In recent times, one of the most anticipated whisky releases of each year is that of Diageo’s Prima & Ultima Collection – a gathering of eight whiskies representing the first or last of their kind. 

The last might be the final bottling of a particular year’s production from a ghost distillery; the first, a novel cask finish, or the first liquid from a distillery that underwent change… the interpretation is down to the curator. This year, the person choosing the line-up is master blender Dr Craig Wilson, following on the heels of master of malt Maureen Robinson and the legend of Johnnie Walker blending, Jim Beveridge, for the first two collections. 

Prima & Ultima is part of Diageo’s Rare & Exceptional portfolio of collectible whiskies, which includes individual releases, as well as the acquisition journey of one of the Casks of Distinction. The third release of Prima & Ultima certainly deserves the rare tag – only 317 sets are available, worldwide, at £36,500 each – so, unsurprisingly, the chance to purchase has to start with registering your interest, before the Diageo private client team, or one of their agents (for example, Justerini & Brooks in the UK) contacts you. 

For the first time this year, however, the whiskies in the Prima & Ultima Collection are available for purchase as individual bottles from the off. (It has been possible to find individual bottles via brokers before now.) So, if there is something particularly intriguing from the eight whiskies in the album you’d like as a single, there will be a limited number of bottles available (more for some expressions than for others).

Brummell was invited to a special tasting hosted by Dr Craig Wilson and Ewan Gunn, Diageo’s global luxury brand ambassador, to establish how exceptional these rarities really are, and we are running reviews over two weeks… Find links to the other reviews here:

– Talisker 1984 & Cragganmore 1973

– The Singleton of Glen Ord 1987 & Brora 1981 40YO

– Royal Lochnagar 1981 & Port Ellen 1980

Mannochmore 1990, 31-Year-Old

45.1% ABV, 317 bottles

Single malts from this, one of the more northerly of the Speyside distilleries, located near Elgin, are rarely seen in the wild, as the stock is mainly snaffled by the Diageo blenders. One this old is even more scarce. And, what’s more, this is an unusually aged Mannochmore – a fascinating exploration of cask influence. A small, experimental batch started life conventionally enough in refill casks before taking up residence in virgin European oak for almost three decades. Those unusually active casks have given this whisky a powerful wood influence, immediately obvious from the deep, dark colour. In terms of flavour, Dr Craig Wilson says, ‘At first, that virgin oak imparted tannic, dry, bitter notes, but over time those settled down and were balanced by sweet notes such as toffee and fudge.’

There is an intensity to this whisky, with a distinct wax furniture polish sheen to the nose, then rich marmalade on the palate and a dry, spicy finish.

Lagavulin 1993, 28-Year-Old

50.1% ABV, 642 bottles

One of the most popular distilleries in the world, Lagavulin on Islay is also prized by connoisseurs for its rare bottlings. Ewan Gunn says, ‘I was at the Fèis Ìle, or Islay Festival, earlier in the summer and I can confirm people still come from all over the world to experience the distillery.’ And the queues for festival one-offs can appear to snake across the island. This, however, is a rarity to beat even a Fèis special. This is the last of the liquid distilled in 1993, the year Lagavulin won the first of many competitions – Best Islay Malt at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. They had honed the process by this time, with phenomenal control over the phenolic profile – ie the subtleties of the smoky character of Lagavulin. 

The smoke in this expression (which brings together two casks that matured for 28 years – one refill American oak hogshead and one Oloroso Pedro Ximénez sherry butt) starts like a driftwood and seaweed beach bonfire on the nose, developing into smoky Earl Grey tea on the palate before taking on its full peaty richness in the finish. The deep amber has a reddish tint that is echoed in redcurrants on the nose, and then such wine-like dark cherry notes in a full-bodied mouthfeel, you’d swear it had been finished in a port cask. Exceptional.

To find out more about the Prima & Ultima Collection and individual bottles, visit diageorareandexceptional.com