“What you must remember is that this is no ordinary whisky. In fact, even for [The Dalmore Master Whisky Maker] Gregg Glass and I, it is special, unlike anything we have done before,” Richard Paterson OBE testifies to Maxim with great solemnity. The Dalmore Master Distiller speaks of one of the most coveted and unique whiskys the distinguished house has ever bottled: The Dalmore Luminary No.3, The Rare, aged 52 Years.
The Luminary series was created by the Northern Highlands distillery with a quite unique manifesto in mind: to explore the link between whiskey and architectural design. Specifically to recognize the artistry of whisky making as a balance between creative flair and technical expertise – dual tenants also recognized in the study of architecture.
So for this third iteration of the Luminary they once again connected with a stellar architect, Ben Dobbin — who Paterson calls a friend and a partner “in the truest sense of the word.” One of the two bottles of this unicorn single malt will be auctioned at Sotheby’s to benefit Scotland’s premier Design Museum the V&A Dundee; the other will be stored in the vaults of their Alness, Scotland distillery.
Notably the V&A Dundee was founded by Kengo Kuma, collaborator for The Dalmore’s inaugural Luminary No.1 release. Luminary No.2 partnered with none other than Melodie Leung, Director at the world renown Zaha Hadid Architects. Dobbin, Senior Partner at Foster + Partner and credited with leading the design of the iconic Apple Park project in Cupertino, California, completes a Holy Architecture Trinity in the Luminary series.
“Gregg and I asked Ben about his life, family, childhood, favorite places in England, and then of course in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he has his wonderful family, and his incredible success as an architect,” Paterson shares. “For each of us, we had an experience in creating this whisky that we will treasure. The conversation we had with Ben led to a vision, a creative sense of what this whisky could be.”
While Paterson joined The Dalmore in 1970, the esteemed Master Distiller took over duties from Colonel Hector ‘HAC’ Mackenzie in 1988 as the distillery’s new custodian, and now plays Yoda to Gregg Glass’ Luke Skywalker. Glass is ordained to continue the unbroken chain of visionary whisky makers helming The Dalmore since its founding near Loch Morie, Scotland in 1839. As Glass was also recently awarded Master Distiller of the Year 2023 at the prestigious Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards, its clear the pedigree continues.
To create Luminary No.3 The Rare, The Dalmore carefully selected parcels of super rare, highly aged single malts stored in their rick houses under the care of Blend Controller Margaret Nicol. “We explored what we had laid down at The Dalmore, in our warehouses, and we identified the right casks from which to create our whisky – a first iteration,” Paterson explains. “Ben, Gregg and I then assessed many many samples, and adjusted the recipe each time.”
After aging more than a half-century in ex-bourbon American White Oak, the team second-finished their single malt in one cask each of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine, Gonzalez Byass Pedro Ximenez 40 Year-Old Sherry, and a vintage 1980 Calvados cask, along with a cask each that rested in Graham’s Port Lodge 1940 Colheita Port and Tawny Port. In total a decadent, unmatched collection of rare wood and single malt ingredients to play with.
“The Rare Aged 52 Years, for me personally, it is like a rare diamond: you must take time to enjoy it,” Paterson shares when asked what the lucky buyer of the Luminary No.3 The Rare can expect when they pour a dram. “On the nose, baked apples, sweet honey and soft spice. As you sip, deep rich caramel, freshly baked apple crumble alongside our signature style of orange, chocolate and warming spice. As you let it go down, the finish elegantly washes over you: delicate vanilla, tarte tatin, licorice balanced with marzipan,” he continues. “Beautiful.”
With a whisky as exquisite as Luminary No.3 The Rare, Aged 52-Year Old, especially one married to the world of architecture, the vessel best match the nectar inside. There are no shortages of scotch single malts leaning heavily into the aesthetic world, where the package design boggles the mind via its creative force. There’s Bowmore’s carbon fiber-topped Aston Martin collab ARC-52: The Mokume Edition, and The Macallan’s partnerships with peerless artists such as Sir Peter Blake, the man credited with designing The Beatles’ iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. Of course there are the previous Luminary series [LINK], which themselves have boasted breathtaking designs.
For his entry into the Luminary, Dobbins penned a bronze pedestal for his bottle that aims to be a physical manifestation of time itself. His sculpture’s elegant spoke-like rods draw in and lean out, creating both tension and balance, with the bottle appearing as if suspended in space. “So too was true for the whisky,” The Dalmore’s Master Distiller offers.
“Make no mistake – this needed to be right – which is why we carefully considered each cask, the influence of each parcel, sourced exclusively from our friends at a number of wineries,” Paterson continues. “In time, we came close until we finally realized our vision. A masterpiece that reflected what Ben had hoped this whisky could be.”
For everyone who does not win the Sotheby’s auction of the Luminary No.3 The Rare, Aged 52-Year Old, The Dalmore will release Luminary The Collectible 2025 Edition 17-year-old single malt as compensation. With 20,000 bottles to be sold at an SRP of $400, The Luminary The Collectible 2025 Edition should be considerably easier to attain.
Follow Deputy Editor Nicolas Stecher on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday.
