Product description
Diageo’s predecessor, United Distillers, launched Rare Malts selection in 1995.
It followed The Classic Malts and Flora & Fauna series and originally included whiskies from closed distilleries, always bottled uncut and unchill-filtered. As stocks diminished the company included rare vintages from the distilleries still in operation. Caol Ila 1978 was bottled in 2002 with an outrun of 6000 bottles. The whisky spent 23 years in ex-bourbon barrels. The value of Rare Malts bottlings has been continuously growing; the series was phased out in 2005 and chances for relaunch are more or less zero.
Nose: fresh, sea air, lemon grass, hay, green apples, vanilla, ginger and peat smoke.
Palate: big, oily, toasted oak, peat smoke, candied ginger, citrus fruit salad, licorice and hints of pepper.
Finish: long and warming, fruity and smoky.