According to many, the highlight of the 2016 Diageo Special Releases was this bottling, a rare sighting of a single malt bottling of Mannochmore.

Mannochmore was first built in 1971, following one Scotch whisky’s golden ages in the 1960s, and is the sister distillery to the better known Glenlossie. For much of its history the distillery has produced spirit for blends, particularly Dimple and Haig bottlings. In 1996 spirit from Mannochmore was used to make Loch Dhu, one of the most controversial bottlings ever. However, the distillery usually produces a light and fruity spirit.

This particular Mannochmore offering has been aged in a mixture of first-fill Bourbon barrels, new oak, and former sherry European-oak casks for 25 years, having been distilled in 1990. The result is a complex and decidedly fruity whisky.

Mannochmore 25 serves up notes of jammy fruits (cherries, raspberries and cranberries), toffee, vanilla, chocolate, slight coffee, dried fruit, marzipan, sweet oak, liquorice and peppery spice.

Bottled at a cask strength of 53.4% ABV and without chill filtration or colouration, this is a chance to taste Mannochmore’s spirit at its very best.

Diageo have presented this bottling beautifully, with a delightful great spotted woodpecker motif on the label.

3,954 bottles were available worldwide.

• Product type
  Single Malt
• Distillery / brand
  Mannochmore
• Country
  Scotland
• Region
  Speyside
• Bottler
  Distillery Bottling
• Distillation date
  1990
• Bottling date
  2016
• Age
  25 years old
• Non-chillfiltered
  Yes
• Natural colour
  Yes
• SKU
  034139