Diageo bottles its oldest single malt
Diageo’s Luxury Group has unveiled its first five-bottle collection in the new Rare Series, featuring 55-year-old Glenury Royal – the company’s oldest single malt bottling to date.
The new collection from the drink giant’s luxury division celebrates Scotland’s rich whisky heritage, featuring expressions from all regions across the country.
Julie Bramham, managing director of Diageo Luxury Group, said: “Rare Series is an ode to Scotland’s rich whisky heritage and its enduring influence on the world of luxury, where rarity is not created, but revealed over time.
“Through this collection, we have curated exceptional whiskies while opening the door to deeply personal experiences, connecting our global community of private clients to the stories, the people, and the legacy behind them. The collection as such is defined by provenance and character.”
The inaugural chapter of the evolving Rare Series features five whiskies: Talisker 1992, Caol Ila 1983, Clynelish 1983, Blair Athol 1991, and a 55-year-old single malt from the now-closed Glenury Royal Distillery, distilled in 1970.
The whiskies come from Diageo’s extensive inventory, which boasts over 10 million casks and more than 30 distilleries in Scotland.
Each whisky is crafted by the original distillers and their successors, representing ‘a precise expression of the unique character and distinctive qualities of its respective distillery’.
Dr Craig Wilson, Diageo master blender, added: “It is a privilege to unearth the exceptional Scotch whiskies in Rare Series, a collection celebrating the remarkable breadth of Scotland’s scattered whisky treasures.
“From the experimental richness of Talisker 1992 Rare Series to the historic Glenury Royal, which has been aged for more than half a century, and a Clynelish which embodies the distillery’s signature waxy character, each expression showcases rarity, diversity, and meticulous craftsmanship.
“We look forward to seeing the series evolve with future additions to come.”
Rare Series will be available exclusively via global registration with Diageo’s private client teams, including London-based Justerini & Brooks.
Inaugural chapter
The first five whiskies announced in the Rare Series feature some of Diageo’s ‘most distinguished and rare’ single malts.
The star of the first collection is the oldest single malt ever bottled by Diageo: a 55-year-old whisky from Glenury Royal Distillery. The now-demolished distillery ceased production in 1985.
Distilled in 1970, the whisky has been matured in American oak hogsheads and married in European oak puncheons before being bottled at 62.4% ABV.
The rare release is limited to 232 bottles, with a pre-tax price of US$6,350 (£5,700 including tax).
Talisker 1992 Rare Series is a 33-year-old experimental small batch whisky from the Isle of Skye, initially aged in refill American and European oak casks and finished for more than 20 years in amoroso-seasoned American oak hogsheads.
Bottled at 60.1% ABV, the Talisker is limited to 331 bottles and priced at US$1,300, excluding tax (£1,200 incl tax).
The third expression, Caol Ila 1983 Rare Series, is a 42-year-old single malt: the oldest bottling ever released from the Islay-based distillery.
Matured in American oak casks and married in European oak puncheons, the whisky is bottled at 56.4% ABV and limited to 318 bottles.
The Caol Ila is priced at US$3,000, ex tax (£2,700 incl tax).
Clynelish 1983 Rare Series was matured in American oak hogsheads for 42 years before being bottled at 49.5% ABV.
Limited to 160 bottles, the release retails for US$4,000, ex tax (£3,600 incl tax).
The final charter one expression, Blair Athol 1991 Rare Series, is the first whisky from the Highland distillery to be matured in ex-sherry European oak casks and finished in sweet Pedro Ximenez–seasoned new American oak hogsheads.
With an ABV of 50.8%, the 34-year-old single malt is limited to 347 bottles retailing for US$900, ex tax (£800 incl tax).
Future Rare Series releases will only be unveiled when ‘the whiskies demonstrate their finest character’, as determined by Diageo’s master blenders, with exclusive first access offered to the company’s private clients.
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