The fourth release of Prima & Ultima marks the first time the entire collection will be available to purchase in the United States, and the second time individual bottles can be purchased in the
U.S.
Registration is now open for collectors around the world to secure the fourth release of Prima & Ultima, the esteemed anthology of rare and collectible vintage Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from
Diageo.
Hand-selected from some of the finest distilleries in Scotland, including legendary Brora and Port Ellen, Prima & Ultima gives collectors and connoisseurs the opportunity to build an expertly curated liquid library of magnificent whiskies over time. This fourth release comprises eight remarkable bottlings; the oldest ever whisky to come from Talisker Distillery, the last ever
1997 Lagavulin, and the first time that Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky is featured in the Prima & Ultima collection. For the first time ever, the full suite of Prima & Ultima is available to collectors in the United States, both as individual bottles or in a set of all eight rare liquids.
This release, which comprises first and last bottlings of their kind, tells the story of a never-to-be-repeated moment in time, captured in liquid form, from the last fifty years of Scotch whisky making. The collection presents the chance to build one of the rarest and most exceptional liquid libraries in the world, capturing the ever unfolding story of Scotch. Including pioneering experiments and the dwindling remains from long-lost ghost distilleries, the whiskies in this collection can never again be experienced by the world.
The fourth edition in the series sees eight incredibly rare and precious vintage cask strength Single Malt Scotch Whiskies personally selected by Master Blender Dr. Emma Walker. Celebrated as a true master of malt, Dr. Emma Walker has spent a luminous career at the forefront of Diageo’s finest work in whisky. Her firsthand experience of these liquid legends truly comes to life in this vivid and personal selection of Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
With Dr. Walker’s heightened knowledge of Single Malts, she was appointed ‘Whisky Maker’ for the fourth release of Prima & Ultima following its three previous curators, Dr. Craig Wilson, Maureen Robinson and Dr. Jim Beveridge OBE, each highly respected within the industry with
over a century of experience between them.
Dr. Emma Walker said: “It is a privilege to introduce the fourth release of Prima & Ultima which I have personally selected from Scotland’s reserves of exceptionally aged Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Each of these whiskies have been watched, influenced and marked as outstanding. As well as being exceptional, these rare whiskies were each distilled during a specific, unrepeatable moment in the histories of eight iconic distilleries.”
Emma continued: “In curating this release, I’ve drawn whiskies that not only are noteworthy in whisky history, but also have a personal connection to myself. For instance, the very first Single Malt Scotch Whisky I tried was a Lagavulin, and it was its spectacular qualities that enticed me to enter the whisky world. It has also been one of my dreams to craft a special 1977 Brora and I am so pleased that this release has seen this realized.”
Handpicked for their outstanding quality and character, the fourth release includes the oldest whisky ever to be bottled from Talisker Distillery – a Talisker 46-Year-Old, an experimental Single Malt from Clynelish, and a Lagavulin heralding from 1997, known as a golden year for the Islay distillery. This Prima & Ultima release also features the debut of Oban Distillery to the collection with its very last casks from 1996, chosen for its unique coastal character, uncharacteristic of the distillery.
Exceptionally rare whiskies from the reawakened ghost distilleries Brora and Port Ellen have also been carefully curated by Dr. Emma Walker, with the last ever 1977 American oak hogsheads from Brora Distillery and the final 1978 American oak hogsheads from Port Ellen rounding out the collection.
Only 413 Prima & Ultima Fourth Release full sets are available worldwide through appointed agents. The recommended retail selling price for the fourth release of Prima & Ultima is $44,000 in the U.S. for the full set, and when purchasers buy the complete set they’ll receive an additional miniature set of each liquid. For more information about DIAGEO Rare and Exceptional releases, follow @diageorareandexceptional on Instagram to learn more