Overview: The Balvenie Distillery and artist Daniel Arsham have launched a collaboration featuring the Eighty-Eight-Year-Old single malt Scotch whisky. This release marks the oldest spirit ever produced by the distillery, distilled in 1931 as part of The 1931 Collection. The debut presentation includes a sculptural form designed to reflect the passage of time and history at Frieze Seoul.
The Full Story
The renowned single malt Scotch whisky distillery has recently unveiled the Eighty-Eight-Year-Old as part of its The 1931 Collection. To commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime spirit, the distillery tapped Arsham to create a “sculptural form” worthy of the prized liquid. In Arsham’s interpretation, the Eighty-Eight-Year-Old is presented as a “time-worn relic.” Using his signature layered visuals, he crafted eight tiers, each representing a decade during which it was distilled.
The overall form was made from hand-patinated bronze, intended to mirror the textures and colors found throughout the distillery while referencing the oxidation that naturally occurs in copper over time. On its opposite side is wood, made from 88 symbolic layers of oak. At the center of the layers, acting as a pedestal for the bottle, is a copper disc formed from a decommissioned distillery still. It places a physical piece of The Balvenie’s history within Arsham’s contemporary work.
The liquid is housed in a hand-blown crystal decanter that, like Arsham’s sculpture, recalls where the product was produced. It features “The Balvenie Ball,” which was inspired by the shape of its copper stills. The bottle is placed as though it was uncovered from the center of the relic, a discovery that was decades in the making but worth it all the same.
What This Means
The collaboration brings themes of time, material transformation, and the histories that objects carry to a tangible form. Arsham explains about the collaboration that he wanted to create something that feels both ancient and contemporary, to make the passage of time tangible. The release marks the oldest whisky ever released by The Balvenie, representing nearly a century of aging.
Consumer Takeaway
This release offers a hand-blown crystal decanter featuring “The Balvenie Ball,” which was inspired by the shape of its copper stills. The bottle is placed as though it was uncovered from the center of the relic, a discovery that was decades in the making but worth it all the same. The debut includes an immersive, sensorial performance directed by Arsham at Frieze Seoul.
Source: Read the original article
