Diageo launches first ever complete collection of single-cask malt whiskies

Diageo has announced the launch of its first single-cask collection of
single malt Scotch whiskies.

This is the first time that Scotland's biggest estate of single malt
distilleries has issued a comprehensive series of single-cask bottlings.

Labelled The Managers' Choice, the rare limited-edition series is aimed at
collectors and connoisseurs who will enjoy owning and exploring an unusual
expression of their favourite single malt or even a whole anthology of
highly individual single malts, chosen to represent each of 27
distilleries’ distinctive but authentic whisky signature.

The releases are being staged in batches over the next year. September 2009
sees the first release of six malts:

Cardhu™ distilled 1997 - 252 bottles
Glen Elgin™ distilled 1998 - 534 bottles
Linkwood™ distilled 1996 - 480 bottles
Mortlach™ distilled 1997 - 240 bottles
Oban™ distilled 2000 - 534 bottles
Teaninich™ distilled 1996 - 246 bottles

Full press release available here for download along with pack shots and
images capturing aspects of the selection process. Full press release also
has price details along with quote from spokesman Nick Morgan.

Each distillery is represented in The Managers’ Choice by a bottling of
its single malt whisky drawn from one single cask, selected after a careful
examination of distillery stocks. The cask was nosed, tasted, discussed and
finally chosen as the most distinctive expression of that distillery’s
single malts by a judging panel of acknowledged experts, including leading
maturation experts and the distillery managers themselves.

The single cask challenge

Diageo whisky specialist Craig Wallace
explained the challenge of selecting a single cask for a bottling that will
be made available to a discerning and knowledgeable consumer audience:

“When you’re selecting casks for a bigger bottling, you can work with a
wider variation of maturity, distillery character and wood influence
because you can even it out and aim for consistency. But when you are
bottling a single cask, you can't do that: you have to get the balance
totally right when selecting the cask. And it's highly unlikely, whatever
single cask you choose this time, that you'd ever be able to replicate that
precise flavour profile the next time you look for one. So finding a single
cask with just the right balance is actually very challenging.”

Full details, including tasting notes, are displayed on the Classic Malts
Selection website. The new website content (available from 4 September)
includes the story of The Managers’ Choice and the selection process, a
“Meet the Managers” page where they talk about The Managers Choice
collection & questions related to the world of whisky, whisky tasting notes
& audio, Q&A with a Sensory Expert, and details of where to buy the
whiskies.

Whisky enthusiasts registered as Friends of the Classic Malts™ have been
given advance notice of the launch.