Diageo has unveiled the third assortment of its Prima & Ultima collection of single malt Scotch whiskies. Assortment III options eight expressions, together with bottles of Port Ellen and Brora from the Nineteen Eighties in addition to debut appearances from Royal Lochnagar and Mannochmore, and is priced at £36,500 ($46,000 USD).
The Prima & Ultima releases encompass bottlings drawn from casks which can be the primary or final of their variety. The first assortment was launched in June 2020 and chosen by iconic whisky maker Dr Jim Beveridge OBE. For the second version, launched in August 2021, grasp blender Maureen Robinson selected the whiskies.
Diageo grasp blender Dr Craig Wilson selected the eight bottles for the third Prima & Ultima version. Wilson has performed a serious function within the restoration of the Brora spirit and oversees new releases from Port Ellen. He’s additionally grasp blender for Lagavulin, Dufftown, and Mortlach.
The theme of the third version is “A Second in Time” and the pure preservation of fossils and specimens. Every single malt within the assortment comes with an artifact to mirror the whisky’s story and is displayed throughout the accompanying set of 20ml samples supplied with every full set.
Prima & Ultima Assortment III whiskies:
- Royal Lochnagar – 1981 – Single Malt Whisky
- Cragganmore – 1973 – Single Malt Whisky
- Mannochmore – 1990 – Single Malt Whisky
- Brora – 1981 – Single Malt Whisky
- The Singleton of Glen Ord – 1987 – Single Malt Whisky
- Lagavulin – 1993 – Single Malt Whisky
- Talisker – 1984 – Single Malt Whisky
- Port Ellen – 1980 – Single Malt Whisky
“I’ve personally chosen every whisky with nice care, every an distinctive spirit marking a particular time within the distilleries’ historical past and whiskies that I’ve had the privilege to look at mature,” stated Wilson. “I’ve additionally chosen whiskies from Brora and Port Ellen. Within the 12 months we have fun the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, I’ve chosen the final ever Port Ellen 1980 cask, stuffed within the 12 months Her Majesty visited the distillery’s maltings. The Brora bottling is equally as treasured, taken from our final ever 1981 cask, making it one in every of our rarest Brora whiskies of all time.”
The Port Ellen 1980 is the oldest ever to be launched from the distillery, taken from two casks stuffed the 12 months the Queen visited the maltings, and the final of 1980. They matured completely on Islay, overlaying the whisky with notes of brine and seaweed. The Brora 1981, in the meantime, is taken into account the rarest publicly obtainable whisky from the distillery, and reveals a extra aromatic, much less peated aspect to the traditional model.
The final Talisker casks from 1984 convey one other maritime be aware to the gathering, whereas two exploratory whiskies – a Royal Lochnagar from 1981, the results of an experiment to seize the angels’ share, and a Mannochmore from 1990 uncovered to an uncommon maturation course of – seize the spirit of innovation.
The oldest whisky on this 12 months’s choice comes from the oldest casks of Cragganmore within the reserves, whereas a 28 12 months previous Lagavulin 1993 celebrates the start of a golden period of awards for the celebrated Islay distillery.
The Singleton of Glen Ord finishes the road up with a twin declare to the Prima & Ultima title, being the primary ever 1987 classic launch, taken from the final remaining casks of 1987.
Solely 317 units can be found for buy worldwide, priced at £36,500 ($46,000 USD).
For the primary time, a number of particular person bottles are additionally obtainable to buy providing the chance for fanatics, connoisseurs and collectors to expertise whiskies that may by no means be made once more.
These serious about buying a set or a single bottling from it ought to head over to www.theprimaandultimacollection.com.
To coincide with the discharge of the third version of the vary, Diageo is providing two ultra-rare casks of Brora and Port Ellen throughout a Sotheby’s public sale in London till June 14.
