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Balvenie creates luxury chessboard for Raffles London
Speyside distillery The Balvenie has partnered with jewellery designer Ellie Mercer to create a chess set for Raffles London’s Guards Bar and Lounge.
Mercer is known for her handcrafted, sculptural jewellery that combines resin with solid gold and silver.
To create the traditional ‘Staunton’ chess set, she used materials from The Balvenie distillery, including refurbished cask heads, alongside polished brass and resin squares in Raffles’ red tones.
Each board features bespoke nooks to hold a dram of whisky.
She said: “Working with The Balvenie has been an incredible journey. As an artist, I find their dedication to craftsmanship truly admirable.
“The chess set embodies this ethos – it’s contemporary in design yet rooted in craft, with elements like the cask heads recognising the role of The Balvenie coopers. I aimed to create something that not only excites visually but invites people to slow down and savour both the game and the whisky.”
The Balvenie x Ellie Mercer ‘Makers & Gamers’ Experience also features a whisky trolley, which houses the bar’s collection of chess sets and serves The Balvenie Rare Marriages Collection.
Guests who order from the trolley will also experience ‘immersive aromatic experience’, featuring four fragrances that tell The Balvenie’s story.
The sensory experience costs £60 (US$75), with the chess experience valued at £110 (US$137).
Alice Taraschi, manager of The Guards Bar and Lounge, said: “We are honoured to host this exceptional collaboration between The Balvenie and Ellie Mercer in The Guards Bar and Lounge at Raffles London.
“Our venue is renowned for offering bespoke and luxurious experiences, and this chess and whisky pairing adds a layer of creativity, giving our guests a unique and immersive opportunity to celebrate a careful blend of contemporary and traditional craftsmanship, and of course The Balvenie whisky itself.”
The Guards Bar and Lounge was awarded a pin in the inaugural Pinnacle Guide in 2024. Its sister venue, The Spy Bar, recently launched a monthly takeover series.
A limited run of chess sets will also be available to buy from Fortnum & Mason. Each board comes with a bottle of The Balvenie 25.
Sean Fennelly, UK brand ambassador for The Balvenie, said: “Craft is at the heart of everything we do at The Balvenie, and this collaboration perfectly embodies that ethos.
“Working with Ellie Mercer has allowed us to take the spirit of innovation that drives our whisky-making and translate it into something at once beautiful and meaningful.
“The chess set is a representation of tradition and precision, but also creativity and patience – all qualities that define our process at The Balvenie. It offers an exceptional new way for guests to truly ‘play’ with our brand.”
The Balvenie is owned by William Grant & Sons, who today (6 February) released a collection of 50-year-old Ladyburn single malts in partnership with South Korean artist Ha Chong-Hyun.
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