Art meets craft in a bespoke whisky-inspired sculpture, at auction in May
As far as memorable whisky emblems go, the 12-point silver stag which proudly adorns each bottle of The Dalmore is hard to top. Now though, the prestigious whisky maker has joined forces with Zaha Hadid Architects to create a beautiful amber glass sculpture designed to house two limited-edition highland single malt whiskies: The Dalmore Luminary, The Rare edition 2024 and The Dalmore Luminary, The Collectible edition 2024.
Only three decanters and two glass sculptures have ever been made of The Rare editions and when the first is auctioned at Sotheby's as part of its Modern British Luxury sale, online 17 May and closing May 31, the 49-Year-Old Single Malt is expected to reach upwards of six figures. And in the spirit of creative goodwill, all proceeds will be donated to Scotland's prestigious design museum, V&A Dundee.
Each highly coveted piece has been designed by Melodie Leung, associate director of Zaha Hadid Architects. During the creative process, she worked closely with Gregg Glass, master whisky maker at The Dalmore, and master distiller Richard Paterson OBE.
Reflecting on the process, Glass says: ‘This was a true meeting of minds, and the new release beautifully expresses the shared journey we’ve all been on. While crafting our two new whiskies, we used the technique of time – nurtured carefully to transform through blending – to elevate The Dalmore to a new level. Flavour, colour and form meet together in a holistic sensory experience with swirls of texture, depth, complexity and nuance.’
Notable for its soft amber hues and curvaceous form, the contemporary glasswork took 12 weeks to perfect in a kiln and was inspired by nature and time-honoured traditions. Says Leung: ‘The sculpture we created for The Rare was inspired by our fascinating discussions around the interaction and flow of flavour notes in the whisky-making process. It mirrors the multiple layers of ageing and blending that went into creating this whisky, which is the exquisite product of nature channelled over time.’
We look forward to seeing you at the auction or for a wee dram at one of Bond Street's eclectic drinking holes – The Fumoir at Claridge's, The Donovan Bar at Brown's Hotel or Cecconi's. After all, when architecture, craft and whisky come together like this, you might be tempted to celebrate with a glass of liquid gold in shimmering surroundings.
Sotheby's 34-35 New Bond Street, London, W1S 2RP