Bowmore® STAC: Bowmore’s oldest ever whisky sells for record-breaking £562,500* ($679,331) at the Distillers One of One Charity Auction
Bowmore® STAC: Bowmore’s oldest ever whisky sells for record-breaking £562,500* ($679,331) at the Distillers One of One Charity Auction
*Final price includes buyer’s premium of 25% of hammer
Bowmore STAC 55 Years Old pays homage to Islay and is contained in a striking and ground-breaking 1.5 litre vessel, bringing to life the story of layers and is reflective of the whisky’s flavour dimensions over time.
All proceeds raised from the auction will be donated to help disadvantaged young adults in Scotland through the Youth Action Fund.
5 October 2023: Following the Distillers One of One auction earlier today at Hopetoun House in partnership with Sotheby’s, Bowmore STAC has sold for a record-breaking price of £562,500 ($679,331). Distilled in 1962, a defining decade in the history of Bowmore distillery, this exceptionally rare single malt is presented in a ground-breaking vessel inspired by its island surroundings. Bowmore STAC is crafted in high grade glass, a complex and meticulous feat of engineering to replicate a rock face. In allowing light to pass through, the whisky within is revealed as the contrasting texture and polish gives a captivating multidimensional effect.
Proceeds from The Distillers One of One auction will benefit The Youth Action Fund, which has been created by The Distillers’ Charity to support disadvantaged young adults in Scotland, empowering them to create positive change in their lives and communities. Working with charity partners who offer education and vocational training programmes, including distillation training, the fund will provide young people with opportunities to develop life skills, discover their values and be work-ready.
Robbie Millar, Managing Director – Scotch & Irish Brand House at Beam Suntory commented, “The sale of the oldest ever Bowmore whisky today is a landmark in the story of this incredible distillery. At Bowmore, we are proud that our whiskies are considered such sought-after items amongst collectors and whisky connoisseurs globally and STAC further demonstrates just how exceptional Bowmore spirit ages and captures flavour so exceptionally over time.
This auction presents the unique opportunity to come together as an industry to showcase rare and remarkable Scotch whiskies highlighting the care, passion and time that goes into making each of these unique lots. Vitally, the purpose of the auction is paramount as it gives back to a truly worthy cause in Scotland providing a positive impact for years to come. At Beam Suntory, we have a long standing commitment to supporting our communities across Scotland so this result allows us to keep driving this ambition forward.”
Jonny Fowle, Vice President, Global Head of Whisky at Sotheby’s, said,
“Bowmore STAC defines precisely what Distillers One of One is all about. The oldest and rarest whisky from a distillery presented in the most unique of formats. As a magnum sculpture that redefines the physical principles of a whisky bottle, STAC is a pivotal moment in Scotch Whisky production, design and philanthropy, which this incredible result attests to.”
Bowmore STAC 55 Years Old
This exceptionally rare single malt has been nurtured and shaped in second-filled American oak hogsheads within the No.1 Vaults, capturing its character from its island surroundings. A true celebration of the excellence of maturation, the whisky boasts tawny hues opening with fresh, vibrant aromas full of soft orchard fruits and honey. Vibrantly capturing the tropical flair of fresh pineapple and honeydew melon merging with pecan nuts and floral honeysuckle before notes of subtle menthol and minerality arise as the glass approaches the lips. This sensory immersion continues on the palate as liquorice, cocoa nibs and dark roasted coffee beans unite with caramel and shortbread to reveal toasted oak spices and peat smoke and onward to a mouth warming and conclusive long drying finish.
Tasting notes
Expression Bowmore 1962 55 year old - STAC
Cask details Refill American Oak Hogshead
Distilled 29/09/1962
ABV 41.0%
Colour Tawny
Nose Fresh and vibrant, full of soft orchard fruits and clover honey, with fresh pineapple, subtle honeydew melon and pecan nuts.
Floral notes of honeysuckle with menthol and vanilla along with ocean minerality on the lips.
Taste Liquorice with cocoa nibs and dark roasted coffee beans, caramel with shortbread biscuit moving through to toasted oak spices and peat smoke.
Finish Mouth warming to start then moving to a long drying finish.
For more information please contact:
Bowmore@saucecommunications.com
ABOUT BOWMORE®
For over 240 years, the Bowmore Distillery has been capturing the essence of Islay from the shores of its remote island home. Shaped by centuries of skill and tradition, Bowmore’s single malt harnesses the power of this time in every single drop, defined by the past and savoured in the present.
Time is defining at Bowmore® and we tirelessly harness the power of time to shape our whiskies. Our distillery’s adherence to traditional production methods helps to shape the character of our fruity and smoky single malts. Today, we are amongst one of a few distilleries which still produces its own floor malted barley, hand-turned by a traditional wooden malt shovel and hand drawn machinery. Water for the whiskies is specially drawn from the Laggan River, with its rich peaty overtones – the same Islay peat that fires the malt-drying kiln.
Bowmore distillery's proximity to the sea is also vital in determining the final character of its spirit and gives a hint of sea air to the character. The legendary Bowmore® No. 1 Vaults is where most of the whiskies spend their long lives resting quietly in the cool, dark, damp cellars below sea level, oblivious to the waves thrashing the vault's sea-facing wall.
Matured in oak casks, previously used for bourbon, sherry, or claret, over time developing rich and mellow flavours until the expertise of our whisky makers deems them ready for bottling. It is this combination of peat, barley, sea breeze, water, wood, people, and tradition that makes Bowmore the exceptional single malt it is today.
Time is marked on each and every bottle of Bowmore, proudly and boldly as a marker of where and when each one’s journey began. This is our story of time. This is Bowmore; the Art of Time since 1779.
https://www.bowmore.com/en
About The Distillers’ One of One
Launched in 2021, the Distillers’ One of One is a biennial series of auctions of Scottish whisky in aid of disadvantaged young people in Scotland. Led by The Distiller’s Charity, the philanthropic arm of The Worshipful Company of Distillers, and in partnership with Sotheby’s, the Scotch Whisky industry has gathered together to support philanthropy. Participating distilleries are donating ultra-rare whisky and experiences for sale at auction aiming to raise in excess of £1 million during the initial 3 December 2021 auction.
In order to help transform the life chances of young people in Scotland post pandemic, The Distillers’ Charity has created the Youth Action Fund. The proceeds from the Distillers’ One of One auction will be disbursed from the fund to a number of charities that focus on empowering Scotland’s young adults to create positive change in their lives and communities. Sotheby’s will also donate a portion of their buyer’s premium from the auction to The Distillers’ Charity.
About Beam Suntory
As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires the brilliance of life by delivering great consumer experiences through its world-class portfolio of brands. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam®, Maker’s Mark®, Basil Hayden® and Knob Creek® bourbons; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Teacher’s, Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Beam Suntory also produces leading brands such as Courvoisier® cognac, Tres Generaciones®, El Tesoro® and Hornitos® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, Canadian Club® whisky, and is a world leader in ready-to-drink cocktails, with brands like -196 and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.
A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in more than 30 countries, one of Beam Suntory’s core values is Growing for Good and through its Proof Positive sustainability strategy, the company has committed to ambitious goals and investments to promote environmental sustainability in its operations, ensure the company has a positive impact on the communities where employees live and work, and programs to educate and inform consumers to make the right personal choices about drinking. Headquartered in New York City, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit https://www.beamsuntory.com/ and https://www.drinksmart.com/.