The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition – The Rare and a sculpture created by Ben Dobbins of Foster + Partners
Courtesy of The Dalmore
Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to whisky. Time is a necessary ingredient to make liquid gold — a minimum of three years in oak casks is legally required to make Scotch whisky, and the best ones are often matured for longer periods. The secret to crafting world-class whisky doesn’t solely rely on high-tech equipment or time-honored techniques; the unique perspectives of its expert makers also come into play.
That’s the case at The Dalmore — a revered Scottish whisky brand led by Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE and Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass.
The Dalmore Luminary No.3 – 2025 Edition was a collaboration between Ben Dobbin and master whisky makers Richard Paterson OBE and Gregg Glass, and is limited to 20,000 bottles globally
Courtesy of The Dalmore
With an illustrious history dating back to 1839, The Dalmore’s superior expression stems from its multi-cask maturation, a precise movement of whisky from one cask to another to build its distinct flavor. The luxury spirit also has a reputation for creative collaboration showcased by the Luminary Series, an effort dreamt up during the pandemic doldrums of 2020.
Meet the Luminaries
In partnership with the V&A Dundee, Scotland’s premier design institution, the Luminary Series brings together top minds from the art, architecture, design and whisky worlds to create something fresh. It’s not only about designing striking decanters and objets d’art, but also working with The Dalmore’s master makers to craft a limited-edition whisky.
What do these two disciplines have in common, you ask? Apart from the fact that humans have been making alcohol and buildings for as long as we’ve existed, both architecture and whisky-making need equal parts technical expertise and creative flair.
Maurizio Mucciola, Lesley Lokko, Melodie Leung, Ben Dobbin at the Venice Biennale of Architecture
Courtesy of The Dalmore
Luminary No. 1 was a collaboration with Kengo Kuma and his protégé, Maurizio Mucciola, who personally worked on the V&A Dundee. He learned that old oak casks that once housed port and sherry are given a second lease on life as a place for maturing whisky. As an architect committed to sustainability, Mucciola latched onto this idea and made a kintsugi-inspired sculpture featuring 48 pieces of wood (the same age of the rare whisky released).
The second edition was a partnership with Melodie Leung of Zaha Hadid Architects, who was inspired by the unending movement and unseen magic that happens when a whisky ages inside casks. She created a rich-hued, unique glass sculpture that looks like in perpetual swirling motion — a visual expression of the maturation process.
Ben Dobbin of Foster + Partners created a unique sculpture and also worked with The Dalmore master whisky makers to create a limited-edition whisky
Courtesy of The Dalmore
The third and final chapter of the Luminary Series features Ben Dobbin of Foster + Partners. During his visit to the distillery, the San Francisco-based British architect was struck by the snow-capped mountains that feed into Averon river and Loch Morie, which supplies the water used to craft The Dalmore’s Highland single malts.
He also drew inspiration from Scotland’s magnificent steel bridges and his personal connection with music, specifically his mother’s love for the harp. The result? An undulating bronze sculpture that was unveiled alongside The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition – The Rare, during the opening day of the Venice Biennale of Architecture.
Common ground
The Luminary Series isn’t just art for arts sake; it’s a long-term partnership with the V&A Dundee, with 100% proceeds from the various initiatives donated to this notable museum.
The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition – The Rare is aged 52 years; only one set goes on auction at Sotheby’s
Courtesy of The Dalmore
This includes the auction of The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition – The Rare, a Single Malt whisky aged for over half a century, 52 years to be exact. Cradled by Dobbin’s bespoke sculpture, one of the two sets produced is currently offered for auction at Sotheby’s Hong Kong. Apart from the one that will end up in the hands of a savvy collector, the other set will be held at The Dalmore distillery in the Scottish Highlands.
The arresting sculpture aside, Dobbin also co-created The Dalmore Luminary No.3 – 2025 Edition. Working together with Richard Paterson and Gregg Glass, the potent yet extremely layered whisky used 7 casks during its creation. The limited-edition whisky is presented within a bespoke case and available globally in just 20,000 bottles.
The worlds of whisky and architecture seem to have little in common at first glance, but well thought out initiatives like this show that there are more parallels in both creative endeavors. Surely, that’s something to raise a glass to.
