Following the first batch launched in
September 2009, Diageo have announced that
the second batch of their single-cask
collection of Single Malt Scotch
Whiskies has arrived.
The project encompasses all 27 of
Diageo’s Single Malts - 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, each distillery is represented
by a very restricted bottling of its
Single Malt Whisky drawn from one single
cask, selected after a careful
examination of distillery stocks.
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. September
2009 saw the first release of six malts:
Cardhu (1997), Glen Elgin (1998),
Linkwood (1996), Mortlach (1997), Oban
(2000) and Teaninich (1996).
The Managers Choice second release comprises
of:
- Blair Athol 1995
- Cragganmore 1997
- Dalwhinnie 1992
- Dufftown 1997
- Glen Spey 1996
- Strathmill 1996
- Talisker 1996
For each Malt, the cask was nosed,
tasted, discussed and finally chosen as
a highly distinctive expression of that
distillery’s Single Malts 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 can vary between
approximately 600 and as little as
200.These are, consequently, extremely
rare and distinctive whiskies.
Each cask is bottled at its natural cask
strength. This means that the liquid the
connoisseur pours into his or her glass
is exactly as it emerged directly from
the cask when it was hand-picked a few
months earlier by the experts - it's as
good as a dram drawn from the cask in
the warehouse itself.
Classic Malts Selection spokesperson
Nick Morgan said: "As we said last year
when the first batch of The Managers’
Choice was launched, this is the most
extensive collection we’ve ever released
of single cask malt whisky bottlings,
from all 27 of our operational malt
distilleries.
“Our announcement last September
provoked a great deal of interest and
comment. The release was a huge success,
with a number of customers asking for
more allocation. It met all our
commercial expectations: in some
territories, these bottlings turned out
to be the fastest-selling
limited-edition single malt whisky
bottlings we have ever launched. We
expect the second batch, which like
before offers both celebrated and
lesser-known single malt whiskies, will
also be very well received."
Watch this space for news of the next
batch of releases in this rare
limited-edition series which should be
in March 2010 or simply subscribe to
our free
Whisky
Newsletter and we will let you know
by email.
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