Buying a bottle of exceptionally old and rare Scotch whisky is no longer enough for the wealthiest collectors. What’s the point in owning one of 100 bottles if another 99 are out there? To stand out in today’s world, you need those other 99 as well. That’s why The Twelve by Casks of Distinction has returned via Diageo for a second year, once again offering the chance to purchase some of the most precious whisky in its inventory.
To put ‘inventory’ in context, Diageo currently has 10 million casks of Scotch whisky aging in warehouses across Scotland. The Twelve is an infinitesimally small selection from the 10 million, each chosen for its age and exceptional quality by Diageo’s leading whisky makers. The casks come from distilleries all over Scotland, including its biggest names like Talisker, Caol Ila and the ethereal Brora.
As with anything involving private clients, discretion is paramount. All the casks are priced on request. Diageo neither confirms nor denies the sale of a cask, describing The Twelve’s 2023 debut simply as ‘a success.’ Once sold, the cask continues to age under Diageo’s stewardship for up to five years before bottling.
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Then it’s up to the owner to decide what to do with the bottles. They could sell them at auction, where a single bottle of Brora would likely command a five-figure sum. They could gift them to friends and family, or they could stash them away to ensure a luxurious lifetime supply.
Those potential clients got a preview of The Twelve at a suitably private event on the shores of Loch Ness, inside Aldourie Castle. With a Michelin-starred menu and a selection of samples from The Twelve, Diageo drew attention to the cask from Brora, a 1977 presented at a unique time for the fabled distillery.
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Brora closed down in 1983 but revived in 2021. While the new-era distillery is now old enough to produce genuine Scotch whisky (a minimum aging time of three years), the only Brora whisky available today is from that bygone era. The 1977 represents one of the few remaining casks of original Brora, and will no doubt command the biggest price of The Twelve.
Elite Traveler was one of few publications to try a sample of Brora 1977, which had all the hallmarks of the distillery’s peated era. Brora began producing heavily-peated whisky in the early 1970s in response to a shortage from Islay (the main supplier of peated whisky). This era is heavily sought-after by collectors as its oldest expressions have developed a tantalizing farmyard aroma that is distinctly Brora’s.
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Diageo’s master whisky maker Dr Craig Wilson said: “One of the rarest and most valuable casks in all of Diageo’s custodianship, this wonderfully old Brora is perfectly formed at 47 years of age, gentle but complex, unique and unrepeatable.”
We also tried the Talisker 1975, which given its age was vibrant and fruity, offering green apple skins and orchid fruits alongside that signature Isle of Skye funk. An exceptionally long finish on this one as well. A high-quality whisky from one of Diageo’s most prominent distilleries, this is expected to be popular with the clientele.
While those two distilleries will likely sell (if they haven’t already), one dark horse that impressed us was the Royal Lochnagar 1988, which is neither the oldest or the most prestigious of the 12. However, it is an exceptional whisky – full of honey and blossom on the nose before delivering a real punch of sweet spice on the palate. Royal Lochnagar’s tend to have a rich and creamy texture that coats the palate, and this is no different. It is full of flavor, thanks to a refill American oak cask with charred ends (which no doubt aided that delicious caramelization).
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The Twelve by Casks of Distinction
Brora 1977
Fill date: 16.11.1977
Cask No: 2845
Est. ABV: 47.8%
Est. Bottle No.: 158
Cask type: Refill American Oak Hogshead
Linkwood 1990
Fill date: 15.10.1990
Cask No: 7805
Est. ABV: 52.9%
Est. Bottle No.: 164
Cask type: Refill American Oak Hogshead
Inchgower 1992
Fill date: 30.03.1992
Cask No: 2754
Est. ABV: 50.7%
Est. Bottle No.: 131
Cask type: Refill American Oak Barrel
Cragganmore 1990
Fill date: 26.01.1990
Cask No: 388
Est. ABV: 57.3%
Est. Bottle No.: 146
Cask type: Refill America Oak Hogshead
Auchroisk 1991
Fill date: 15.08.1991
Cask No: 572018
Est. ABV: 48.2%
Est. Bottle No.: 238
Cask type: Wine Seasoned American Oak Hogshead
Caol Ila 1990
Fill date: 10.09.1990
Cask No: 9243
Est. ABV: 48.9%
Est. Bottle No.: 201
Cask type: Refill American Oak Hogshead
Royal Lochnagar 1988
Fill date: 14.10.1988
Cask No: 1119
Est. ABV: 50.9%
Est. Bottle No.: 168
Cask type: Refill American Oak Charred Ends Hogshead
Talisker 1986
Fill date: 20.03.1986
Cask No: 896
Est. ABV: 47.2%
Est. Bottle No.: 153
Cask type: Freshly Charred American Oak Hogshead
Benrinnes 1992
Fill date: 23.11.1992
Cask No: 9954
Est. ABV: 53%
Est. Bottle No.: 362
Cask type: First-fill ex-Sherry European Oak Butt
Dalwhinnie 1989
Fill date: 14.11.1989
Cask No: 3754
Est. ABV: 47%
Est. Bottle No.: 214
Cask type: Refill American Oak Hogshead
Clynelish 1990
Fill date: 12.11.1990
Cask No: 12016
Est. ABV: 53.6%
Est. Bottle No.: 333
Cask type: Refill American Oak Hogshead
Talisker 1975
Fill date: 11.12.1975
Cask No: 4966
Est. ABV: 47.8%
Est. Bottle No.: 155
Cask type: Refill American Oak Hogshead
To discover more about the Casks of Distinction program, visit: diageorareandexceptional.com
