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The Diageo
Special Releases 2022 offerings are a
rare Cameron Bridge 26 Year Old as well
as expressions from Cardhu, Clynelish,
Lagavulin, Mortlach, Oban, Singleton of
Glen Ord and Talisker.
It is that time of year once again, Diageo has unveiled its Special
Releases 2022 line-up, this year they
are offering whisky enthusiasts a
collection of seven cask strength,
single malts and one single grain Scotch
whisky which have
once again been hand-selected by Diageo Master Blender
Dr. Craig Wilson.
The Diageo Special Release 2022
highlights includes a Cameronbridge 26
Year Old, you may be surprised to hear
that this is the first time a single
grain whisky distilled at Cameronbridge
(Cameron Brig) has appeared in Diageo's
Special Release line-up.
There is a no age statement Mortlach,
which is said to offer gingery depth,
unique to the Speyside Dufftown
distillery. There is also a rare Cardhu
16 Year Old expression which has been
finished in Jamaican Rum casks for a
vibrant tropical sweetness.
As we have come to expect
in the Diageo Special Release line-up,
the Special Release stalwart Lagavulin
12 Year Old is back once again for its
21st appearance in the Special Release
line-up, matured in a combination of
virgin oak casks it is said to contain Lagavulin's smokiest reserves. The
Lagavulin 12 Year Old has long been a
favourite from the Special Reserve
line-up for many whisky enthusiasts, and with
good reason, all I have tasted in the
past have been outstanding expressions
but sadly Diageo have priced it out of
the reach of many whisky enthusiasts in
recent years and this year is no
different with a price tag around £135
for the Diageo Special Release 2022
Lagavulin 12 Year Old.
With over 30 Scotch whisky distilleries
in Diageo's portfolio to draw from, the
collection’s Master Blender Dr. Craig
Wilson can tap into over 10 million
casks that are currently resting in
Diageo's warehouses throughout Scotland,
narrowing it down to just eight
different bottlers must have been a very
pleasurable task.
All eight of the whiskies have been
bottled at cask strength, all are
limited releases, but Diageo
has not revealed
the numbers of each bottle that will be available
all I can tell you is that they will be available in limited quantities
worldwide.
So what are the the eight
Diageo Special Releases 2022, well they are as follows:
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Cameron Bridge 26 Year Old
Bottled at a cask strength of 56.2% ABV.
There is an undisclosed number of
bottles of this Cameron Bridge 26
year old Diageo Special
Release 2022 available worldwide.
Single Grain Scotch Whisky, 70cl - A
rarely seen, regal whisky still in
the prime of its years, with a
rich, sweet nature lightly
influenced by long years in cask,
and a spicy, peppery finish that
comes as a pleasing surprise.
Urbane yet determined; sweet and
smooth on the surface, but with hot
spices bubbling away beneath; quite
delicious.
Recommended Retail Price: £274.99
-
Cardhu 16 Year Old
Bottled at a cask strength of 58% ABV.
There is an undisclosed number of
bottles of this Cardhu 16 year old
Diageo Special
Release 2022 available worldwide.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl - A
richly honeyed Cardhu with lush,
tropically sweet, rum cask-rounded
flavours and peppery wood-spice,
which combine to create a vibrant
taste of paradise. Light on its
feet, lush and sweet while also
lively and fresh, with a
surprisingly spicy, peppery finish,
so making an especially exotic
apéritif malt.
Recommended Retail Price: £159.99
-
Clynelish 12 Year Old
Bottled at a cask strength of % ABV.
There is an undisclosed number of
bottles of this Clynelish 12 Year
Old Diageo Special
Release 2022 available worldwide.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl - An
unusual Clynelish with just a slight
trace of waxiness: the finishing
casks have added sweetness and
spiciness, developing the distillery
character in an interesting way.
Bright sweet fruitiness combines
with intense oakiness to create a
Clynelish of radiant sweet-spicy
intensity.
Recommended Retail Price: £175.99
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Lagavulin 12 Year Old
Bottled at a cask strength of 57.3% ABV.
There is an undisclosed number of
bottles of this Lagavulin 12 Year
Old Diageo Special
Release 2022 available worldwide.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl -
The King of Islay reborn as a
shimmering, flame-garlanded phoenix,
fit to power a soaring, deeply smoky
expression. An elemental Lagavulin
from virgin oak and our smokiest
reserves, in which rich, peaty casks
lead saltiness, spice and smoke on
their eternal dance with deep
sweetness.
Recommended Retail Price: £134.99
-
Mortlach (No Age Statement)
Bottled at a cask strength of 57.9% ABV.
There is an undisclosed number of
bottles of this Mortlach Diageo Special
Release 2022 available worldwide.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl - A
wonderfully intense, structured
Mortlach that ensnares the meaty
“Beast of Dufftown” in a deep,
spicy, ruby-red fruitiness forged in
a highly unusual combination of
maturation casks. A deliciously rich
expression of Mortlach’s dark, meaty
character that draws sweetness,
darkness, and depth together in a
mystical, intensely fruity union.
Recommended Retail Price: £249.99
-
Oban 10 Year Old
Bottled at a cask strength of 57.1% ABV.
There is an undisclosed number of
bottles of this Oban 10 Year Old
Diageo Special
Release 2022 available worldwide.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl -
Gentle on the nose, with maritime
aromas, this super-natural Oban has
a rich personality on the palate; a
second maturation in Amontillado
casks gently bringing new layers of
vibrancy and flavour.
Recommended Retail Price: £104.99
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Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Year Old
Bottled at a cask strength of 54.2% ABV.
There is an undisclosed number of
bottles of this Singleton of Glen
Ord 15 Year Old Diageo Special
Release 2022 available worldwide.
A lively expression of The Singleton
of Glen Ord; smooth and sweet, with
elegant winey notes intermingled
with luscious red fruits, it is also
spicy-dry, with a gingery heat.
Recommended Retail Price: £119.99
-
Talisker 11 Year Old
Bottled at a cask strength of 55.1% ABV.
There is an undisclosed number of
bottles of this Talisker 11 Year Old
Diageo Special
Release 2022 available worldwide.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl -
Elemental yet also classic in
character: maritime malty smokiness
merges smoothly with a tide of
spice-bright sweetness to form a
salt-laced monster that is truly
“Made by the Sea”. First-fill
ex-bourbon casks gift layers of
flavour; a luminous spiced sweetness
bathes storm-tossed notes of smoke
and sea in its irresistible glow.
Recommended Retail Price: £109.99
Dr. Craig Wilson Master Blender
commented on the Diageo Special Releases
2022 saying: "Today we reveal and
introduce Elusive Expressions, a
boundary-pushing collection with
flavours and finishes that truly
redefine what cask-strength whiskies can
be. From abundantly rich, to strikingly
rare flavours, each one is vividly
bought to life with new energy.
Featuring some of our oldest whisky
dynasties, we’ve embraced the flavour
contrasts that exist within the
collection, to create an unexpected
whisky experience."
The Diageo Special Releases 2022 are
currently available to from specialist online
whisky shops such as
The Whisky Exchange,
Hard To Find Whisky,
The Whisky Shop and
Master of Malt
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