By Our Reporter
The lights were low, the conversations measured, and the whisky exceptionally rare, as premium Naalya hangout, Dim The Lights hosted an exclusive showcase of Diageo’s 2025 Special Releases collection on Wednesday night.
The intimate gathering brought together whisky enthusiasts, collectors and tastemakers, offering them a chance to explore five limited-edition expressions drawn from some of Scotland’s most celebrated distilleries: The Singleton Glen Ord 17 Year Old, Clynelish Waxen Sun, Lagavulin 12 Year Old, Oban 12 Year Old and Talisker 14 Year Old.
Leading the evening were UBL Reserve Brand Ambassadors, Melanie Kaita and Steven Baguma, who guided guests through the stories, craftsmanship and flavour profiles that make the annual Special Releases collection one of the most anticipated events on the global whisky calendar.
Each expression brought its own distinct character to the table.
The Singleton Glen Ord 17 Year Old showcased rich orchard fruits and vanilla sweetness, while Clynelish Waxen Sun introduced guests to the distillery’s distinctive waxy texture and honeyed notes. Lagavulin 12 Year Old delivered the powerful peat smoke and maritime character for which the Islay distillery is renowned.
“If you have been taking wine, you need some water to cleanse your palate, otherwise the whisky will confuse it,” Kaita guided guests during the session.
Yet it was Oban 12 Year Old and Talisker 14 Year Old that became the night’s focal point.
Produced by two distilleries, separated by geography, but united by their coastal heritage, the whiskies offered guests an opportunity to explore how location shapes flavour.
Oban 12 Year Old, from one of Scotland’s smallest and oldest distilleries, situated between the Highlands and the Islands, impressed with its balance of fruit, spice and coastal influence. Elegant yet complex, it demonstrated why Oban is often regarded as a bridge between Scotland’s major whisky-making regions.
Talisker 14 Year Old, distilled on the rugged Isle of Skye, presented a bolder personality. Known for its signature maritime character, peppery spice and lingering smoke, the whisky reflected the wild coastal environment from which it originates. For many guests, it represented the adventurous spirit that has made Talisker one of Scotland’s most recognisable single malts.
As Kaita and Baguma unpacked the stories behind each bottle, encouraging guests to engage their senses and compare flavour profiles, the evening felt every bit like a premium whisky immersion.
Then came the twist. An illusionist stepped into the room and transformed the atmosphere entirely.
Using flavour perception as his point of entry, he challenged guests to consider how much of what they experience is shaped by expectation. What followed was a series of mentalism and illusion acts that left the audience alternately laughing, puzzled and astonished.
At one point, guests reacted in disbelief as the performer appeared to touch participants without making physical contact. Moments later, he revealed information written on cards that audience members had been holding throughout the evening, drawing gasps and animated discussion around the room.
The performance proved an unexpected but fitting companion to the whiskies themselves.
Just as guests had spent the evening questioning aromas, flavours and assumptions about what was in their glass, the illusionist challenged them to question what they were seeing and feeling. The result was an experience that blurred the lines between perception and reality, reinforcing one of the central ideas behind whisky appreciation: that discovery often begins when expectations are set aside.
By the end of the night, conversations flowed as freely as the whisky. Some guests debated whether Oban or Talisker had emerged as the standout expression. Others were still trying to decipher how the illusionist had managed his seemingly impossible feats.
What united everyone, however, was an appreciation for the rarity of the whiskies before them. With The Singleton Glen Ord 17 Year Old, Clynelish Waxen Sun, Lagavulin 12 Year Old, Oban 12 Year Old and Talisker 14 Year Old all available for exploration, the evening offered a rare encounter with bottles that few whisky lovers will ever experience together in one room.
For a few hours in Naalya, Dim The Lights became more than a whisky venue. It became a place where rare spirits, compelling stories and a little bit of magic combined to create an unforgettable night.