Of the many annual whisky releases that hit our shores each year, few raise as much anticipation and enthusiasm as the Diageo Special Releases. As always – well, at least in this country (Australia) – the annual set is released in the year after their namesake. And so it is that, in April 2022, we have the launch of the Diageo Special Releases 2021…
The Diageo Special Releases – first launched 20 years ago now in 2001 – is a fantastic opportunity to try some of your favourite distilleries in an expression quite unlike the regular version that you’re otherwise familiar with. The Special Releases expression might appear with a different or unique age statement, or might have undergone a different maturation regimen to the regular release. Also of note is that, unlike the regularly available expressions that are typically bottled at 40-43% and have been chillfiltered, the Special Releases are bottled at their natural cask-strength and remain unchillfiltered. The annual Diageo Special Releases also often include a distillery or two in the line up that actually aren’t regularly bottled or commercially available – and so it’s an opportunity to try a distillery that you might not otherwise encounter.
