Bowmore unveils £71,000 ARC-54
Islay distillery Bowmore has released the second and last whisky in its ARC series with Aston Martin, which has been aged for 54 years.
ARC-54 follows ARC-52, a 52-year-old whisky the distillery released in June 2022 with the luxury car brand, which fetched a £225,000 (US$279,556) sum at auction.
The new release was distilled in November 1968 and is one of Bowmore’s oldest launches. The liquid is presented in a handblown decanter inspired by the ‘cutting-edge’ design of Aston Martin’s Valkyrie hypercar.
Dr Calum Fraser, chief blender at Bowmore, said: “A Bowmore as exquisite and complex as this 54-year-old is a testament to the skills of our distillery team, but also the very embodiment of what can be achieved simply by slowing down, standing still and letting things unfold as they are destined to.
“This rare creation truly demonstrates just how Bowmore ages exceptionally over time, with unmatched precision and clarity. As guardians of this spirit, we strive to harness the power of the past in every drop we create – while constantly reimagining Bowmore for the next generation that will experience our whiskies.”
During the whisky’s 54-year maturation, the liquid spent its latter years in second-fill European oak Sherry butts and third-fill American oak hogshead casks in the Islay distillery’s No.1 Vaults.
Its makeup is inspired by the ‘golden ratio’, with 61.8% European oak-aged spirit and 38.2% American oak-aged spirit. The two parts were then married for 15 months before the final liquid was bottled at an ABV of 44.3%.
The nose brings sweet and syrupy vanilla, merging with soft butterscotch and buttery shortbread, and giving way to tropical mango and sweet peach. The palate leads with ‘rich fruit sweetness’, followed by freshly cut green apple, citric tones of bergamot orange and lime juice, and flavours of salted caramel complemented by floral notes.
Drinkers will then discover the distillery’s famed ‘whispering’ peat smoke and a finish described as ‘intense yet lavish, long and smooth with sweet, herbal and peated character’.
Boundary pushing
The decanter is also a key component of the release, with its streamlined design based on the F1-inspired aerodynamic exterior of the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar.
Bowmore said this ‘includes the full-length venturi tunnels that contribute to in the region of 1,100kg of downforce and the natural fluid forms of the terroir of Islay’.
Sculpted with precision, the decanter’s lines and styling are said to create a ‘striking sense of flow’, while the diffuser-inspired glass sculpture enhances the flowing reflections of the liquid inside.
ARC-54 launched last night (2 April) at Raffles at the Old War Office Building in London, during an exclusive evening that also looked back on Bowmore’s 240-year legacy.
Just 130 decanters are available globally, priced at £71,000 (US$93,339).
Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s executive vice president and chief creative officer, added: “Bowmore ARC-54 continues the cutting-edge, technology-based collaboration between two exceptional brands that are steeped in heritage and tradition. It embodies the innovative thinking we apply to Valkyrie and Valhalla, our mid-engined sports cars.
“Both of these cars push the boundaries of the ARC-54 decanter; similar principles of materiality and fluid dynamics are employed, replacing air flow for liquid movement to create a uniquely formed shape generated by the pure movement of Bowmore whisky. A truly creative collaboration.”
The pair-up between the two brands has also involved an immersive experience on Islay, as well as a Master’s Selection whisky range of 21- and 22-year-old single malt bottlings.
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