Some of Diageo’s Special Releases have leaked. There will be a 2nd release of a Clynelish NAS, much like the Clynelish Select Reserve from last year. Of course there will also be a new Port Ellen and a new Brora, 32 years and 37 years in age respectively. Below is the complete list, but first a short explanation of where this information is coming from.
The official press release usually arrives somewhere in September, but luckily the American Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has a public registry, in which they publish whisky labels that have been approved by them. Sku from Sku’s Recent Eats has been publishing interesting new releases from this database for years. He always posts a disclaimer, which I’ll reiterate here. It is important to keep in mind that the fact that a label appears on the TTB database does not necessarily mean it will be produced. In addition, some details on the label, such as proof, can change in the final product.
So now, without further ado, here are some of Diageo’s Special Releases for 2015.
- Brora 37yo 14th Release
- Caol Ila 17yo Unpeated Style
- Clynelish NAS 2nd Release 2015
- Dalwhinnie 25yo Limited Release
- Lagavulin 12yo Cask Strength
- Port Ellen 32yo 15th Release
This is really all the info there is. Most likely Diageo will announce a few other releases as well. For now, you’ll have to make do with this list. Let the speculating about the prices begin! 🙂
UPDATE (16/08/2015): Two new expressions of the Diageo Special Releases have popped up in the TTB-database. There’ ll will be a new Pittyvaich, a closed distillery that last featured in the 2009 Special Releases. There’s also The Cally, a 40yo grain whisky from the Caledonian Distillery. Have a quick look at them by following on of the links below.
- Pittyvaich 25yo (seems to be something wrong with the pictures of the labels, but the info is there)
- The Cally 40yo Limited Release
UPDATE (18/08/2015): And it looks like there’s another Special Release in the TTB-database. Diageo have sent in a label for a Dailuaine 34yo, distilled in 1980. This is the first time Dailuaine is featured in the Special Releases. Click the link below for the labels and some more info.
Wish I could get my hands on that Brora release! Somehow I suspect that won’t realistically be a possibility, though.
I’m curious to the Dalwhinnie. They tried that a couple of years ago too and it didn’t sell at all. At the original price the bottles were available a year later.
Let’s hope the whisky market hasn’t gone more ballistic since and Diageo learned a bit from that.
I’m interested in that mostly because it could be acceptably priced, and there’s no Dalwhinnie apart from the regular and DE.
I’d love to get my hands on the Brora, but as Josh said, I’m not getting my hopes up. The Lagavulin is a given, obviously. 😉
Wishful thinking, even for the Dalwhinnie. That’ll cost you 350 euro at least (I think). I’m afraid only the Caol Ila and Laga will be without in our reach.
Im making a call – Clynelish 14yr old to go the way of Macallan, Talisker and Glenlivet aged statements