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Today Diageo have stunned the world of whisky connoisseurs and collectors with the release of a previously unannounced selection from their single-cask collection, The Manager’s Choice. Each of these newly released casks, all seventy years old or more, comes from one of Diageo’s portfolio of long-closed distilleries, and many will astonish commentators. Names such as Parkmore, Auchtertool and Lochruan will draw gasps of delight from aficionados around the world, but the presence of a cask from the legendary Malt Mill Distillery on Islay is simply a tour-de force, and is perhaps the single-most important event in the world of malt whisky for many years.
In line with other offerings in the range the casks were carefully chosen by a group of managers and owners from each of the distilleries, although rather than meeting in Scotland a séance and virtual tasting was required to garner the necessary views and opinions from all of those involved in making the whiskies, before the final selections were made. Commenting on the Malt Mill 1909, founder the late Sir Peter Mackie said he thought it was “quite surprising, but particularly splendid”. Age and the Angels have taken their toll on some of these precious liquids; the Malt Mill 1909 being reduced in the cask to only seventy bottles at 40.000001% abv. The Clockserrie, dating from 1924, delivered a mere ninety-nine bottles, with an abv of only 38%, leading Diageo and the Scotch Whisky Association to agree to designate it as ‘Nearly Single Malt Scotch Whisky’ in line with the new Scotch Whisky Regulations.
Malt Mill
In line with previous bottlings these new expressions have been priced to reflect their scarcity and rarity. With the Parkmore (1926) at the modest price of £49,999 per bottle, the others rise to £120,000 for the Clockserrie, and a staggering £135,000 for the Malt Mill. A Diageo spokesperson explained, “We’re trying to make these fantastic products available to as many drinkers and collectors as we possibly can. That’s why we’re instituting the first ever rental scheme for whiskies as prestigious as these. On the payment of guaranteed sureties of £250,000 consumers will be able to rent two of the selection, at modest terms, for a period of six months. This means that everyone can have a bottle of Malt Mill in their collection, at least for a moment. I’m sure our loyal drinkers will be delighted at this news, and appreciated the efforts we have gone to on their behalf”. Commenting on these and the previous bottlings in the collection he continued “we’re touched by the response from consumers all over the world to the Manager’s Choice, a revolutionary concept that has redefined the parameters of luxury goods marketing in the world of single malt whisky. The commercial success of the range, and the critical acclaim we have received has more than justified the work we have undertaken to bring these most precious liquids to the market”.
Auchtertool 1926 (Lowland)
Clockserrie 1924 (Highland)
Lochruan 1919 (Campbeltown)
Loch Dhu 1929 (Speyside)
Malt Mill 1909 (Islay)
Parkmore 1926 (Speyside).
