Diageo’s 2023 Special Releases Single Malt Scotch Collection, named ‘Spirited Xchange 2023’, has launched in Australia, with a diverse range of single malt expressions inspired by eight countries across the globe.
Former Diageo master blender Stuart Morrison had the task of hand selected eight rare and collectable whiskies across a variety of ages and spirit characters.
Collection highlights include Talisker Non Age Declared, The Wild Explorador, The Singleton 14 Year Old, The Silk Atelier, Lagavulin 12 Year Old, The Ink of Legends and Mortlach Non Age Declared, The Katana’s Edge. The collection also marks the debut offering from the esteemed Roseisle distillery, alongside the inclusion of Glenkinchie 27 Year Old, The Floral Treasure, one of the most mature bottlings ever released from the Lowland distillery.
The Special Releases ‘Spirited Xchange 2023’ collection labels were designed in collaboration with eight illustrators from around the world. From France, Portugal, Mexico and Japan to the USA, China, Caribbean and the North Sea region, each illustrator was chosen to represent their craft and culture that inspired the liquid selection and cask finishing.
The illustrators took inspiration from their individual cultures into the intricate designs that appear on the bottle labels.
Highlights include Talisker’s one-off label, designed by Rui Ricardo, fuses detailed realism with a nostalgic retro element; The Singleton, where Pierre Mornet, a contemporary French artist, lends his distinctive vintage-meets-modern aesthetic to The Singleton extraordinary label; Lagavulin, Mexican illustrator Raul Urias brought the Lagavulin bottle to life with his blend of contemporary design with Mesoamerican aesthetics, the Mortlach, Kouzou Sakai’s art style is characterised by a love and appreciation for nature which is reflected in the Mortlach intricate design details of the label.
Morrison said, “For the Special Releases ‘Spirited Xchange 2023’ Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection, we pay homage to the exchange of ideas, discovery and inspiration of Scotch whisky and its makers as it reached new shores and the contemporary resonance it holds today. The finished collection is a testament to each distillery’s rich heritage.”
The Special Releases ‘Spirited Xchange 2023’ Collection includes:
- Singleton 14 Year Old, The Silk Atelier (France) $170
- Talisker Non Age Declared, The Wild Explorador (Portugal) $170
- Lagavulin 12 Year Old, The Ink of Legends (Mexico) $220
- Mortlach Non Age Declared, The Katana’s Edge (Japan) $399
- Clynelish 10 Year Old, The Jazz Crescendo (USA) $240
- Glenkinchie 27 Year Old, The Floral Treasure (China) $599
- Oban 11 Year Old, The Soul of Calypso (Caribbean) $199
- Roseisle 12 Year Old, The Soaring Kite (North Sea/ Scandinavia) $170
The 2023 ‘Spirited Xchange’ Special Releases Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is available in limited quantities from leading retailers and independent bottle shops.
