54 years of Scotch mastery deserves an ending both momentous and subtle: The second and final edition of the illustrious Bowmore and Aston Martin partnership manages to hit both high notes, with exquisite taste, a one-of-a-kind decanter and the price tag to match.
Previously announced in April, the ultra-exclusive $80,000 ARC-54 and its Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar-inspired decanter quite literally closes the arc on a luxurious meeting of the minds between the famed automaker and the iconic Scotch producer. It also ups the ante from an equally covetable Bowmore x Aston Martin 2023 Masters’ Selection release, a 22-year-old Scotch. The ARC-54 release was first laid down in November 1968 and clocks in at a very approachable 44.3 percent ABV, but good luck getting your hands on a decanter.
The duo last teamed up on an elusive 52-year Scotch in an equally thrilling decanter, one that went for a princely $75,000. As luck would have it, Bowmore and Aston Martin’s ARC-54 is equally hard to come by, but an exclusive New York City tasting at the well-appointed House of Sound unlocked its secrets for a select few journalists. The whisky is sumptuous and exceptional, with a rich and lingering finish touching on dark fruit and delicate spice and smoke. And yet, it’s also pleasantly floral, calling to mind a brisk Islay breeze.
Bowmore says its 130 limited-edition decanters bring together “the peak of luxury Scotch production and height of automotive design uniting in a feat of brilliance,” and reportedly a mere 10 editions are available in the U.S. market. The liquid within is certainly just as impressive, developed from a blend of 61.8% 2nd fill European Sherry Oak Butt liquid and 38.2% 3rd Fill American Oak Hogshead spirit that’s then aged for a further 15 months, a process that “encapsulates infinite layers of flavor,” Bowmore notes.
As to the striking decanter, it’s a work of art in its own right. Like the whisky within (billed by Bowmore as a “multi-dimensional flavor experience”) the Valkyrie is one of the rarest cars on the planet, extremely hard to find, often allocated well in advance and selling for a hefty price.
Aston Martin champions the partnership as an elegant fusion between a heralded modern automaker and a Scotch producer steeped in the ways of the past (in the best way possible). “Bowmore ARC-54 continues the cutting edge, technology-based collaboration between two exceptional brands that are steeped in heritage and tradition,” said Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer,” who added that the company employed “similar principles of materiality and fluid dynamics” in developing its exclusive decanter.
The gravity of the moment, of bringing a 54-year-old Scotch to a fitting and sweeping conclusion, was not undertaken lightly, said Dr. Calum Fraser, Bowmore Chief Blender. “A Bowmore as exquisite and complex as this 54-year-old is a testament to the skills of our distillery team, but also the very embodiment of what can be achieved simply by slowing down, standing still and letting things unfold as they are destined to,” he said, noting that “this rare creation truly demonstrates just how Bowmore ages exceptionally over time, with unmatched precision and clarity.”
Whiskies boasting a 54-year age statement are tough enough to come by in their own right, though the bar is continually being raised, particularly across the Scotch and Irish whiskey categories. And yet, even with a small and subtle taste, it’s clear that the swan song (for now) of the Bowmore and Aston Martin partnership carves out a remarkable place of its own.
