Diageo Prima and Ultima – third release

Diageo’s third release of the Prima & Ultima series has been announced. The name of the line translates as “First or last” and points out that the bottlings are so rare that the bottlings have been drawn from either the first or last of their kind casks. Each of those is curated by Diageo’s Master Blender Dr. Craig Wilson.

Eight are the bottlings selected by Dr. Wilson, and they are:

• Royal Lochnagar 1981 52.5% ABV, Refill casks, refill American Oak Hogsheads
• Cragganmore 1973 44.8% ABV, 3 refill American Oak Hogsheads
• Mannochmore 1990 45.1% ABV, Refill cask, untreated virgin European Oak
• Brora 1981 44.1% ABV, 1 refill American Oak Hogshead, 1 European Oak Sherry Butt
• The Singleton of Glen Ord 1987 49.4% ABV, 5 refill American Oak Hogsheads
• Lagavulin 1993 50.1% ABV, 1 Pedro Ximénez/oloroso seasoned butt, 1 refill American Oak Hogsheads
• Talisiker 1984 51.9% ABV, 3 refill Americana Oak Hogsheads, 1 ex-Sherry European Oak Butt
• Port Ellen 1980 59.6% ABV, 1 refill American Oak Hogshead, 1 ex-Sherry European Oak Butt Dr. Wilson, Diageo’s

Dr. Wilson stated “it is my honor to present the third release of Prima & Ultima, a collection of our rarest, most precious Single Malt Scotch Whiskies. I have personally selected each whisky with great care, each an exceptional spirit marking a special time in the distilleries’ history and whiskies that I’ve had the privilege to watch mature. I have also selected whiskies from Brora and Port Ellen. In the year we celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee I have selected the last ever Port Ellen 1980 cask, filled in the year Her Majesty visited the distillery’s maltings. The Brora bottling is equally as precious, taken from our last ever 1981 cask, making it one of our rarest Brora whiskies of all time.”

The RRSP of this third release comes in at £36,500, which includes a 20ml tasting sample alongside the full vintage bottlings. There are only 317 sets available to purchase. A selection of individual bottles will also be available to purchase.