My post is a bit late to the party, but I didn’t get around to it yesterday.
In the mysterious of Diageo the list of Special Releases was announced yesterday, but not through their PR company (Cognis PR) or their ‘dedicated’ Twitter account (@SpecialReleases). For some reason, blogs were the ones getting the news out this year.
The list of special releases, including their Recommended Retail Price in pounds is below.
DISTILLERY
|
AGE AT BOTTLING
|
YEAR DISTILLED
|
UK RRP
|
%
|
# OF BOTTLES
|
SINGLETON OF GLENDULLAN
|
38
|
1975
|
£750
|
59.8%
|
3,756
|
CAOL ILA UNPEATED
|
15
|
1998
|
£75
|
60.39%
|
10,668
|
CAOL ILA
|
30
|
1983
|
£425
|
55.1%
|
7,638
|
CLYNELISH
|
SELECT RESERVE
|
1999* (youngest whisky in vatting)
|
£500
|
54.9%
|
2,964
|
CRAGGANMORE
|
25
|
1988
|
£299
|
51.4%
|
3,372
|
LAGAVULIN
|
12
|
2002
|
£80
|
54.4%
|
31,428
|
PORT ELLEN
|
35
|
1978
|
£2,200
|
56.5%
|
2,964
|
ROSEBANK
|
21
|
1992
|
£300
|
55.3%
|
4,530
|
BENRINNES
|
21
|
1992
|
£240
|
56.9%
|
2,892
|
BRORA
|
35
|
1978
|
£1,200
|
48.6%
|
2,964
|
STRATHMILL
|
25
|
1988
|
£275
|
52.4%
|
2,700
|
(Table comes from Neil and Joel at Caskstrength Whisky Blog)
Of course, the discussion has been about Diageo’s pricing which automatically makes these whisky unreachable for all except the wealthiest of us, or those who saved up enough money over the last year for that one special bottle.
I have to say that compared to the last couple of years, I have the feeling the prices haven’t soared that much higher. And, whether the Port Ellen costs £ 1200 or £ 2200, the likeliness of me buying one is there in none of those two situations.
I am interested in the 12 year old Lagavulin, as I am every year and this year I just might have enough budget to get it when it gets there. Usually I forget about these releases, spend all my money and then have to start saving again when they popup, only to find they’ve all been sold by the next month.
Anyway, I let you form your own opinion on these bottles. I’m sure all of them sell eventually, with the Port Ellen and Brora being gone in minutes after release. It’s a strange world we live in.

They look gorgeous, though!
I wonder why they didn’t communicate themselves around it. The same goes for the new Mortlachs… I thought we already passed the “We have to be on Twitter, create an account and do nothing further” stage already for the big money companies… Obviously wrong!