Today Diageo unveils its Spirited Xchange Special Releases Scotch Whisky Collection celebrating the journey of Scotch, countries and cultures around the world.
Drawing from Diageo’s world-famous portfolio Master Blender Dr. Stuart Morrison has carefully selected eight rare and collectible Single Malts for his inaugural Special Releases collection.
By fusing unique casks which showcase different crafts and finishes that honour local cultures, Dr. Stuart Morrison has created an incredible collection of unexplored flavours to delight Scotch whisky enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.
“This year, we’re proudly revealing our new series of distillery-first expressions: Spirited Xchange Special Releases 2023. For me, Spirited Xchange is about identifying and celebrating the ideas, flavours, and tastes that surround us each day and inspire our curiosity to create. This collection has given us the opportunity to roam freely through our vast portfolio and experiment with old and new cask types, including various wine and local spirits casks to create eight one-of-a-kind expressions that we’ve never imagined before.”
Master Blender, Dr. Stuart Morrison
The artworks are visual tasting notes, placing the expression at the centre of the experience and exploring the flavours that emerge from the local spirit casks:
- Mortlach ‘The Katana’s Edge’, finished in ex-Kanosuke Japanese whisky and ex-Pinot Noir casks, is illustrated with a golden gleam that represents the flash of umami that cuts through the ripe, fruity sweetness of this stunning expression.
- The Singleton ‘The Silken Gown’, finished in rich Chardonnay de Bourgogne French Oak casks, brims with warm toffee and rippling layers of buttery golden fruit, characterized by textures of a luminous and enchanting silk gown.
- Talisker ‘The Wild Explorador’, finished in a combination of White, Tawny and Ruby Port Casks, celebrates the sea with currents of spice and waves of dark fruit, finished with a splash of sea salt, embodied by an iconic Portuguese vessel.
- Lagavulin ‘The Ink of Legends’, honours the ancient art of tattooing using impressive illustrative strokes and highly saturated colours. Lagavulin’s renowned smokiness is given the Special Releases treatment, masterfully finished in Don Julio Añejo tequila casks, the resulting whisky is a stunning blend of bright herbs and juicy plums.
Inspired by Scotch’s global journey of discovery, this year’s collection also explores a variety of ages and spirits characters, delivering new depth of complexity and capturing the essence of cultural exchange through unique layers of flavour:
- Roseisle distillery is proud to join the Special Releases collection for the first time with its first public release: ‘The Origami Kite’, etched with sweet vanilla notes and a touch of molasses.
- Glenkinchie ‘The Floral Treasure’ 27 Year Old expression is one of its most mature bottlings to date, carrying lush floral aromas and sweet flavours resembling a Spring morning.
- Oban ‘The Soul of Calypso’ epitomises the essence of the vivid energy of Caribbean culture with vibrant flavours of tropical fruit mango and sugar cane emerging from the Caribbean pot still rum casks.
- Clynelish ‘The Jazz Crescendo’ is a dulcet symphony of vanilla spice and smooth caramel notes, flowing from its exclusive maturation in ex-bourbon American Oak casks.
To celebrate the spirit of cultural collaboration, tastemakers from around the world have come together in Scotland to curate a whisky experience that connects and celebrates flavour, craft and art.
In collaboration with world class chefs, bartenders and artists, Spirited Xchange will awaken on an immersive evening where sounds, visuals and flavours collide to tell the remarkable stories of Talisker, Lagavulin and The Singleton.
The 2023 Special Releases collection will be available in limited quantities from malts.com from 18th September 2023.
Dram Gazette 