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Diageo unveils third Orphan Barrel whiskey

Diageo is releasing the third expression in its Orphan Barrel series of “forgotten” whiskies from around the world, with the launch of Rhetoric.

Rhetoric Whiskey  is the third release in Diageo’s “craft whisky” Orphan Barrel project

A 20-year-old American whiskey created from stocks distilled at the New and Old Bernheim distilleries in Louisville and gathered from warehouses at the mothballed Stitzel-Weller distillery, Rhetoric will be available on limited release in the US this month.

Diageo intends to reserve some stocks of Rhetoric for further aged releases under the brand over the next few years, which will progressively age as time goes on. The next release from Rhetoric will be a 21-year-old in 2015, before a 22-year-old in 2016.

The drinks group claims the Rhetoric series allows consumers to see the effects of the maturation process through a collectable range of whiskeys.

“Ageing whiskey is a fascinating process and one that whiskey aficionados around the world love learning about,” said Ewan Morgan, Orphan Barrel master of whiskey.

“I’ve no doubt the progressive ageing and release of Rhetoric will merit some spirited debate among us whiskey geeks about which year tastes best.”

Rhetoric is said to have notes of “smoked vanilla, toasted rye and dried fruit”, and carries an RRP of US$85.

The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Co. is the “craft” whisky project launched by Diageo earlier this year through which the group plans to bottle and release several “lost and forgotten” whiskies. All releases under the umbrella are bottled at the Orphan Barrel headquarters in Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Also in the range are Barterhouse and Old Blowhard.

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