The Singleton Paragon of Time No. 2 54 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (750mL)

The Singleton are trailblazing in the creation of epicurean Scotch – Scotch that is crafted with a singular ambition to delight the taste buds and shape a decadently delicious flavour experience by exploring numerous possibilities and pushing boundaries in search of whiskies with wonderful taste, depth and richness.

Fittingly, this is the second and the last release in this incredibly rare series. The Singleton Paragon of Time No.2 spent more than half a century ageing in the original 1966 cask, making it a prestigious 54 year old Single Malt Scotch, and something of an artistic time capsule that has been nurtured and crafted over decades to finally be released to a select few.

This special bottling was crafted in Dufftown in the 1960s – over half a century ago. Every process was slow; barley malted and turned by hand on the drying floor. The craftsmen of the past devoted their lives to these slow-crafting ways.

Aged for 54 years, The Singleton Paragon of Time No.2 celebrates a precious oak butt cask that was slowly hand-filled on October 31st, 1966 and sealed in time, destined to become The Singleton’s oldest ever release.

Finally, it was then given an exquisite final maturation using a Pedro-Ximenez Sherry-seasoned cask – a last act of mastery in the pursuit of true richness that only time, skill and patience can achieve. Casks selected out of a small batch of the rarest and most unique of the distillery were set aside to allow time to perform its slow magic, cared for with supreme skill, then master-crafted in a final maturation to bring out its many layers of flavour.

This wonderful story of craftsmanship has given us The Singleton Paragon of Time No.2 – the oldest expression of The Singleton ever bottled and an example of truly astoundingly rich character and flavour.

The Singleton Paragon of Time No. 2 Tasting Notes

Color: Rich deep amber.
Aroma: Mellow, mild and dry overall. The top-note is richly winey, as  with a vintage solera wine; this scent fills the room. Fleeting suggestions of maraschino cherry and wax furniture polish lie beneath this, on a dusty base of waxed cotton jacket and hemp ropes, or in the warehouse, earthy floors and hessian sacks. A balancing light bitterness emerges through the sweet fruit, while a drop of water introduces a note of mint toffee.
Mouthfeel: Light
Palate: At natural strength delicate in texture; light on its feet, lively for its great age and drying overall. Sweet in taste, beginning fruity and quickly becoming spicy. A Christmas pudding in a glass. Clove-studded oranges. Beneath, a bittersweet hint of burnt raisins.
Finish: Long, pleasantly warming and elegantly drying, with a light yet spicy sweetness, leaving a warm glow. A drop of water elevates the fruit and sharpens the finale.

It is rare to find any whisky of this great age; far rarer one of unique provenance, that never left the distillery. Only a fortunate few have been able to enjoy its younger sibling (Paragon of Time No.1, 53yr). Even now, only a handful more can join them, for so little remains in casks of this age after the angels have taken their share – the cask yielded just 235 bottles to be savoured in this precious release, with only 36 bottles available inthe United States