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otheby’s is proud to present Whisky in Lalique, the world’s first auction to celebrate the exceptional Scotch whiskies the have been bottled in Lalique crystal in recent years, namely from The Macallan and The Glenturret. This auction honours the launch of The Glenturret Distillery’s first ever 50 Year Old expression and offers collectors the opportunity to procure decanter #1 of this historic release of only 150 bottles, which is auctioned along with an exclusive artwork and an invitation to visit the world’s first Michelin starred distillery.
This whisky was drawn from the last remaining cask from Glenturret’s 1972 vintage, making this the oldest cask in their possession. As a single cask it has spent the last five decades maturing in a refill European Oak Sherry cask which gives the whisky a beautiful antique oak colour. This 50 year old whisky is housed in a striking, hand carved black crystal decanter produced by luxury French crystal house, Lalique and designed by Marc Larminaux, Artistic and Creative Director at Lalique, to mirror the craftsmanship and skill that went into producing such an extraordinary whisky.
In addition to the decanter, the winner of the lot will also receive a unique artwork, devised in collaboration with Method Studio who commissioned Scottish artist Matthew Draper for the project. Edinburgh based Draper works with his hands and his heart, responding emotionally to the landscape; instinctively communicating the interplay between light, water, and land. On this occasion, the artwork titled ‘Loch Turret’ depicts the ancient freshwater Loch Turret that provides The Glenturret Distillery with the water that will become its whisky. This beautiful, one-off collector’s item has been created from pigments and inks that have been harvested by charring and burning the 50 Years Old cask staves - a variation on an ancient ink-making technique based on tannic
reaction that is a nod to the values of provenance, prowess, and passion, which The Glenturret places at the heart of its whisky making.
We are so excited to be releasing a 50 Years Old expression for the first time ever. But to do it in partnership with the extraordinary creative talents, Lalique, Method and Matthew Draper, whose values both mirror our own philosophy when it comes to craftsmanship and the importance of making things by hand, is just incredible. The result is a rare and unique collector’s piece, and the work that has gone into this project really does justice to the remarkable liquid that can be found inside.
Since the establishment of The Auld Alliance between Scotland and France in 1295, there has always been a synergy between the two countries, with a particularly special relationship between two of their key products: Scotch Whisky and French. This relationship began in earnest in 2005 when The Macallan’s prescient partnership with Lalique to launch their Six Pillars Collection marked a turning point in the premiumisation of Single Malt Whisky. The ability for distilleries to age their whisky for 50 years and beyond deserved to be marked and the exquisite Lalique designs which housed these whiskies elevated the whisky achieve a certain je ne sais quoi, loosely translated into Scots as “Ah dinnae ken how”. This collection has gone on to be one of the most coveted and most valuable in the history of Scotch Whisky. In fact The Macallan in Lalique Legacy Collection is still the highest value lot of any wine and spirits sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
This journey has seen The Macallan and Lalique collaborate on a number of different expressions, not least The Macallan M Decanter (a large format of which once broke the record for the most valuable bottle of all time when sold at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong) and the iconic No. 6 Decanter in Lalique.
