Diageo announcement

[Rob Allanson]

Should have the full skinny for you later today about some big news from Diageo

[ClubSmed]

[quote="Rob Allanson"]Should have the full skinny for you later today about some big news from Diageo[/quote]

So this is an announcement about a possible announcement?

[les taylor]

[quote="ClubSmed"][quote="Rob Allanson"]Should have the full skinny for you later today about some big news from Diageo[/quote]

So this is an announcement about a possible announcement?[/quote]


No Rob knows that there will be an announcement. And is announcing that before the announcment is made.

[Rob Allanson]

Should have the full skinny for you later today about some big news from Diageo

So this is an announcement about a possible announcement?

No Rob knows that there will be an announcement. And is announcing that before the announcment is made.

That is correct and when the announcement is made an announcement will be made about said announcement and then you can all have your own pronouncements on the announcement.

And I know there is going to be one because it is sitting in my inbox under embargo until later...

[Rob Allanson]

Here is the full release:

Diageo has announced the launch of its first single-cask collection of single malt Scotch whiskies. This is the first time that Scotland's biggest estate of single malt distilleries has issued a comprehensive series of single-cask bottlings.

Labelled The Managers' Choice, the rare limited-edition series is aimed at collectors and connoisseurs who will enjoy owning and exploring an unusual expression of their favourite single malt or even a whole anthology of highly individual single malts, chosen to represent each of 27 distilleries' distinctive but authentic whisky signature.
The releases are being staged in batches over the next year. September 2009 sees the first release of six malts.

Each distillery is represented in The Managers' Choice by a bottling of its single malt whisky drawn from one single cask, selected after a careful examination of distillery stocks. The cask was nosed, tasted, discussed and finally chosen as the most distinctive expression of that distillery's single malts by a judging panel of acknowledged experts, including leading maturation experts and the distillery managers themselves.

In many cases, unusual cask woods will have had their influence on the final result. Perfect maturation and spirit quality have been the criteria, resulting in a bottling that delights with original and sometimes unexpected flavours whilst allowing the distillery character to still shine through.

Depending on the size of the cask and the rate of evaporation over the years since it was filled, the volume of bottles obtained can vary between approximately 600 and as little as 200.These are, consequently, extremely rare and distinctive whiskies.
Once picked, each cask is bottled at its natural cask strength, without chill filtering. Nothing is allowed to affect the natural taste and aromas of the whisky.
This means that the liquid the connoisseur pours into his or her glass is exactly as it emerged directly from the cask when it was hand-picked a few months earlier by the experts - it's as good as a dram drawn from the cask in the warehouse itself.

Diageo whisky specialist Craig Wallace explained the challenge of selecting a single cask for a bottling that will be made available to a discerning and knowledgeable consumer audience: "When you're selecting casks for a bigger bottling, you can work with a wider variation of maturity, distillery character and wood influence because you can even it out and aim for consistency
"But when you are bottling a single cask, you can't do that: you have to get the balance totally right when selecting the cask. And it's highly unlikely, whatever single cask you choose this time, that you'd ever be able to replicate that precise flavour profile the next time you look for one.
"So finding a single cask with just the right balance is actually very challenging."

Classic Malts Selection spokesperson Nick Morgan said: "We have occasionally issued single-cask bottlings of individual single malt whiskies before, for instance for visitors to the annual Islay Festival. And single-cask bottlings of our malts can sometimes be obtained from independent bottlers.
"But this is a much more ambitious venture - the most extensive collection we've ever released of single cask malt whisky bottlings, from 27 of our operational malt distilleries, involving both the well-known and those whose product isn't widely available.
"Each individual distillery cask selected by the experts after an extensive examination has doubly earned its place in The Managers' Choice, regardless of its age: because it faithfully illuminates that distillery's individual DNA, and also because it will offer the connoisseur a different, interesting and perhaps unexpected experience of that whisky."

Full details, including tasting notes, are displayed on the Classic Malts Selectionâ„¢ website http://www.malts.com. The new website content includes the story of The Managers' Choice and the selection process, a "Meet the Managers" page where they talk about The Managers Choice collection & questions related to the world of whisky, whisky tasting notes & audio, Q&A with a Sensory Expert, and details of where to buy the whiskies. Whisky enthusiasts registered as Friends of the Classic Maltsâ„¢ have been given advance notice of the launch.

[ClubSmed]

That is a lot of waffle that still does not convince me that £300 ,for a 9 year old malt, is good value.

Does anyone see this as a good thing from Diageo?

[les taylor]

[quote="Rob Allanson"][quote="les taylor"][quote="ClubSmed"][quote="Rob Allanson"]Should have the full skinny for you later today about some big news from Diageo[/quote]

So this is an announcement about a possible announcement?[/quote]


No Rob knows that there will be an announcement. And is announcing that before the announcment is made.[/quote]

That is correct and when the announcement is made an announcement will be made about said announcement and then you can all have your own pronouncements on the announcement.

And I know there is going to be one because it is sitting in my inbox under embargo until later...[/quote]



Rob I can't understand why there was an embargo on it. This has been in the news for a week now.




http://www.themanagerschoice.com

[Deactivated Member]

And so, after much effort and great expense, Diageo have finally managed to achieve, once and for all, what independent bottlers do every day.

[jmrl]

Mr T. are you saying independents rip consumers off?

[laphroaig10_65]

These prices are terrible and dangerous. I'll continue to know the DIAGEO brands by indipendent bottlers.
Bye
Luca

[mlawrenson]

[quote="MrTattieHeid"]And so, after much effort and great expense, Diageo have finally managed to achieve, once and for all, what independent bottlers do every day.[/quote]

It's well known that Diageo invented whisky, just as Sky Sports invented football and Apple the mp3 player.

[Willie JJ]

For those people who are excitedly looking forward to buying this 'fine malt whisky', here's what you need to budget for the next ten months:

[b]September 2009:[/b]
Linkwood £200
Glen Elgin £250
Mortlach £250
Oban £300
Teaninich £200
Cardhu £250
Total £1,450

[b]January 2010[/b]
Blair Athol £200
Strathmill £200
Glen Spey £200
Cragganmore £250
Dalwhinnie £250
Talisker £300
Total £1,400

[b]March 2010[/b]
Royal Lochnagar £250
Glenkinchie £250
Dailuaine £200
Inchgower £200
Caol Ila £300
Glen Ord £250
Mannochmore £200
Total £1,650

[b]June 2010[/b]
Glenlossie £200
Auchroisk £200
Knockando £250
Benrinnes £200
Lagavulin £300
Clynelish £250
Glendullan £200
Total £1,600

[b]Total for 10 months £6,100[/b]

You will possibly note that the 'collection of single casks from each of our 27 distilleries in active production' actually only includes 26 distilleries as they seem to have forgotten Dufftown.

[Deactivated Member]

[quote="jmrl"]Mr T. are you saying independents rip consumers off?[/quote]
Yeah, like those scoundrels at Cadenhead's!

[Mr Ellen]

This release must be the most irrelevant of all whisky releases for the last 10-15 years and I feel sorry for the ones falling for this shameless trick of marketing from Diageo.
£300.00 for a half decent, almost 10 year old whisky when you can buy a 30 year old rarity for the same amount....why even bother?
This is the worst campaign I've ever seen (but the sad part is that some people are actually going to buy the whole "fantastic and once in a lifetime opportunity" crap story!!)

Cheers
________________________
Anders

[Rob Allanson]

Rob I can't understand why there was an embargo on it. This has been in the news for a week now.

Well I was abiding by the embargo on the press release which was for 00:01 on Friday 5th Sept.
I had a chat about it with Dr Morgan at Diageo about two weeks before it broke. Like I say I was sticking to the embargo - I am that kind of journalist.

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

like a honest politician stays bought?

Away with joking.

Would you or whisky magazine care to comment?

Did Mr Morgan say something about the backgroud of this whole venture that a normal whisky consumer could begin to understand what that is all about?

I mean apart from the ridiculous pricing?

Greetings
kallaskander

[Rob Allanson]

Hi there,

like a honest politician stays bought?

Away with joking.

Would you or whisky magazine care to comment?

Did Mr Morgan say something about the backgroud of this whole venture that a normal whisky consumer could begin to understand what that is all about?

I mean apart from the ridiculous pricing?

Greetings
kallaskander

Erm after that joke.....

Actually no because....well you will have to wait and see (now that's what I call a teaser...)

[Ganga]

I read through the comments and Nick Morgan's comments over at Malt Advocate. I'd like to point out that the Flora & Fauna whiskies are not available to the US market and neither is the Manager's Choice.

I'd like to see someone do a head to head of the Manager's Choice and one of the better whiskies generally available from the same distillery. Let's say the Talisker MC vs. the Talisker 25. It would be interesting to see what a small panel would say.

[Muskrat Portage]

I've browsed through the postings and Willies' listing and although it appears to be an interesting experiment, I wouldn't be interested in getting involved in it as a purchaser. Sorry, but $250.00 Canadian is my imposed limit on purchases and unless the Euro takes a heck of a whack economically, driving the Loonie skyward, I will not be reaching for any of these offerings in the future.

Heck, the amount required for around 6 months of whisky will cover the cost of the 3/4 Ton truck I'm in the process of buying! (Making weighing motions with his hands while muttering:"Whisky ..., truck, whisky..., truck hmmmmm".....)

I will be interested in reading what Martine et al are going to posit when they get around to sampling the MC offerings. Thus, living vicariously through their experiences.

Musky

[Anster]

The announcement of this new Diageo range, coming on the back of the decisions to withdraw JW from Kilmarnock and to shut Port Dundas distillery, is an act of incredible bad taste and disrespect. Proof positive, if any was needed, that Diageo see no link between those who make whisky and those who buy it. Fortunately there are many of us who can, and although there are too many who wish to separate exclusive news regarding new products from the disquieting truth about the massive job loses that the whisky giants are imposing on industry dependent communities, I'm afraid they are essentially linked. While £200 is a high price, some employees are paying an even higher one to protect profits.