Singleton bottles 54-year-old Scotch for £28,850

Diageo has revealed the second and final bottling in The Singleton’s Paragon of Time Collection: a 54-year-old 1966 vintage single malt Scotch.

The 54-year-old is the oldest single malt from The Singleton to date, comprising only 235 bottles.

Bottled at 44.1% ABV, the whisky has been priced at £28,850 (US$40,000) per 700ml bottle. It will be available in the UK, the US and across Asia in China, Singapore and Taiwan from June.

Maureen Robinson, The Singleton malt master, said: “Originally filled in 1966, this European oak cask is the closest to the end of the old slow-craft period that we have ever released.

“The old distillers of the past laid down this cask and it is a privilege for me to be able to awaken their crafted spirits over half a century later with a final chapter from today.

“I see it as a beautiful balance of the old art of craft and using our modern finishing to present a precious whisky of layered, balanced and exceptional richness.”

Robinson finished the single malt in a single Pedro Ximénez-seasoned cask.

Tastings notes include fenugreek leaf, parsley and treacle toffee, leading to flavours of dried figs, peppery spice, clove-studded oranges and hint of burnt raisins.

The final edition in the Paragon of Time Collection will be presented in a bespoke, leather-lined wooden cabinet.

The 54-layered ridged setting for the decanter was inspired by the Scottish mountain landscape. The decanter was hand-crafted by Baccarat in France.

The first release in the Paragon of Time Collection was a 53-year-old Singleton single cask whisky, of which only 117 bottles were created.