You’ve probably heard of the term “ageing like a fine wine”. Replace the word ‘wine’ with ‘whisky’ and it will still be pretty apt. When aged correctly, whisky possess an ineffable quality in terms of flavour, just like fine wine.
Now, Glen Grant Single Malt Scotch Whisky, the renowned distillery in Scotland’s Speyside region, has released its oldest ever whisky in its 180-year existence. A 70-year-old single malt whisky, the Glen Grant Devotion is showcased as a labour-of-love sculpture that took a great deal of time and effort to finish.
The Glen Grant Devotion bottles up a 70-year fine whisky making tradition.
The extraordinary reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II served as inspiration for this release, which pays tribute to a lifelong dedication to nature and 70 years of dedicated service via the combined craftsmanship of Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm OBE, John Galvin and Brodie Nairn of GLASSTORM—a fitting tribute from Scotland.
Introducing the Glen Grant Devotion 70 Years
Exquisite ageing imparted a lifetime of character to Devotion, which was sourced from a single French oak butt that had been filled in 1953 with oloroso sherry at The Glen Grant distillery. A floral scent of strong barley sugar, ripe peach and honey sweetness blends with the dramatic deep chestnut hues. On the tongue, you’ll find luscious dried fruits, raisins, sultana, dry spice and a trace of wood. With a high alcohol by volume (55.5% abv), this whisky exemplifies the superiority and unrivalled ageing potential of The Glen Grant range.
From 1953 to the present.
Masters of Craft From Scotland Honour Queen Elizabeth II
Brodie Nairn of GLASSTORM, an expert in working with heated glass, award-winning craftsman John Galvin, and Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm OBE worked together to bring the 70-year-old Glen Grant Devotion to life. The Glen Grant’s Devotion is an exceptional and unique bottle because just seven of these stunning, hand-blown decanters were ever made.
Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm OBE.
Presented as an enchanting gem-shaped work of art, each of the seven decanters pays homage to a different decade of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. In honour of her remarkable life, each one showcases a silver capsule decorated with a unique and profound floral etching. A magnificent wood sculpture featuring an intricately woven design of forms and shapes inspired by nature holds the jewel-like decanter in perfect balance. The sculpture was made from a fallen elm tree found in the distillery gardens. Featuring the proud Thistle of Scotland, the inscription on the silver diameter of the sculpture pays tribute to Her Majesty’s favourite flowers, the Lily of the Valley.
Fetching an All-Time High Auction Figure
In September 2023, Sotheby’s held an online auction for decanter Number One. The entire sale was donated to the Royal Scottish Forestry Society, which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II patronised, in order to support their efforts to preserve Scotland’s native woodland. The one-of-a-kind decanter Number One showcases The Queen Elizabeth Rose, a tribute to Her Majesty, with characteristic engravings in gold and embellishments that are peculiar to this auction item.
A rare whisky to have for that memorable moment.
A record-breaking £81,250 (US$101,300) was raised at the first auction of The Glen Grant Devotion Decanter Number One. The resulting donation has been made to the Royal Scottish Forestry Society, which helps to preserve local woodlands in the Speyside area. This commitment will support the efforts of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society and carry on The Major’s legacy by establishing a new planting site on Speyside for his much-loved 27-acre Garden of Splendours.
After decanter number 1 was auctioned off, the other five decanters are on sale at their respective marketplaces in the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan; prices are available upon request.
The Seven Decanters
No. 1 Decanter has The first decanter of its sort, the Queen Elizabeth Rose—so named for Her Majesty and inscribed in gold—will be sold online by Sotheby’s.
In honour of the bridal bouquet she received from her marriage to the HRH Duke of Edinburgh, an orchid is depicted in Decanter number 2. In recognition of the creation of a special flower for the Diamond Jubilee, Decanter number 3 features a daffodil—the national flower of Wales.
One of the clematis that adorns the grounds of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle—her final resting place—is Decanter number 4. The daisy, Queen Elizabeth II’s natal flower, is showcased in Decanter number 5.
From the Silver Jubilee festivities comes Decanter number 6, a Begonia. Decanter #7 depicts the Stephanotis, a flower associated with Scotland, which was part of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation bouquet.
As Jonny Fowle, Global Head of Spirits at Sotheby’s remarked, the Glen Grant Devotion embodies so much of what is important in whisky collecting. It encompasses quality, rarity, age and most of all provenances as the oldest whisky ever to be released directly from The Glen Grant Distillery itself.
After seven decades of oak age, this whisky reveals an incredibly dark colour. Its contrast with John Galvin’s lavish light wood frame is stunning, making it the ideal centrepiece for the most remarkable whisky collections in the world.
