Diageo has expanded its exclusive Rare Series collection with the release of two more aged single malts: a 41-year-old Convalmore from Speyside and a 36-year-old Dalwhinnie from the Highlands.
This marks the second instalment in the evolving ultra-rare scotch lineup since its April launch, with the additions highlighting in particular the heritage and character of long-matured Scottish whiskies.
The theme of this latest release centers on Scotland’s remote landscapes and the rugged intensity of the harsh Scottish winter. By drawing inspiration from these isolated distilleries and extreme environments, the drinks giant continues to build a collection tailored for collectors and enthusiasts of rare scotch.
Sourced from a ghost distillery in Scotland’s northeast, the Convalmore 1984 Rare Series is matured in four refill American oak casks filled shortly before the facility permanently shuttered in 1985. Historically, almost the entire output of the distillery was earmarked for blending, serving as a core malt in iconic releases like Black & White.
Liquid from the now-silent distillery has been bottled by Diageo just five times previously, notably making an appearance in Diageo’s Prima & Ultima second release which included a vatting of three refill American oak hogsheads filled on 22 November 1984.
On the other hand, the Dalwhinnie is crafted at one of Scotland’s highest and coldest distilleries. The 1989 Rare Series is an 36-year-old single malt shaped by extreme high-altitude maturation, matured in Amoroso sherry-seasoned American oak hogsheads and elevated by an extended four-plus-year finishing period.
The brand has said the expression highlights a honeyed richness and the scent of wild moorland.
Dalwhinnie has long been a pillar of Diageo’s single malt portfolio. In the late 1980s, predecessor company United Distillers selected the Highland distillery as one of six benchmarks to represent the diverse flavor profiles of Scotland's main whisky regions.
Diageo stated that future instalments will only be released when the whiskies reach peak maturity, as determined by the company's Master Blenders.
Kanpai
88 Bamboo Editorial Team
