Long before Ian Callum became renowned for his amazing designs for Aston Martin and Jaguar, and before David Thomson helped relaunch the iconic Scotch distillery Annandale, the two men were classmates in Dumfries, Scotland. Now, of course, their worlds look much different, but that doesn’t mean they can’t collide every once in a while.
Today, in preparation for World Whisky Day tomorrow, Annandale has collaborated with the designer’s eponymous company CALLUM for a new limited edition single malt, unpeated Scotch called CALLUM 529, which has been bottled from a single American oak barrel at cask strength for a pure, undiluted heat between 50% and 65% ABV. Made at one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, the whisky was distilled in copper stills from just three ingredients: malted barley, water, and yeast. The low tannins of the spirit go along with notes of chocolate, toffee, cinnamon, and cardamom on the palate.
Not to overshadow the liquor itself, CALLUM has designed an amazing blue bespoke bottle to contain the whisky. Made from ceramic, the tactile container looks and feels unlike anything that’s ever been used to house Scotch before, with sweeping lines and ripples that were crafted similarly to the methods used to design the bodywork on an automobile. Annandale ensures that the ceramic won’t have any effect on the flavor of the whisky inside, since it’s a neutral material.
Annandale is unsure how many bottles the single cask will yield, but estimates around 230. With each 70cl (700mL) bottle numbered and signed by Callum himself, CALLUM 529 by Annandale is available to order now for £350 (~$437) from CALLUM’s website.
