose:  Instant. Fresh. Invigorating. At first, acetic dryness fuses with honey, Beech wood-smoke, salty sea air and lemon juice. Wood-smoke rapidly becomes full-on coal tar as phenols move to the fore. Then, with water, a subtle, tropical fruit sweetness plays with its savoury partners; toasted cumin, porcini and sage-butter.
Body:  Light. Soft.
Palate:  Instant phenol. Sensuous. Coating. Pure smoke briefly cut through by a honeyed sweetness. Later fresh fennel and tarragon; followed by drying, oaky, vanilla and crunchy, grainy cereals.
Finish:  Long and smooth; sweet, smoky, herbal, earthy and peppery. Traces of clove. Splendidly savoury: the earthiness of beetroot, roasted with salt and virgin olive oil in a wood fired oven. Comforting late smoky breath. Complete.
Comment:  An outstanding whisky that just can’t help playing games with us: Is it sweet? Where’s the acid gone. Nope – here’s the lemon. Wait, where’s the honey? But that’s olive oil! Throughout, an unpredictable interplay of sweet, tart, savoury and smoky notes; astonishingly fresh and ferociously appetising. Caol Ila never fails to engage, surprise and delight.