Prima & Ultima 2023 collection from Diageo
The largest producer of Scotch whisky, the Diageo conglomerate, has just announced the release of the fourth annual edition of its exclusive Prima & Ultima collection. Among the editions on display is the oldest ever bottled edition of Talisker.
Since the inception of the Prima & Ultima collection, whiskies included in successive editions have been selected according to the key hidden in the name itself - they have always been exceptional liquors, first or last according to the chosen criterion. Among them were the results of innovation and experimentation, or depleted resources from distilleries that no longer existed. In each case, we are talking about whiskies that will never be repeated again, whose uniqueness is undeniable.
The following whiskies were offered as part of the 2023 Prima & Ultima edition:
Brora 1977 45yo (48.2% vol.), whisky sourced from American oak hogshead casks. Only 794 bottles were prepared.
Clynelish 1996 26yo (52% vol.), a whisky that is a blend of spirits matured in European oak Pedro Ximénez sherry and oloroso casks. Edition limited to 889 bottles.
Lagavulin 1997 25yo (50.7% vol.), whisky matured in American oak refill casks. Only 625 bottles.
Pittyvaich 1992 30yo (55.5% vol.), whisky from a now-defunct distillery, maturation in Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry seasoned casks. 609 bottles were prepared.
Oban 1996 26yo (55.2% vol.), whisky matured in European oak barrels. Edition limited to 428 bottles.
Port Ellen 1978 43yo (53.4% vol.), a whisky from the legendary Islay distillery, now in the final stages of restoration. Matured in American oak hogshead barrels, limited edition of 413 bottles.
The Singleton of Dufftown 1985 37yo (47.7% vol.), whisky matured in American oak hogshead casks, edition limited to 511 bottles.
Talisker 1976 46yo (50.9% vol.), whisky matured in hogshead and puncheon American oak casks. Edition limited to 771 bottles.
All whiskies for the current Prima & Ultima set were selected by Dr. Emma Walker, who succeeded Jim Beveridge as master buyer at Diageo at the end of 2021.
In the case of Talisker, the oldest edition of whisky from the distillery to date was the 44yo Forests of the Deep, released last year in support with the Parley for the Oceans Foundation, with which Talisker has been working for years now.
The preparation of 413 sets of the Prima & Ultima 2023 series has been announced, which will be available for purchase through theprimaandultimacollection website.com at a retail price of £45,580 per set. Individual bottles will be available individually at a later date, but it is worth noting that only 413 bottles of Port Ellen have been prepared. This means that this particular edition of whisky from this legendary distillery on the island of Islay will be available exclusively as part of the set.
[14.09.2023 / photo: Diageo]