A 54-Year Old Singleton Is Diageo’s Oldest Single-Malt Release To Date
The Singleton 54 Year Old
Today The Singleton revealed its second and final bottling in its Paragon of Time Collection, and it’s an old one: a 54-Year-Old 1966 vintage single malt.
The release represents the oldest single malt release from The Singleton of Dufftown and Diageo yet, and as you might expect it will only be available in exceptionally limited quantities, specifically just 235 bottles.
“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,” says The Singleton Malt Master Maureen Robinson. “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.”
By finishing this Single Malt in a single Pedro Ximenez-seasoned cask, Diageo says that Maureen’s craftsmanship unveiled a new layer of exceptional flavor in this whisky from the past, and with it, a new dimension in time’s creative power in whisky.
The Singleton 54 Year Old will be available in select markets, including the UK, USA, and across Asia in China, Singapore, and Taiwan. If you want a taste; however, it will cost you: The recommended retail selling price is $40,100 per 750ml bottle, in the USA (exclusive of duties and taxes).
If that’s a bit out of reach and you want to pretend what that bottle might taste like, here are the official tasting notes from The Singleton:
Appearance: Rich, deep, dark amber. Moderate beading.
Body: Light.
Palate: At natural strength delicate in texture; light on its feet, lively for its greatage and elegantly drying overall. Lightly sweet in taste, it drinks well straight, beginning fruity with dried figs and soon becoming peppery-spicy. A Christmas pudding in a glass. Clove-studded oranges. Beneath, a bittersweet hint of burnt raisins. Finish: Long, pleasantly warming and elegantly drying, with a light black pepper sweetness, leaving a warm glow with hints of oiled teak. A drop of water elevates the fruit and sharpens the finale, which is now sweeter and still more spicy.
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