BOWMORE ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF RARE ARC-52 SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY IN THE US
Past meets present as an Aston Martin designed, futuristic vessel unites with one of the oldest Bowmore whiskies ever produced
Chicago, IL (September 27, 2022) – Bowmore® Single Malt Scotch Whisky today announces the arrival of ARC-52, an exceptionally rare release of 52 Year-Old single malt, to the US market. Bowmore ARC-52, the most recent release in the storied partnership between Bowmore and Aston Martin, is sold in a cutting edge, strikingly futuristic and inspiring decanter – an appropriate homage to the oldest and rarest release to date from the two luxury brands. Just 100 decanters of Bowmore ARC-52 exist in the world, representing a highly exclusive, limited release and the height of achievement in collaborative bottle design.
Crafted with consideration over decades, Bowmore understands how every decision influences the final character of its whisky, and how time passed has shaped today. Rooted in intentionality, Bowmore curates every last drop of whisky released, adding depth and distinction of flavor to each multi-dimensional single malt. It is this precise ethos which has produced ARC-52 – one of the oldest Bowmore whiskies ever released and a true coming together of heritage and innovation. At its heart, ARC-52 is a celebration of how Bowmore and Aston Martin champion constant evolution and ingenuity to provoke, inspire and excite appreciators of true luxury.
Ron Welsh, Master Blender, Bowmore, said “A Bowmore as exquisite and complex as this 52-Year-Old is testament to the skill of our distillery team and their commitment to optimizing the time spent in cask to create such an incredible spirit. The complexity of the ARC-52 single malt is unquestionable and to achieve such perfect balance not only defines its physical form but unites beautifully in every drop of this stunning whisky. Working with Aston Martin remains hugely rewarding and fascinating for me. It continues to inspire and show us a different way of working, with absolute precision, and has allowed us to create what, in my opinion, is the best Bowmore over 50 years old that I’ve ever tasted.”
Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer, Aston Martin, said, “ARC–52 sits at the apex of our partnership, truly showing the depth of what we can create collaboratively. We set out to produce something which hasn’t been seen before, capturing our uncompromised design principles and also the magnificence of the whisky. I believe that what we have created is truly a piece of sculpture. Taking balance as the most important factor, as we do in designing Aston Martin cars, we’ve harnessed heritage and innovation in perfect balance. For me there is just so much to discover with this whisky as it embodies so much hidden knowledge – even the color looks like it’s been created by time.”
The ARC-52 bottle explores the ideas of balance, capturing perfect stability combined with definitive intensity – the very same approach Aston Martin takes to design a vehicle. The process relied on the exacting principals of the latest 3D printing technology and hand-crafted clay modelling to craft a meticulously engineered, bespoke magnetic key which releases the striking aluminium top almost by magic, whilst maintaining sleek, clean lines on individually hand-blown glass.
Matured for a remarkable 52 years in a marriage of two cask styles in two exact parts, 50% American Oak Hogshead and 50% European Oak Butt, ARC-52 Single Malt promises unquestionable complexity and a perfect achievement of balance. The whisky captures the classic Bowmore character with herbal and medicinal notes combined with exotic fruits, praline and butterscotch to finish. Creamy and fruity aromas of vanilla and custard cream are carefully balanced with peach, pear, kumquat, mandarin, a hint of guava with herbal notes of fresh mint and eucalyptus. On the palate, the whisky continues to evolve as flavors of green grapes and peach melba, clementine, lime zest merge seamlessly alongside nutty notes of almond and hazelnuts, whilst tobacco leaves give way to a subtle peat ash and buttery character.
The first in a new inspiring series, just 100 decanters of Bowmore ARC-52 are available globally with US availability in the NYC and LA markets, at an SRP of US $75,000 (ex VAT/duty) beginning in September 2022.
CASK TYPES: European Oak Sherry Butt and ex-Bourbon American Oak Hogshead
AGE: 52 Years Old, 1968
ABV: 42.3%
100 BOTTLES for the world
Tasting notes
ON THE EYE: Deep burnished gold.
BREATHE IN: Creamy and fruity with notes of vanilla and custard cream but also peach, pear, kumquat, mandarin, a hint of guava with herbal notes of fresh mint and eucalyptus.
TASTE: Sweet, fruity and citric with flavour of green grapes and peach melba, clementine, lime zest but also nutty notes of almond and hazelnuts, tobacco leaves with a lightly peaty ashy and buttery character.
SAVOUR: Herbal and medicinal with exotic fruits, praline and butterscotch note
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 picklives 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. For more information visit www.bowmore.com and follow along on social at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT BEAM SUNTORY
As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires human connections. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam® and Maker’s Mark® bourbon brands, Suntory whisky Kakubin and Courvoisier® cognac, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek®, Basil Hayden’s® and Legent bourbon; Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki Japanese whisky; Teacher’s, Laphroaig® and Bowmore® Scotch whisky; Canadian Club® whisky; Hornitos® and Sauza® tequila; EFFEN®, Haku® and Pinnacle® vodka; Sipsmith® and Roku gin; and On The Rocks® Premium Cocktails.
Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and vision of Growing for Good, which now includes its transformative sustainability strategy, Proof Positive. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, 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 www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.
ABOUT ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA
Aston Martin Lagonda is a luxury automotive group focused on the creation of exclusive cars and SUVs. The iconic Aston Martin brand fuses the latest technology, exceptional hand craftsmanship and timeless design to produce models including the Vantage, DB11, DBS Superleggera and the new SUV, DBX. Based in Gaydon, England, Aston Martin Lagonda designs, creates and exports cars which are sold in 51 countries around the world.
Lagonda was founded in 1899 and Aston Martin in 1913. The two brands came together in 1947 when both were purchased by the late Sir David Brown. www.astonmartin.com