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Click here to learn about the Rare Malts history!

The Rare Malts Selection - A RetrospectiveThe Rare Malts Selection was launched in early 1995 (although curiously the first bottlings had taken place the previous year) and as with the Manager's Drams and the Flora & Fauna range this pioneering series first appeared while the distilleries were still under the mantle of United Distillers. The creation of Diageo was still a couple of years away.

Unlike the Manager's Drams, however, the Rare Malt series were designed for global release, appearing first in Travel Retail and then soon after in world markets. Each release was of a relatively large batch of casks vatted from a single vintage, usually of around a thousand cases and different bottlings were spread around the world in separate markets.

We can’t give United Distillers all the credit, though, as they were only involved for the first few years before Diageo took over in 1997/8. To be fair to Diageo, although they wound the Rare Malts down they continued to bottle some impressive whiskies before the series finally finished in 2005.

It beggars belief now to think that the original retail price of the first Rare Malts releases was £36.99 regardless of what was in the bottle, and that prices ranged between £50-£80 for the vast majority of their time on retailers’ shelves. Experienced malt whisky connoisseurs had never known such bounty; new whisky fans were being recruited everywhere.

It couldn’t last, of course. With so many bottlings appearing in different markets in a short space of time - over fifty releases in the first two years - there were always going to be winners and losers. The most desirable Rare Malts quickly became victims of their own success, with stock of the lost distilleries drying up and the buzz around the more popular releases sufficient to attract the attention of the marketing department at Diageo.

Soon after Diageo’s merger of United Distillers with IDV to create United Distillers & Vintners in 1998, the previously abundant Rare Malts releases slowed to a trickle. From 1999 onwards non-EU bottlings ceased and the schedule was cut to just four Rare Malts releases annually before the series was discontinued in 2005.

Times were changing. The pick of the remaining stock from the most desirable distilleries was being earmarked for other projects; The Rare Malts were soon superseded by a new range in bespoke packaging with considerably fancier price tags - the age of Diageo’s Special Releases had arrived.

Meanwhile, large batches of Rare Malts from worthy but unknown distilleries like Glendullan, Teaninich and Auchroisk were sitting unwanted on retail shelves. Despite what we now perceive as outrageous bargain prices, many overseas markets returned pallets of unsold cases and the last days of the Rare Malts saw this surplus stock being shifted on multi buy discounts in UK retailers.

It’s the mark of greatness in a series, though, that twenty five years after they first appeared these less heralded releases are still standing up well in quality terms compared to what came after, and the Rare Malts whiskies include plenty of such gems. Perhaps the incredible quality of the best-known Rare Malts releases has hidden the spotlight from some of the less obvious classics in the range.

In today's market, prices for the best Rare Malts Selections have gone through the roof, especially for desirable names such as Brora, Glenury Royal and St Magdalene, all of which first came to mainstream attention on the back of their outstanding Rare Malts bottlings.

For those willing to dig a bit below the surface of the famous Rare Malts, though, there are dozens of brilliant cask strength whiskies from great distilleries. Some of these distilleries have now been closed for decades; others shone briefly in this series before sliding back into obscurity, but are still knocking out top quality single malt for Diageo’s blends, just as they always have.

This is another reason for the enduring popularity of the Rare Malts. While today the Glenury Royals, Brora and Port Ellens are now out of reach for most whisky fans, there are still bargains to be had among the Rare Malt Selections for anyone prepared to do a bit of patient digging.

The Rare Malt Mortlachs, for example, are arguably the best official bottlings from this distillery, but can still be picked up for very reasonable prices. In fact, from the active distilleries featured, the Rare Malts bottlings of Glen Ord, Caol Ila, Mannochmore, Teaninich, Linkwood, Inchgower and many other distilleries still rank among the best ever official bottlings of these unsung heroes. Auction prices for these whiskies are inevitably creeping up with each passing year, but the majority of the Rare Malts remain great value.

Looking back at the Rare Malts series now we can see that it served as both introduction and farewell for many of the great lost distilleries that had closed in the 1980s.

Names such as Convalmore, Glenury Royal, St. Magdalene (Linlithgow) and of course Brora and Port Ellen had their first ever general release official bottlings as Rare Malts and would go on to further acclaim in the Special Releases series.

For most of the rest of the lost distilleries, the Rare Malts served as an official swansong, with not enough suitable stock for subsequent Special Releases to build the legend or keep the flicker of public interest alive.

Several distilleries including Hillside (Glen Esk), Glen Mhor, Glen Albyn, Banff, Coleburn, Dallas Dhu, Millburn and Glenlochy made their last official appearances as Rare Malts. For some of these distilleries, it was their only official bottling. Thankfully the Rare Malt Selections ensured that they went out in a blaze of glory.

Mixed fortunes awaited the other distilleries. Cardhu was already a popular single malt in some markets; Bladnoch and Benromach were in mothballs and had already been sold before their Rare Malts editions were released. Craigellachie, Aultmore and Royal Brackla were let go to Bacardi in 1998 to satisfy the Monopolies Commission after United Distillers merged with IDV.

Elsewhere, Glen Ord, Auchroisk and Dufftown were subsequently to become The Singleton representatives for different markets, while Clynelish, Caol Ila and later Mortlach were deemed viable for relaunch as single malts, with varying degrees of success.

Meanwhile, the blending workhorses Teaninich, Inchgower, Mannochmore, Benrinnes, Dailuaine and the rest went quietly back to their day jobs making blending malt stock. Their reputations had been enhanced, but not sufficiently to warrant any single malt outings other than for the Flora & Fauna range and the occasional Special Releases bottling. Sadly none of the latter ever approached the quality of their Rare Malt predecessors.

The legacy of the Rare Malts Selections remains unarguable. A range that the cynical might denigrate as a happy accident, a simple inventory-tidying exercise by United Distillers - or an effort to stop being shown up by independent bottlers - quickly became the finest series of official bottlings in whisky history.

One thing is for sure - however it may have come about, the Rare Malts series remains as a shining, seismic, apex moment in the history of Diageo’s single malts. It was lightning in a bottle for single malt fans.

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Full List Of Rare Malts Selection

Auchroisk 1974
Rare Malts Selection
28 Year Old - Bottled 2003
56.8% - 70cl

Aultmore 1974
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 1996
60.9% - 70cl

Banff 1982
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 2004
57.1% - 70cl

Benrinnes 1974
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 1996
60.4% - 70cl

Benromach 1978
Rare Malts Selection
19 Year Old - Bottled 1998
63.8% - 70cl

Bladnoch 1977
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 2001
53.6% - 70cl

Blair Athol 1975
Rare Malts Selection
27 Year Old - Bottled 2003
54.7% - 70cl

Brora 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995
60.02% - 70cl

Brora 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995
61.1% - 70cl

Brora 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995
58.7% - 70cl

Brora 1975
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1996
60.75% - 20cl

Brora 1975
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1996
59.1% - 75cl

Brora 1975
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 199
54.9% - 70cl

Brora 1975
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1996
59.1% - 75cl

Brora 1977
Rare Malts Selection
24 Year Old - Bottled 2001
56.1% - 70cl

Brora 1977
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 1998
56.9% - 70cl

Brora 1982
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 2003
58.1% - 70cl

Caol Ila 1975
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1996
61.12% - 75cl

Caol Ila 1975
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1996 - USA
61.12% - 75cl

Caol Ila 1975
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1996
61.18% - 75cl

Caol Ila 1975
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 1997
61.3% - 70cl

Caol Ila 1975
Rare Malts Selection Box 2
20 Year Old - Bottled 1996
61.12% - 20cl

Caol Ila 1977
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1998
61.30% - 75cl

Caol Ila 1977
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 1999
61.3% - 70cl

Caol Ila 1978
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 2002
61.7% - 70cl

Cardhu 1973
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1998
60.5% - 75cl

Cardhu 1973
Rare Malts Selection
27 Year Old - Bottled 2000
60.02% - 70cl

Clynelish 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - South Africa B297
57.0% - 75cl

Clynelish 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - USA - Bottled 1995
58.64% - 75cl

Clynelish 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995
58.95% - 75cl

Clynelish 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1995
57.1% - 75cl

Clynelish 1972
Rare Malts Selection
24 Year Old - Bottled 1997
61.3% - 70cl

Clynelish 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995
58.95% - 20cl

Clynelish 1974
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1998
59.1% - 70cl

Coleburn 1979
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 2000
59.40% - 70cl

Convalmore 1978
Rare Malts Selection
24 Year Old - Bottled 2003
59.4% - 70cl

Craigellachie 1973
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995
60.2% - 70cl

Dailuaine 1973
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1996
60.92% - 75cl

Dailuaine 1973
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1996 - USA
60.92% - 75cl

Dailuaine 1973
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1996 - Box 2
61.8% - 20cl

Dallas Dhu 1970
Rare Malts Selection
24 Year Old - Bottled 1994
60.6% - 70cl

Dallas Dhu 1970
Rare Malts Selection
24 Year Old - Bottled 1994
59.91% - 70cl

Dallas Dhu 1970
Rare Malts Selection
24 Year Old - Bottled 1994
60.54% - 70cl

Dallas Dhu 1975
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 1997
61.9% - 70cl

Dufftown 1975
Rare Malts Selection
21 Year Old - Bottled 1997
54.8% - 70cl

Glen Albyn 1975
Rare Malts Selection
26 Year Old - Bottled 2002
54.8% - 70cl

Glen Mhor 1976
Rare Malts Selection
28 Year Old - Bottled 2005
51.9% - 70cl

Glen Mhor 1979
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 2001
61.0% - 70cl

Glen Ord 1973
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1997
59.8% - 75cl

Glen Ord 1974
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1998
60.8% - 70cl

Glendullan 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1994
62.6% - 70cl

Glendullan 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1996
62.43% - 75cl

Glendullan 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - USA - Bottled 1996
62.43% - 75cl

Glendullan 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1996 - Box 2
62.43% - 20cl

Glendullan 1973
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1997
58.6% - 75cl

Glendullan 1974
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1998
63.1% - 70cl

Glendullan 1978
Rare Malts Selection
26 Year Old - Bottled 2005
56.6% - 70cl

Glenlochy 1969
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1996 - USA
62.08% - 75cl

Glenlochy 1969
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1994
62.2% - 75cl

Glenlochy 1969
Rare Malts Selection
26 Year Old - Bottled 1995
58.8% - 75cl

Glenlochy 1969
Rare Malts Selection
26 Year Old - Bottled 1995
59.0% - 75cl

Glenlochy 1969
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1995 - Box 1
62.2% - 20cl

Glenury Royal 1970
Rare Malts Selection
29 Year Old - Bottled 1999
57.0% - 70cl

Glenury Royal 1970
Rare Malts Selection
28 Year Old - Bottled 1998
58.4% - 75cl

Glenury Royal 1971
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1995
61.3% - 70cl

Glenury Royal 1971
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1995
61.3% - 75cl

Hillside 1969
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1995
61.9% - 20cl

Hillside 1969
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1995
61.9% - 75cl

Hillside 1969
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1995
61.9% - 75cl

Hillside 1970
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1995
60.10% - 70cl

Hillside 1970
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1996
61.1% - 75cl

Hillside 1971
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 1997
62.0% - 70cl

Inchgower 1974
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1997
55.7% - 75cl

Inchgower 1976
Rare Malts Selection
27 Year Old - Bottled 2004
55.6% - 70cl

Linkwood 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995
59.3% - 70cl

Linkwood 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - South Africa B297
58.4% - 75cl

Linkwood 1974
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1997
61.2% - 75cl

Linkwood 1974
Rare Malts Selection
30 Year Old - Bottled 2005
54.9% - 70cl

Linkwood 1975
Rare Malts Selection
26 Year Old - Bottled 2002
56.1% - 70cl

Mannochmore 1974
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1997
60.1% - 70cl

Millburn 1969
Rare Malts Selection
35 Year Old - Bottled 2005
51.2% - 70cl

Millburn 1975
Rare Malts Selection
18 Year Old - Bottled
58.9% - 70cl

Millburn 1975
Rare Malts Selection
25 Year Old - Bottled 2001
61.9% - 70cl

Mortlach 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1996
59.4% - 75cl

Mortlach 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - South Africa B297
59.4% - 75cl

Mortlach 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995
65.3% - 75cl

Mortlach 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995 - USA
65.3% - 75cl

Mortlach 1972
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 1995 - Box 1
65.3% - 20cl

Mortlach 1978
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1998
62.2% - 70cl

North Port 1971
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1995
54.7% - 75cl

North Port 1971
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1995 - USA
54.7% - 75cl

North Port 1971
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1995 - Box 1
54.7% - 20cl

North Port 1979
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1999
61.2% - 70cl

North Port 1979
Rare Malts Selection
19 Year Old - Bottled 1998
61.0% - 75cl

Port Ellen 1978
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1998
60.90% - 70cl

Port Ellen 1978
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 2000
60.50% - 70cl

Rosebank 1979
Rare Malts Selection
19 Year Old - Bottled 1998
60.2% - 75cl

Rosebank 1979
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1999
60.3% - 70cl

Rosebank 1981
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 2002
62.3% - 70cl

Rosebank 1981
Rare Malts Selection
22 Year Old - Bottled 2004
61.1% - 70cl

Royal Brackla 1978
Rare Malts Selection
20 Year Old - Bottled 1998
59.8% - 70cl

Royal Lochnagar 1972
Rare Malts Selection
24 Year Old - Bottled 1997
55.7% - 75cl

Royal Lochnagar 1973
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1997
59.7% - 70cl

Royal Lochnagar 1974
Rare Malts Selection
30 Year Old - Bottled 2004
56.2% - 70cl

St. Magdalene 1970
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1994
58.1% - 70cl

St. Magdalene 1970
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1995 58.43% - 70cl

St. Magdalene 1971
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1995
59.0% - 70cl

St. Magdalene 1979
Rare Malts Selection
19 Year Old - Bottled 1998
63.80% - 70cl

Teaninich 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1996
64.95% - 75cl

Teaninich 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1996 - USA
64.95% - 75cl

Teaninich 1972
Rare Malts Selection
27 Year Old - Bottled 2000
64.20% - 70cl

Teaninich 1972
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1996 - Box 2
64.8% - 20cl

Teaninich 1973
Rare Malts Selection
23 Year Old - Bottled 1997
57.1% - 70cl

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