SINGLETON 54 YEARS
Diageo continued a busy spring in spectacular fashion last week with the unveiling of its oldest ever single malt Scotch whisky, The Singleton 54. This latest release from its Dufftown distillery, The Singleton, shows the extent of its influence on the industry and the quality of its stocks.
The Singleton 54 becomes the second inclusion in the distillery’s Paragon of Time Collection, which launched in 2019 with a critically-acclaimed 53 Year Old. This new edition comes from the last remaining cask from 1966 and is limited to just 235 bottles. That makes it one of The Singleton’s rarest expressions to date.
Malt master Maureen Robinson, who has worked with Diageo for over four decades, has taken close care of the liquid from its early days and nurtured it into a complex whisky. The cask is not just a triumph of patience and skill, but one of the few remaining examples of slow-craft whisky creation.
Robinson explains: “Originally filled in 1966, this European oak cask is the closest to the end of the old slow-craft period that we have ever released. The old distillers of the past laid down this cask and it is a privilege for me to be able to awaken their crafted spirits over half a century later with a final chapter from today. I see it as a beautiful balance of the old art of craft and using our modern finishing to present a precious whisky of layered, balanced and exceptional richness.”
Charlie Maclean, a globally recognized whisky expert did have a dram and said: “An astonishing dram. I have never encountered a whisky like this before. A rare and unusual malt that has gained richness, mellowness and complexity on its long journey to harmony, this very old whisky shows its age elegantly and rewards proper contemplation.”
The bottle is housed in a bespoke, leather-lined wooden cabinet. The 54 layered ridged setting of the decanter display is inspired by the Scottish mountain landscape, amid wood mirroring the 54 years of maturation. The decanter, a masterpiece in crystal, was hand-made by Baccarat in France to The Singleton silhouette, with the intricate copper detail around the neck being crafted by Royal Warrant Holders, Thomas Fattorini. The Singleton 54 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky will be available for purchase at specialty.
