When two brands come together that have histories like both Bowmore and Aston Martin, you pay attention. As the first distillery on the island of Islay, Bowmore has a history that dates back to 1779. Aston Martin, on the other hand, is young by comparison but has become one of the most prestigious car manufacturers in the world, and that’s putting it lightly. Now, these two British staples have collaborated on their most significant bottle of whisky ever with the ARC-52.
This isn’t the first collaboration between Bowmore and Aston Martin, as the two storied brands have partnered for the likes of an 18 Year Scotch and the Black Bowmore DB5 1964, among others. However, the new ARC-52 doesn’t just house some of Caledonia’s finest liquor but sports a beautiful bottle as well. Tapping into the automobile concept, the designers aimed to have the bottle seem like it’s in motion when it’s standing still, much like the English marque’s head-turning sports cars, with kinetic curvatures and contours. To open it up, a “key” of sorts is inserted in a hole in the “arc” cap. It’s safe to say Bowmore and Aston Martin haven’t just created a futuristic-looking bottle, but a work of art.
Of course, whiskies are mainly judged, as they should be, by what’s inside the bottle. Luckily, we don’t expect any disappointment there either. The Scotch is a single malt aged for 52 years in both a sherry butt and an American ex-bourbon oak cask, split evenly. Displaying notes of citrus such as orange and lime, as well as tobacco and hazelnut, the buttery spirit finishes with praline and butterscotch on the back end.
Something as ethereal as the ARC-52 won’t be too easy to get your hands on. Limited to just 100 decanters, the whisky is sure to go quickly when it becomes available via select retailers later this summer.
