The Luminary Series No. 2 – 2024 Edition
The Luminary Series No. 2 – The Rare – 2024 Edition
The Dalmore Luminary The Rare - 2024 Edition sees the whisky and its sculptural housing designed by Melodie Leung, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, together with Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker at The Dalmore, and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE. Leung and The Dalmore whisky makers have worked side by side to share and examine where their intricate skills and knowledge converge.
“Experiencing The Dalmore’s outstanding craftsmanship first-hand and being initiated into the complex world of whisky making by Gregg and Richard provided extremely fertile ground for design inspiration. The sculpture we created for The Rare was inspired by our fascinating discussions around the interaction and flow of flavour notes in the whisky-making process. It mirrors the multiple layers of ageing and blending that went into creating this whisky, which is the exquisite product of nature channelled over time.”
From the outset of the project, our Luminaries shared the goal of connecting whisky’s sensorial experience with a form to represent it. Working together, they discovered fresh intersections of flavour and form, rooted in their personal experiences. This collaborative approach is representative of Melodie’s typical working style, something key to the success of Zaha Hadid Architects.
Melodie brought her team into the creative process to develop ideas and share their thoughts and feelings. Initially these were conceptual in nature, expressed through the senses, and in shape, form, and movement. This early work became the foundation for an initial review between Melodie, the team, and Gregg, identifying the strongest ideas with the most potential.
The sculpture features layers of translucent material entwined in a continuous cascade. It depicts the depth which emerges with age and the interaction of flavour in the form of a never-ending loop, evoking the sensorial warmth of The Dalmore. Material choice was a critical element in development, with Melodie and her team keen to represent how the whisky’s colour changes over time. They experimented with different materials, identifying what would catch and refract the light in the best way, lending the sculpture a luminosity to reflect the precious spirit it would cradle.
The Luminary Series No. 2 – The Collectible – 2024 Edition
The Collectible packaging captures the movement, light, and texture of the sculpture. The design represents a bird’s-eye perspective of the sculpture from above, with different colours and materials embossed and debossed to lend a sense of depth and texture. The packaging is designed to catch the light and convey a sense of motion, with warm copper tones reflecting and complementing the whisky within.
The Rare and The Collectible reflect the shared commitment of The Dalmore, V&A Dundee and Leung to champion exceptional design and innovation on a global scale. All proceeds from Sotheby’s sale of The Rare will be donated to V&A Dundee in support of its important mission to inspire and empower through design. The Dalmore, Zaha Hadid Architects and V&A Dundee have combined forces and involved the architectural practice in an exciting new exhibition opening at V&A Dundee on Friday 29 March 2024, Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World.
A limited number of The Collectible is available to purchase in our shop and online. Please phone Monday – Friday (10.00 – 17.00) on 01382 411 704 to enquire about purchasing a bottle.