In 2024, Diageo released the second iteration of its “Spirited Xchange” collection to great fanfare. Master blender Stuart Morrison painstakingly crafted eight unique and distinctive single malt cask-finished whiskies, which the brand describes as “a celebration of craftsmanship, culture, and flavor innovation.”

This year’s whiskies come from Lagavulin, Oban, Mortlach (one of my personal favorite distilleries), Talisker, The Singleton, Benrinnes, Roseisle, and Caol Ila. These releases all underwent secondary maturation, often in uncommon barrels, contributing to their unique flavors. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

Oban Coastal Orchard
This is a 10-year-old release finished in Oloroso sherry-seasoned casks (“seasoned” here means the barrels weren’t used to age sherry wine; instead, sherry was left in the barrel just long enough to impart flavor).

Appearance: In the glass, this whisky is reminiscent of a freshly baked, underdone chocolate chip cookie.

Note: As soon as I poured this, I could smell the Oloroso. I’m picking up rice wine vinegar, biscotti, and vanilla foam with a subtle hint of salinity on the back.

Palate: As soon as I took a sip, I was reminded that this whisky is 58% ABV and that the nose was incredibly deceptive. This starts out hot from the ABV and leads to the taste of warm salt water: vanilla fudge, saffron, and a hint of stewed cherries round out the palate.

Mortlach Midnight Dusk
Finished in white and red wine casks, Ramandolo and Sangiovese, respectively. I had never heard of Ramndolo before, so I looked it up. According to Wikipedia, “Ramandolo is a sweet white Italian wine from the village of the same name which is situated in the hills near Nimis in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region of northeast Italy.”

Appearance: This presents as a delicate honey amber in the glass.

Nose: The sweet wine really accentuates Mortlach’s meatiness. It adds a layer of complexity to this already intricate spirit. This is reminiscent of kabayaki sauce (more commonly known as Eel sauce) with a nice balance of sweet and salty. Past that, it gives subtle hints of oak and charcoal.

Palate: Mortlach truly shines at high-proof in wine casks (usually sherry), and this is no exception! Clocking in at 57.5% ABV, this is pure apples and honey. The sweet wine doesn’t overpower the natural flavor of the whisky but instead helps amplify the vanilla, caramel, milk chocolate, and oaky taste.

The Singleton Autumn Walk
finished in a handful of different casks: Ex-bourbon, rejuvenated ex-wine, refill casks, and European Oak and Pyrenean oak cask-ends.

Appearance: In the glass, this presents as a light yellow gold.

Nose: I’m getting fresh honey, molasses, and a subtle florality.

Palate: The palate is very similar to the nose but with more Bourbon characteristics. Fruity, floral, oaky, with hints of honey, vanilla, and dark chocolate.

Benrinnes Grand Crescendo
This is very exciting as, like Ben Nevis, you rarely see Benrinnes! And the only “official bottling” released to my knowledge is, again, like Ben Nevis, a Flora and Fauna bottling. This is the oldest bottling in the 2024 series at 21 years old. Using “American Oak wine casks, European Oak casks, and rejuvenated casks with charred ends.”

Appearance: A light honey gold with a yellow twinge.

Nose: This is earthy, with hints of bacon, fresh garlic, and olive oil. There’s a hint of rosewater as well.

Palate: This whisky has the warmth and taste of a new-baked cherry pie. It’s got the sweet but slight tartness of fresh cherries baked in sugar. There’s a soft smoke on the back palate, and it’s also quite biscuity.

Roseisle Origami Kite 2 to my knowledge, this is only the second time Roseisle has been released as a standalone whisky; the first time was in last year’s series with the original Origami Kite. This is matured in first-fill ex-bourbon and unspecified refill casks. Roseisle is an interesting Scotch as it’s so light and delicate.

Appearance: Honey lemon

Nose: Extremely soft, honey, vanilla, lemon squares.

Palate: I didn’t get a lot on the palate here; I was mostly just getting lemon squares and freshly cracked black pepper, with a twinge of bourbon casks.

Caol Ila Ambrosial Feast
An oddity for sure: an unpeated Caol Ila that was aged in refill and rejuvenated ex-wine casks. I’m curious to see how an unpeated Caol Ila tastes with a wine cask influence.

Appearance: This looks like melted butter in the glass.

Nose: Wow, right away, you can tell this is a rich and oily spirit, with notes of fruit tarts, beef tallow, heavy cream, and praline/hazelnut/almond.

Palate: Bright and full-bodied with notes of green apple, charred green pepper, and an orange/lemon finish.

Talisker Tidal Churn 
A unique expression not because of the type of casks used but rather because of the bizarre technique applied to the casks. Diageo uses a stone-spun method to wear down the interior of the casks by rotating the stone against the wood with water, almost like rock tumbling.

Appearance: In the glass, this presents as white gold.

Nose: The nose is reminiscent of Mezcal: earthy, smokey, slightly briney, with a meatiness at the end. I could easily get lost in this nose for hours; it’s so enticing and addicting. It’s one of the best-peated Scotches I think I’ve ever smelled. The salinity mixes so well with the vanillin coming from the wood, but it also has this BBQ beef smell to it. There’s also a twinge of green malt but mature whisky.

Palate: This palate has me literally drooling as I write this. It kicked my salivary glands into hyperdrive! It is so savory and smokey, with a twinge of sea salt caramel, milk chocolate, and walnut rounded out by an immense softness.

Lagavulin Fireside Tales
Last but not least, we have this year’s Lagavulin, which is matured in first-fill ex-bourbon and refill casks. I expect the lack of a wine cask here to bring out lots of smokey and briny notes.

Appearance: In glass, this is much like the Talisker: white gold but with a twinge of yellow.

Nose: Right away, this is reminiscent of a well-cooked steak. It’s smokey, salty, and meaty. There are hints of apricot, tobacco, and leather with a subtle note of cashew and apple.

Palate: Incredibly soft front palate leads into a mid-palate of sharp cheddar and pepper, with notes of grass, leather, and sauteed green beans. The back of the palate is like biting into a charcoal briquette but with a hint of vanilla extract.

Overall impression
The Mortlach and the Talisker blew this year’s series out of the water, with the Oban a close third.