Diageo announces the launch of ‘Elusive Expressions’
Pushing the boundaries of flavour to offer more rarity, flavour and fantasy
The 2022 Special Releases Whisky Collection introduces a legendary world of rare flavours for every Scotch whisky enthusiast to enjoy.
Diageo has unveiled its hotly anticipated Elusive Expressions Special Releases Scotch Whisky Collection — the pinnacle moment in every whisky lover’s calendar. Hand-selected by Master Blender Dr. Craig Wilson, this unusual collection of eight aged and finely finished whiskies delivers rarity, flavour and fantasy to capture the curiosity of today’s whisky explorers.
New cask finishes meet depth of complexity and character, resulting in unexpected flavours, whilst the collection stalwart’s smokiest reserves are revived under the Elusive Expressions theme. With over 30 distilleries to draw from, the collection’s Master Blender Dr. Craig Wilson can tap into over 10 million casks that are currently resting in Diageo’s world-famous portfolio.
Master Blender, Dr. Craig Wilson, said, “Today we reveal and introduce Elusive Expressions, a boundary-pushing collection with flavours and finishes that truly redefine what cask-strength whiskies can be. From abundantly rich, to strikingly rare flavours, each one is vividly bought to life with new energy. Featuring some of our oldest whisky dynasties, we’ve embraced the flavour contrasts that exist within the collection, to create an unexpected whisky experience.”
The concept
Elusive Expressions is the latest chapter in Special Releases where mythical beasts are unleased through striking artwork and stories. Illustrator Ken Taylor returns this year with his signature style and is joined by fellow digital visualisation artist Kevin Tong, as they partner to create designs that hero our brand protagonists, fusing fantasy, art and whisky.
Brands come to life through our most unconventional and immersive storytelling yet - the Elusive Expressions Cocktails and Serves book. Explored in a bold graphic-novel style, cocktail-making is reframed through characters and journeys. Carefully created by our Brand Ambassadors, each cocktail and serve highlights the whisky collection for fans to recreate at home and enter a new world of Special Releases.
From solving the mystery of the Ruby Solstice to capturing the Blood Red Moon, the Elusive Expressions Cocktails and Serves book explores the legends behind Mortlach, The Singleton, Lagavulin and Talisker, showcasing an unexplored world of rare flavour and the unique nature of each liquid.
Whisky lovers are invited to step into the artwork of our dark and vivid world through the digital experience. Activated via QR code, doorways offer a glimpse into an alternative universe, fans will be able to interact with the collection and experience each brand’s story in the most immersive way yet.
The whiskies
Pouring from some of our oldest whisky dynasties in Scotland, this year’s collection pushes the boundaries of flavour uncovering treasures and rare finds in limited quantities. This cask-strength whisky collection embraces prominent contrasts, experimenting with extended secondary maturation techniques and new cask finishes including Tawny Port and Red Muscato casks to impart different flavours for fans of the distilleries to enjoy.
Offering layers of luminous flavour, the collection includes:
The dark, sweet, and rich Mortlach, with gingery depth, unique to the Speyside Dufftown distillery
A lively sweet expression of The Singleton of Glen Ord, aged in refill American and European Oak, then double matured in wine-seasoned casks
A true expression of Lagavulin, matured in a combination of virgin oak casks and our smokiest reserves
Talisker 11-Year-Old, elemental yet also classic in character with maritime malty smokiness notes
An unusual Clynelish with just a slight trace of waxiness and added sweetness and spiciness from a maturation in refill American Oak, then finished in PX/Oloroso seasoned casks
A rare expression of Cardhu, finished in Jamaican Rum casks for a vibrant tropical sweetness
The creamy smooth Oban 10-Year-Old with richly sweet fruitiness, light smoke and salt notes
And for the first time ever, the rich and exquisite Cameronbridge 26-Year-Old
The 2022 Special Releases collection will be available in limited quantities from specialist Scotch whisky retailers and malts.com from 1st October 2022.
Availability: On shelf from 1st October 2022 from specialist retailers in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, selected markets across Asia and in airport duty free.
Provided by Diageo
