Diageo’s Singleton Single Malt Whisky has released a new expression; The Malt Master’s Selection.
As part of a complete refresh of the core range, The Malt Master’s Selection will join the existing 12, 15 and 18 year old single malts.
The packaging has been refreshed, with the distinctive green bottles being inspired by 19th-century hip flasks blown from blue glass. Labelling has also been updated to appeal to a modern consumer with more eye-catching text in addition to additional product information.
The expression was created from casks which were hand-selected by Singleton master of malts, Craig Wilson (hence the name). It’s been matured in European and American oak casks with three variants; ex-wine, ex-sherry and ex-bourbon. A high proportion of refill casks means that the maturation vessels didn’t overpower the Glendullan spirit character.
The Malt Master’s Selection has been created for a modern whisky drinker and the focus is very much on ‘drink it how you want’. The spirit has been created to be slightly sweeter than the core 12-year old, so ideal for mixing in addition to drinking neat or with ice. The brand website reflects this target with a selection of cocktail recipes.
We were given a sample of The Singleton Malt Master’s Selection from Diageo via Steve Rush at The Whisky Wire so had the opportunity to have a taste.
Our notes are below.
Nose
Leads with a bright fruity character with golden delicious apples joined by buttered bread drizzled in honey. The nose gets sweeter as it opens up, with icing sugar and pear drop sweets emerging.
Palate
Surprisingly rich and punchy for the spirits 40% ABV. A initial burst of pepper on the tongue subsides to reveal an oily mouth feel with the fruit and sugary flavours from the nose.
It remains sweet and slightly prickly on the tongue with a grassy note emerging along with a little youthful barley character.
Finish
Pleasant finish; the fruit sweetness is joined by a dry, ash note which catches the back of the throat. The oily texture holds the combined flavours for a medium-length finish and it’s all very well balanced.
Overall
This Singleton Malt Master’s Selection is a very drinkable whisky and has enough flavour to make it interesting. Neat, it’s a little on the sweet side for my palate but with ice or ginger ale (the classic Jameson’s combination) it would be perfect, in addition to the flavours working as the base for cocktails.
Overall it appears to be a well-judged addition to The Singleton roster and I expect to see it appearing in lots of shops and bars imminently.
Braw Spirit 