Kristiane Sherry
Jan 30, 2025
Diageo Special Releases Spirited Xchange 2024 blends flavour and imagination
Every year, Scotch whisky giant Diageo delves into its warehouses and picks out some of its most innovative casks. The result is the Special Releases collection. Here are our favourite bottles from the 2024 cohort.
‘What if?’ It’s a question familiar to every daydreamer. For Diageo master blender Dr. Stuart Morrison, it was at the forefront of his mind when assembling the Diageo Special Releases 2024 collection.
The second imagination under the Spirited Xchange umbrella, the line-up comprises eight thrilling and unusual expressions. What makes them so special? These limited-run releases span the use of rare casks, including firsts for some distilleries, as well as some names that are hardly ever bottled.
“Each year, our Special Releases collection showcases hand-selected, distillery-first expressions that push the boundaries of traditional whisky-making,” said Dr Morrison. “This year's collection is a continuation of the Spirited Xchange that delves deeper into flavour exploration, experimenting with various cask combinations that challenge expectations.”
We’ve picked out the six bottlings that we believe are highlights from the line-up. Fancy tasting something genuinely distinct and different? This is the place to start.
DIAGEO SPECIAL RELEASES 2024
Caol Ila 11 Year Old Special Releases 2024 57.3% 70cl
The classic Islay distillery – but not as you know it. This 11-year-old, matured in both American and European oak casks, is unpeated. Instead of the stormy intensity, you get the impression of Islay on a sunny day. There are nutty, cereal notes, alongside a whole heap of orchard fruits, and even an inviting cream cheese dimension. A real must-taste for curious Islay lovers.
Buy NowRoseisle 12 Year Old Special Releases 2024 55.6% 70cl
Last year’s Special Releases collection – aka, the first instalment of Spirited Xchange – saw the inaugural Roseisle bottling from the innovative, versatile super-distillery. This 12-year-old follow-up is just as compelling. Aged in refill and ex-bourbon American oak casks, it is richly complex with all manner of fudge, spicy and generally winey notes. Intriguing stuff from the still relatively new Speyside maker.
Buy NowThe Singleton of Glen Ord 14 Year Old Special Releases 2024 54.7% 70cl
Highland distillery Glen Ord has become known as the home of The Singleton, the single malt brand that’s actually produced by three makers. But what sets this expression apart is the curious cask combination. Ex-bourbon, rejuvenated ex-wine and refill casks were all used in three parallel primary maturations, before they were all vatted together and finished in experimental casks with European and Pyrenean oak ends. Fascinating.
Buy NowLagavulin 12 Year Old Special Releases 2024 57.4% 70cl
Much-loved Lagavulin has become a staple in the Special Releases series, with every year bringing a different twist. For 2024, the use of refill American oak hogsheads and refill European oak butts show off the Islay distillery’s sweeter, spicier side. But peat lovers, don’t fear – the 12-year-old still packs in all the signature smoky joy that Lagavulin is cherished for.
Buy NowBenrinnes 21 Year Old Special Releases 2024 55.4% 70cl
A sumptuously elegant Benrinnes release, this expression has been aged for over two decades resulting in a dram of pure opulence. It started life maturing for eight years in refill casks, ahead of a second 13-year spell in wine-seasoned American oak, European oak and rejuvenated casks with charred ends. Exactingly balanced, this single malt pairs orchard fruit vibrancy with the mellowness that can only come from a generous maturation length.
Buy NowTalisker 8 Year Old Special Releases 2024 58.7% 70cl
Celebrated Skye distillery Talisker has perhaps the most unusual cask make-up of them all. It was initially matured in refill and ex-bourbon American oak. But then it was finished in ‘stone-spun’, toasted American oak barrels. Why stone-spun? By using essentially pebbles to churn against the wood, it recalls life on the rocky Hebridean coastline where the distillery is located.
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