From chocolate to art, these whiskies collaborate with the creative talents and artists for inspiration.
THE BALMAIN X CHIVAS REGAL XV COLLECTION
The luxury of French fashion and Scotch whisky come together in this limited-edition release of Balmain x Chivas Regal XV. It takes the form of two bottle designs, developed in partnership with Balmain Creative Director, Olivier Rousteing. The First Drop is an individually numbered gold bottle, adorned with metallic armour and the iconic gold chain in a nod to Balmain’s runaway signature pieces. The Second Drop sports Balmain’s recognisable silhouette, again with a design of chains and belts. The Chivas Regal XV is a 15-year-old blended scotch finished in cognac casks with sultanas, raisins, and warm spice notes.
THE MACALLAN HARMONY COLLECTION RICH CACAO
Macallan continues its tradition of limited-edition series, and this time, the distillery explores the world of sustainable packaging. The quest led master whisky maker Polly Logan to Girona, Spain, to collaborate with the acclaimed pastry chef Jordi Roca. The result of the partnership was twofold. First, a cacao-inspired whisky, aged in a sherry-seasoned European oak cask selected for its bitter chocolate notes. Second, Macallan found an excellent source for sustainable packaging in the waste product of peeled cacao skins. The end result is a glistening liquid with rare chocolate notes of milk and dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, honey and dates.
BALVENIE 25
The first release of Balvenie Twentyfive is instantly appealing. Expect the expected (vanilla and rich honey) and unexpected flavours of 25 years – toasted marshmallows, dried orange rind, cinnamon, crystalised ginger and a silky mellow finish that comes only with time. Part of the Rare Marriages series, the whisky was aged for two and a half decades in five distinct casks ranging from American bourbon to European casks from oloroso sherry, imparting complex notes. The launch is marked with an artistic collaboration with paper quilling artist Yulia Brosdskaya who created a three-dimensional caramel-toned artwork imitating the whisky notes.
