Sotheby’s has sold a 49-year-old single malt whisky from The Dalmore housed in an 80kg glass sculpture designed by Zaha Hadid Architects for £93,750. Even though it did not break any records, it is a fine price for Dalmore.
On Friday, Sotheby’s held a sale of a 49-year-old Dalmore Luminary No.2 ‘The Rare’ single malt from The Dalmore Distillery. Proceeds from the sale were donated in their entirety to the V&A Dundee.
The Dalmore Luminary No.2 ‘The Rare’ is part of the Luminary Series, which was created in partnership with the V&A Dundee. It is one of three bottles made, and each contains a glass sculpture designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.
Special Dalmore Whisky Garners £93,750 at Sotheby’s
The sculpture’s creator, Fiaz Elson from The Glass Foundry, kiln-fired the glass in a handmade mold over 12 weeks. Later, he lowered the temperature one degree at a time. More than 500 hours were spent hand polishing the sculpture, which weighs 80 kilograms.
The Dalmore’s master whisky makers Gregg Glass and Richard Paterson OBE collaborated on ‘The Rare’ whisky.
In addition, the spirit was matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels. Later, it was finished in an assemblage consisting of an exceptionally rare 30-year-old Apostoles Sherry Cask and Select Bourbon Barrels. The final step used an air-dried 1951/virgin oak hybrid cask.
There are only three bottles created, as well as two sculptures. One complete set will be archived at the distillery and one additional decanter will go into a final Luminary Series Compendium.
Jonny Fowle, global head of spirits at Sotheby’s, said: “This is a thoroughly deserved result for a true collector’s piece that combines to brilliant effect a highly aged liquid, a high concept design, and a worthy cause. The Dalmore is an icon of the whisky world and this second iteration in their Luminary series encapsulates all the key elements collectors are looking for in today’s premium whisky market.”
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