Tain glass company Glasstorm helps raise £1.1 million at auction of Glenlivet, Old Pulteney and Glen Grant malts at The Distillers One of One event for Youth Action Scotland
Tain glass company has helped raise more than £1.1 million through the auction of two exceptional Moray and one Highland malt whiskies – including securing the most valuable sale of £673,000.
Glasstorm created the magnum-sized vessels for the three malts that went under the hammer at The Distillers One of One event which will all go to benefit Youth Action Scotland.
Glenlivet's SPIRA 60 Year Old 1965 coming out on top and smashed its pre-sale estimate of between £60,000-110,000 to bring in £650,000 – a new auction record for The Glenlivet.
According to the organisers the “oldest expression ever to be released from the distillery” was presented in a 1.5 litre decanter, which was made in Tain.
Not far behind and establishing another auction record was The GlenGrant Eternal 77 Year Old 1948 which reached £400,000, five times its low estimate of £80,000-£120,000.
Again it was the oldest whisky to be released by the distillery and the oldest whisky at the auction.
Finally, Old Pulteney's Polaris 47 Year Old 1978 realised £62,500 – around £1000 for a single glass – which again was the oldest whisky released by distillery and again smashed its estimate of £26,000 - £40,000.
No small part of their success was played by Glasstorm’s impressive decanters or vessels as “these pieces represent the meeting point of traditional glassmaking craft and contemporary design—a celebration of Scotland's exceptional creative heritage.”
Glasstorm’s project manager Gordon Davidson told us: “The vessels are completely unique and each has their own challenges. Glasstorm really pushes what is possible with glass and this means the research and development process is extensive.
“The conversation over design can begin a year or more before the actual auction and there is an enormous amount of work that goes into creating these one of a kind pieces.”
Speaking about where the ideas came from, he said: “Polaris was inspired by the maritime heritage of the Old Pulteney distillery, which is located on the coast of Wick, and a rock formation along the coast which is like a window out to sea. The design reflects the swirling, ethereal beauty of the ocean waves and gives the decanter a very organic, fluid form. This ties beautifully into the ethos of the Old Pulteney maritime malt.
“The Glen Grant Eternal 77 Year Old is inspired by the distillery’s heritage and the concept of timelessness. The decanter design resembles an organic seed pod, symbolizing growth and the passage of time. It reflects the idea that the whisky has evolved gracefully over its 77 years of maturation, tying in with the distillery’s beautiful garden of splendours and its legacy of craftsmanship.
“The case that houses the bottle resembles a Victorian travel case and we like to think it’s similar to one the major would have travelled with when he collected the seeds that birthed the gardens.
“The Glenlivet Spira is inspired by the distillery’s iconic copper stills and the flowing River Livet. The name ‘Spira’ comes from the Latin word for ‘spiral’ and the design of the decanter captures the dynamic movement of the vapours within the stills as well as the river’s gentle flow. It’s all about capturing the essence of movement, elegance, and the natural beauty surrounding The Glenlivet. The bottle seems to defy gravity with the tail higher than the top”
The work was hugely rewarding for everyone at Glasstorm, Mr Davidson said: “We feel incredibly proud to be part of The Distillers: One of One auction. It was a real privilege to collaborate with the designer Burgess Studios on the Glen Grant Eternal and The Glenlivet Spira, and to have designed and created the Old Pulteney Polaris ourselves.
“The three lots Glasstorm were involved in raised over £1.1 million pounds of the total of £2.9 million. What makes the event so special is the impact the funds raised have on the principal charity Youth Action Scotland. We were lucky enough to meet some of the organisers of the charity and learn how the proceeds from the previous action have made a difference.
“We are very excited for what the future holds and to see what impact the funds raised has for Youth Action Scotland.”