Giant liquor conglomerate Diageo holds one of the largest Scotch whisky reserves on earth—more than 10 million barrels, which was produced by dozens of different distilleries across Scotland. According to the company, that’s about half of all the barrels currently aging in Scotland.
Many of these whiskies will go into its well-known blended Scotch brands, including Johnnie Walker, J&B and Buchanan's. Others are destined to be bottled as single malts for a range of different brands, including Dalwhinnie, Oban, Talisker and Lagavulin. And a tiny fraction of those casks will be deemed exceptional and put aside for additional aging and reserved for unique projects.
In the future, some of these special barrels that are aging now, will become part of Diageo’s new Rare Series. The collection draws from some of the precious whiskies in Diageo’s warehouses, including a 55‑year‑old Glenury Royal — the oldest single malt ever released by Diageo.
A New Luxury Tier
The Rare Series sits in a space Diageo hasn’t formally occupied before. Many drinkers know Diageo’s Special Releases — the annual fall set of experimental casks and distillery one‑offs that usually top out around 30 years old. Its Prima & Ultima line of whisky, by contrast, is Diageo’s archival single‑cask series built around historically significant “firsts” and “lasts” and certain marquee distilleries within the company. The Rare Series is neither. It’s not single‑cask, not necessarily tied to historical milestones, and not sold as a set. Instead, it’s a curated, ongoing luxury platform built from ultra‑aged parcels.
The Rise of Diageo’s Private Client Experiences
Rare Series also reflects how aggressively Diageo has expanded its Private Client business. For high roller collectors, who think nothing of spending tens of thousands to build their home bar, the company now offers bespoke travel in Scotland, behind‑the‑scenes distillery access, and intimate dinners built around rare casks. If you’re interested in purchasing one of the whiskies from the Rare Series, you can contact the company at the Diageo Rare & Exceptional site.
I recently sat down with Ewan Morgan, Diageo’s luxury ambassador, for a tasting of these incredible drams to celebrate the launch of this collection.
Read on for more about the whiskies currently in the Rare Series.
Clynelish 1983 Single Malt Scotch
Age: 42 Years Old
Price: $4,000
Courtesy Diageo
There are only 16 bottles of this rare single malt available in the U.S. The whisky was matured entirely in oversized barrels made from American oak. The expression really shows off Clynelish’s signature waxy mouthfeel. The nose moves from lavender and rose to candle wax; the palate is creamy, floral, and peppery.
Blair Athol 1991 Single Malt Scotch
Age: 34 Years Old
Price: $900
Courtesy Diageo
This is the first Blair Athol Single Malt ever to be aged in barrels that previously held two different types of sherry. Morgan compared its flavor to sticky toffee pudding — dark chocolate, raisin, caramelized sugar. There are only 25 bottles of this whisky available for purchase in the U.S. Blair Athol is a treasured component in a number of Johnnie Walker expressions but is hard to find bottled as a single malt.
Talisker 1992 Single Malt Scotch
Age: 33 Years Old
Price: $1,300
Courtesy Diageo
Talisker is one of the most famous Scotch distilleries and is located on the remote Isle of Skye. This expression has all of the brand’s signature flavor notes — sea salt, seaweed, pepper — as well as unexpected chocolate and nutty sweetness. This enticing combination was a result of aging the single malt a second time in amoroso‑seasoned barrels. (Amoroso is sweetened Oloroso sherry.) This is the only whisky in the Rare Series that is drawn from an experimental batch.
Caol Ila 1983 Single Malt Scotch
Age: 42 Years Old
Price: $3,000
Courtesy Diageo
If you’re a fan of Islay distillery Caol Ila, you’ll want to get this whisky. It’s the oldest expression ever released by the brand. It was aged in both American oak and also European oak barrels. It delivers the distillery’s signature lemon‑meringue‑meets‑barbecue‑smoke profile with added depth and softness. Morgan called it “spectacular,” and it was his personal favorite of the current lineup.
Glenury Royal 1970 Single Malt Scotch
Age: 55 Years Old
Price: $6,350
Courtesy Diageo
This special whisky is the headliner of the Rare Series. It was produced at Glenury Royal, which shut down in 1985. Since there are a few barrels of its whisky still around, it’s now called a ghost distillery. This is the oldest single malt Diageo has ever released. Full stop. Despite its age and a staggering 124.8 proof (62.4% ABV), it’s surprisingly elegant—orange, anise, clove, gentle smoke. There only 21 bottles of it available in the U.S.
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