The Glenturret, has today
announced the launch of a limited-edition release, in collaboration with French
crystal glass house Lalique and renowned American artist James Turrell.
The Glenturret Eight Decades
(41.5% ABV) is a single malt Scotch whisky, comprised of whiskies drawn from eight
casks filled and laid down to mature from between 1987 and 1998.
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| The Glenturret Eight Decades |
The Glenturret Eight Decades decanter was created
as a celebration of the artist’s eightieth year and a poetic tribute to
generations of craftsmanship – both The Glenturret distillery since 1763, and
Lalique’s master glassmakers since 1888.
Realising the artist’s vision for
Eight Decades required an immense amount of design work, from drawings to mould manufacturing,
hot glass trials and prototypes. The shape and colour of the bottle, which has a neck injected
with violet crystal, created a technical difficulty for the Lalique artisans in the factory in Alsace,
ensuring that the crystal be evenly distributed to offer a transparency that would magnify
the amber-coloured whisky inside.
The Glenturret Eight Decades, is
said to deliver notes of dark dried fruit, chocolate orange, ginger cake, red
berries, fresh apple and soft oak on the nose. Followed by notes of gentle wood
spice, rich fruit cake, treacle, honeycomb and oak on the palate.
Commenting on the launch, John Laurie,
Managing Director, The Glenturret said: “It is a proud moment for us to be
working with James Turrell - a lot of hard work and emotions have gone into
designing and creating this decanter. The Eight Decades decanter encapsulates
The Glenturret’s very essence: an understated aesthetic, crafted by many
talented hands who are all custodians of the skills required to create such a
beautiful decanter and liquid. The design of Eight Decades is a departure from
more traditional whisky bottles and a homage to the artist as it commemorates
his eightieth birthday – we feel it is a piece of art just as much as it is a
whisky decanter holding a delicious liquid.”
Limited to 80 decanters, The
Glenturret Eight Decades will be primarily available for pre-orders in May via privateclient@theglenturret.com or by contacting Lalique Boutiques on
Conduit Street and in Burlington Arcade, London. RRP: £80,000.
Following the launch of two
perfume bottles and light panels, this is the third time James Turrell has collaborated with
Lalique, creating a perfect triptych; it is the first time that he has created pieces of art on a small
scale, as his works are usually large-scale, immersive, temporary or in situ.