Ultra-rare whiskies mark Diamond Jubilee(2)
Each edition also includes a pair of lead Cumbria Crystal glasses engraved by Philip Lawson Johnston and a commemorative artefact book, hand bound by Laura West at her Isle of Skye bindery and personalised for each owner by Sally Mangum, Calligrapher By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen.
All the elements will be housed in a chest made by the cabinet makers at NEJ Stevenson, incorporating oak from the Queen’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, to echo the whisky marrying casks and Caledonian pine from Balmoral.
Meanwhile another ultra-rare £8,000-per-bottle single malt has been launched today, also in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee.
The 60-year-old malt from Glen Grant was originally distilled on 2 February 1952, just four days before the Queen acceded the throne.
Elgin-based single malt whisky specialist Gordon & MacPail has released just 85 bottles of the drink (left), which was bottled at cask strength on 2 February this year – making it exactly 60 years old.
Gordon & MacPhail’s joint managing director Michael Urquhart said: “Glen Grant 60 Years Old is a rare single malt whisky and we are delighted to be releasing it to mark the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
“With whisky of this quality and rarity – each bottle comes with a certificate of authenticity – we expect considerable interest, not just in the UK, but from the international marketplace where recent export figures have shown we have an avid consumer following.
“In producing the packaging for this remarkable single malt we worked with Scottish craftsmen, allowing us to showcase some of the finest talent in the country.”
The whisky is presented in a pyramid shaped crystal decanter adorned with a diamond shaped stopper. Each decanter is engraved – the script filled in with silver – and uniquely numbered.
The decanter carries an engraved crown with a sparking Swarovski crystal, set at the meeting point of the crown’s two arches. A silver collar, placed around the neck of the decanter completes the presentation.
The decanter is packaged in a hand-crafted box made of Scottish elm, felled a short distance from Holyrood House, the Queen’s official Scottish residence. The decanter sits in the box lined with purple Harris tweed.
Tweed and a dust jacket made from the same material protects the box and the contents.
The limited edition bottles are now being put on the market for a recommended retail price in the UK of £8,000 per bottle. Prices in export markets will differ depending on duty and import taxes.
The launch of Glen Grant 60 Years Old is supported by an online social media campaign and dedicated microsite and Facebook page.
