Whisky Focus - Diageo Special Releases 2017

Diageo has now revealed the full details (all except the prices) of their Diageo Special Releases 2017, there are a few usual suspects which whisky connoisseurs have come to expect in the annual release such as the popular Lagavulin 12 year old, an unpeated Caol Ila, this year it is an 18 year old expression from the Islay distillery and a couple most of us can only dream about, namely a Port Ellen 1979 with a £2,625 price tag and a Brora 1982 price yet to be revealed.

In total the 2017 outturn comprises of 10 whiskies, 8 single malt whiskies, 1 single grain and for only the 4th time in the 16 year history of the Special Release series there is a No Age Statement blended malt although for the first time it is a blended malt which contains whisky from all 28 of Diageo's operational distilleries which they have rather appropriately named Collectivum XXVIII.

Collectivum XXVIII was matured in a combination of refill American oak hogsheads, refill European oak butts, ex-bodega European oak and first fill American Bourbon casks and it has been bottled at 57.3% ABV. As for the availability of the Collectivum XXVIII, Diageo haven't revealed the number of bottles available other than to say it will have "Limited Availability", neither have they revealed the price yet, but here's hoping that it is a drinkable price for what could potentially be an outstanding whisky given the incomparable maturing stock they would have been able to select from.

The oldest whisky in this years release and the oldest ever release in the Diageo Special Release series to date is the Port Dundas 52 year old, a single grain whisky from the Port Dundas distillery which sadly closed back in 2011 but at its peak it was the largest distillery in Scotland.

As always there are a few rarely seen single malts amongst the releases, such as a Glen Elgin 1998 18 year old, Blair Athol 1993 24 year old and a Teaninich 1999 17 year old.

The complete Diageo Special Release 2017 line-up looks like this:

• Blair Athol 24 Year Old
  Distilled 1993 and bottled at 58.4% ABV. Matured in Ex-Bodega European Oak Butts. Limited to 5,514 bottles worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: Yet to be revealed.
   
• Brora 34 Year Old
  Distilled 1982 and bottled at 51.9% ABV. Matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads. Limited to 3,000 bottles worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: Yet to be revealed.
   
• Caol Ila 18 Year Old
  Bottled at 59.8% ABV. Matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads. Limited quantities worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: Yet to be revealed.
   
• Collectivum XXVIII NAS
  Blended malt bottled at 57.3% ABV. Matured in a combination of refill American oak hogsheads, refill European oak butts, ex-bodega European oak and first fill American Bourbon casks. Limited quantities worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: Yet to be revealed.
   
• Convalmore 32 Year Old
  Distilled 1984 and bottled at 48.2% ABV. Matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads. Limited to 3,972 bottles worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: Yet to be revealed.
   
• Glen Elgin 18 Year Old
  Distilled 1998 and bottled at 54.8% ABV. Matured in Ex-Bodega European Oak Butts. Limited to 5352 bottles worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: Yet to be revealed.
   
• Lagavulin 12 Year Old
  Bottled at 56.5% ABV. Matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads. Limited quantities worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: £90
   
• Port Dundas 52 Year Old
  Distilled 1964 and bottled at 44.6% ABV. Matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads. Limited to 752 bottles worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: Yet to be revealed.
   
• Port Ellen 37 Year Old
  Distilled 1979 and bottled at 51% ABV. Matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads & Refill American Oak Butts. Limited to 2,988 bottles worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: £2,625
   
• Teaninch 17 Year Old
  Distilled 1999 and bottled at 55.9% ABV. Matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads & Refill American Oak Barrels. Limited quantities worldwide.
  Recommended Retail Price: Yet to be revealed.

The Diageo Special Releases 2017 will soon be available from specialist whisky shops such as Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange
 

• UK Shops
   
• USA Shops
   
• European Shops
  

Whisky Focus