Designed by John Galvin, the five bottles come with a bespoke cabinet
November 18, 2020: Sotheby’s Wine, in partnership with Bowmore, is offering Black Bowmore single malt whisky collection direct from the Bowmore Distillery for auction, to be scheduled for Spring 2021 in Hong Kong. Bowmore is the oldest distillery on Islay, producing handcrafted single malt whisky, hidden in a special location – Scotland’s oldest maturation warehouse, creating magic.
This auction presents five archive bottles of Black Bowmore, spanning 1993 to 2016, in a unique bespoke piece of furniture created by award-winning craftsman John Galvin. Estimated to be HK$4,000,000 (US$500,000 / £400,000), the Black Bowmore ‘Archive Cabinet’ will be the centrepiece of an auction of Finest & Rarest Wines and Spirits.
The winning bidder will also be invited to the Bowmore distillery for a tasting of Bowmore’s rarest and oldest single malts, with proceeds from the sale donated to an Islay charity.
David Turner, Bowmore distillery manager, said: “This full collection of five Black Bowmore bottlings is spectacular, made even more special by the cabinet within which it is beautifully housed. Each element of the cabinet comes from our home; from the workings of the distillery preserving time gone by. This exceptional detail not only reflects the craftsmanship inherent in Bowmore, but makes this unique masterpiece rooted in our Islay home. This means whoever buys this not only owns some of our spirit’s history, but also actual elements of the distillery’s production history.”
An original Bowmore Spirits safe was used in the cabinet’s construction, making it a completely one-off piece never to be replicated. Placed inside on handblown glass pillars, each in varying heights corresponding to the age of the whiskies, the bottles are showcased to spectacular effect.
An ancient Japanese technique was used to char its surface to resemble the inside of a cask. Featuring Scottish oak, custom cask solid bronze, and drawers constructed from the original pine wash back staves and brass whisky safe sourced from the distillery, the cabinet has been handcrafted at every stage of its production.
This auction also offers a one-off book which details the journey of Black Bowmore over its five releases and the creation of the cabinet.
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