Roseisle 12yo 2023 Special Releases
2023 Cask Strength Special Release | 56.5% ABV
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
Good. But another example of whisky hidden behind a ‘paywall’
Am I Weak?
For the first time in three years, I caved in. I bought a Diageo Special Release.
The previous one I bought was the Clynelish release in 2022 when I got really excited that an official cask strength Clynelish was made available. From memory, the overall feeling of the whisky was one of disappointment. Some thought the sherry casks used were subpar, others thought the waxiness was not there. Contrarily, I thought it was not bad. Maybe the Clynelish character wasn’t quite there, but I thought it was a good sherried cask strength whisky, albeit a bit overpriced.
2021 was the first year that I was tuned in for the special releases, before that I hadn’t yet been down this whisky alley. Two expressions received high praise, so I bought both of them: the Lagavulin 12, and the Oban 12, both matured in ex-bourbon casks. They did not disappoint, they were solid whiskies, outstanding I may even say, especially the Oban 12 - which with recent discounts I was prompted to restock. There was also a 13 year old Mortlach finished in bourbon and virgin oak, a 14 year old Cardhu finished in red wine casks, an 8 year old Talisker matured in heavily peated refill casks and a 19 year old Singleton of Glendullan finished in cognac casks. There were some experiments with casks, but as far as my understanding of the spirits, the casks used for the Clynelish and Oban made some sense - at least to me.
Then came 2022 and my excitement grew when I saw Clynelish in the line-up which I identified as a must buy; but having a look at the others I frowned with confusion. Expecting a renewed classic Lagavulin, but finding out that there was a touch of virgin oak held me back; similarly the Oban had been given a sherry treatment that didn’t excite me. I feared that the sharp freshness wasn’t going to be around. Other than the Clynelish, I stayed away from the whole line-up.
In fact, I’ve stayed away from the Diageo Special Releases since. I have to say the change in the style of the graphics also etched a sense of “new era” in my mind. In addition to the continually increased prices, as well as my increased distaste for Diageo, I decided there were better options to spend my whisky money on. As many have pointed out, these are not special releases, they are merely annual releases.
In 2023, though, a name piqued my interest: Roseisle.
We’ve been hearing about the development of Roseisle. For years it’s been referred to as the Death Star of Diageo, a plant of a scale so huge and powerful - capable of making any style of whisky that is desired - it may destroy entire distilleries. And also, perhaps, that it looked more like a modern factory than a distillery. Well, to each their own, maybe growing up in Hong Kong in the last 30 odd years have me conditioned to see modern architectural innovations hoisted here there and everywhere. I didn’t think much of the look of Roseisle - it’s in line with modern architectural trends, but pictures of the view from the glass front at night looked stunning to me.
But all of that doesn’t matter. What matters is what happens under the roof and inside its walls. And from what I’ve heard, the concept of the whole Roseisle project is to produce any whisky in any style - with the goal to make all whiskies required for all lines of, say, the Johnnie Walker brand. This notion might not be 100% correct, but the point stands. Roseisle is the distillery that may be able to solve all of Diageo’s whisky problems. One batch of distillate may be floral and fruity, the next might be punchy and peaty - Roseisle can produce any character, or in other words, Roseisle is not dedicated to, or reliant upon, or defined by, one character.
As a proud Hongkonger, this idea immediately reminds me of Bruce Lee and his philosophy in martial arts. To quote him: “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” All of this has been distilled into the last sentence, “Be water, my friend”.
And if Roseisle can put this philosophy into practice and industrialise it, it’s extremely powerful. We often lament that Diageo sits on some of Scotland’s greatest distilleries: Clynelish, Mortlach, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, to name but a few. What if Roseisle can be all of them at the same time? Perhaps in Roseisle, Diageo sits on the one distillery that rules them all.
Review
Roseisle 12yo, ‘The Origami Kite’, 2023 Special Releases, first-fill & refill ex-bourbon, 56.5% ABV
£120 retail, £77 paid
Continuing with the martial arts analogy, even the greatest fighter has to make a move to start the fight, be it a punch, a kick, or something else. What’s Roseisle’s first move going to be? Turns out it’s this cask strength 12 year old expression slipped in with the special releases.
When it was first released, it was met with great scepticism. A debut release of a 12 year old is welcoming for a new distillery, when most new distilleries are releasing whiskies at 5 years young, desperate to recoup some of that early investment; however, releasing it at north of £100 was shocking.
Daftmill releases their 12 year old whiskies at similar prices, but that’s because there is genuine demand and very limited supply. Roseisle simply cannot make the same claims. So while I was curious to taste Roseisle, £100 was not something I was willing to pay just to quench my curiosity. But, as reviews of this whisky came out, my resolve began to erode day by day, until one day in the summer of 2024, I finally caved in. I went online to pull my trigger, only to find that it was sold out. I guess it wasn’t to be.
Until recently I heard from my fellow Dramface writers that prices of Diageo Special Releases of yesteryears have been dropping like flies. I looked in my local market again. Nope, prices stood strong, except for one seller online, where the price of this bottle dropped to £77. Finally, I pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
Good. But another example of whisky hidden behind a ‘paywall’
Nose
A vibrant nose, floral and fruity at the same time. On the floral side, I’m getting a hint of jasmine, maybe something that resembles lavender, but I don’t know flowers that well. On the fruity side, there’s a huge hit of sweet Hami melon. Adding a few drops of water amplifies the florality, but it also adds a slightly metallic element to it - very malty as well.
Palate
Quite a waxy arrival: sweet melons up front again, fresh green apples, some spices like white pepper. On the development the texture turns a bit chalky; there are hints of bitter vanilla and salty caramel. The finish is very long and the saltiness lingers on with a black tea note, but after all of that, the vanilla is still plastered to my tongue. A bit of water helps to calm things down a bit and it’s pretty moreish.
The Dregs
I think we are all aware that this expression of Roseisle is the Roseisle of Diageo Special Release 2023; and by all accounts the 2024 version stuck to a similar profile. I’m reminding myself that Roseisle whiskies may come in different guises in the future, although Diageo may be quite careful to brand it as a completely different style as if Roseisle was designed to be released as a single malt all along.
As prices start to slow down, whiskies that were once out of reach may suddenly become accessible again, but if there was one thing that I wish to preach, it would be to be vigilant against brand loyalty. Be loyal to quality, be loyal to value, but not to brands.
When it comes to buying whiskies, be water, my friends.
Score: 6/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. MMc
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