Hooray, it's that time again: beverage producer Diageo has just completed the traditional Special Releases Single Malt Scotch Whisky collection of 2023 unveiled. The name this year? Spirited Xchange, with which Diageo will take you on a world tour to different countries and cultures, encased in beautiful bottles full of delicious flavours. Cheers!
Text: Gerben Bijpost
Different countries and cultures come together in this year's Special Releases. Spirited Xchange collection has been carefully curated by master blender Dr. Stuart Morrison with the aim of creating new, deeper and more complex flavours. "By experimenting with old and new types of casks from different cultures, including different wine casks and casks of local spirits, we came up with eight unique whiskies," Morrison explains. "For me, Spirited Xchange is about identifying and celebrating ideas, flavours and aromas that surround us every day and spark our curiosity."
The looks
That curiosity is enhanced by the design of the bottles and their packaging, consisting of highly detailed, fascinating packaging designs created by eight artists from around the world. Each piece of art in itself tells its own story, focused on an exclusive whisky from the collection. In doing so, the illustrations on the packaging material act as a kind of visual tasting notes, designed to convey the story and taste experience of each single malt whisky in the collection.
Highlights
A couple of whiskies that stand out as far as we are concerned are Lagavulin's 'The Ink of Legends', finished in a variety of Don Julio Añejo tequila casks. An homage to the ancient art of tattooing as well as the ever blissful smokiness of Lagavulin.
Singleton's 'The Silken Gown', finished in French Chardonnay de Bourgogne oak barrels. Appropriately illustrated with a radiant silk dress that really brings the flavour to life.
Talisker's 'The Wild Explorador', finished in a combination of white, tawny and ruby port casks. This whisky celebrates the sea, represented by an iconic Portuguese ship.And finally Glenkinchie's 27-year-old 'The Floral Treasure', one of the longest-aged bottlings to date.
Curious about the complete line-up of Spirited Xchange? You can find them here:
Mortlach - "The Katana's Edge" - NAD ABV: 58%
Cask: Combination of ex Kanosuke Japanese whisky and ex Pinot Noir casks
€304,99
Tasting note: Vigorous, vibrant and vital, the subtle influence of the finely balanced finishing casks helps show a side of Mortlach never before encountered that is deeply fruity and richly rewarding.
The Singleton - "The Silken Gown" - 14 YO ABV: 55%
Cask: Chardonnay de Bourgogne French Oak casks
€154.99 (70cl)
Tasting note: A Singleton of perfect poise and balance that is quite delicious and easy to enjoy. The finishing casks have brought a lovely smooth summery freshness to an already balanced dram.
Talisker - "The Wild Explorador" - NAD ABV: 59.7%
Cask: Combination of White, Tawnyand Ruby Port Casks
€144.99 (70cl)
Tasting note: A full-on Talisker with rich, robust flavours that has gained rounded, fruity notes from subtle finishing, which embrace but do not tame the classic Talisker character.
Clynelish - "The Jazz Crescendo" - 10 YO ABV: 57.5%
Cask: Matured exclusively in ex-bourbon American Oak casks
€204.99 (70cl)
Tasting note: A richly composed, subtle example of Clynelish, elegantly imbued with rich caramel sweetness and vanilla spice while retaining excellent distillery character.
Lagavulin - "The Ink of Legends" - 12 YO ABV: 56.4%
Cask: Don Julio Añejo Tequila casks
€194.99 (70cl)
Tasting note: To a Lagavulin at its most vigorous, delicious to drink and full of distillery character, the tequila finishing casks have brought indelible layers of bright, herbal smoke and dark plum fruit.
Oban - "The Soul of Calypso" - 11 YO ABV: 58%
Casks: Caribbean Pot still Rum Casks
€173.99 (70cl)
Tasting note: A bright, lively Oban, retaining the fusion of Highland and Island styles that defines the distillery character yet skilfully blending in the vivid passions and colours of a rum finish
Glenkinchie - "The Floral Treasure" - 27 YO ABV: 58.3%
Note: One of the oldest bottlings to date
€409.99 (70cl)
Tasting note: Tone of the oldest Glenkinchie releases ever bottled, with clear features remarkably little marked by age, wears a coat of rich spiciness while its grassy heart still beats within.
Roseisle - "The Origami Kite" - 12 YO ABV: 56.5%
Cask and note: First fill ex-bourbon and refill casks. Roseisle's first ever release to the public
€144.99 (70cl)
Tasting note: A fine baptism for a smoothly assured new malt that, in the style of this first-ever release, as in location, cleverly inhabits a country between the rich grassy, fruity bounty of central Speyside and the nutty-spicy notes of the Highlands.
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