Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery, Littlemill, has partnered with world-renowned photographer Stefan Sappert to launch its most vital launch so far: an distinctive 45-year-old liquid, commemorating the distillery’s 250th anniversary.
Based in 1772 in Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, the distillery was misplaced to a hearth in 2004 and since then, Grasp Blender of Loch Lomond Group, Michael Henry, has held guardianship of the final remaining uncommon casks, drawing on the restricted reserves for the Littlemill 250th Anniversary Launch.
To mark the historic milestone, Littlemill collaborated with Sappert to honor two monumental moments in time: the institution of Littlemill and the event of pictures. Stefan’s conventional photographic approach, silver on black glass, mixed with state-of-the-art manufacturing creates dramatic and atmospheric imagery, and his portfolio consists of worldwide stars Alice Cooper, Joss Stone, Sting, Rod Stewart, and David Duchovny.
Sappert labored with Henry to create an unique collectable for the Littlemill 250th Anniversary Launch, giving custodians the uncommon likelihood to personal a chunk of the misplaced distillery’s legacy.
The liquid has been taken from a single distillation on October 4, 1976. It was re-casked in 1996 into American oak Hogsheads, earlier than maturing in first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads for a closing six months earlier than bottling.
On the nostril, the Scotch provides aromas of elderflower and chamomile with notes of grapefruit and lemon zest adopted by deeper candy notes of toffee with marzipan, almond, and vanilla. The palate delivers flavors of crème caramel and vanilla syrup alongside tart inexperienced fruits–apple, pear and lime–light cinnamon, and nutmeg spice. The end is lengthy with mouth-watering inexperienced fruit, some dry oak tannin then warming ginger and cinnamon spice.
In homage to Stefan and his course of, the Littlemill 250th cupboard attracts inspiration from a Victorian bellows digital camera field with a standard lens, designed by Morans Wooden Parts and Scottish crystal studio Glencairn Crystal. Inside, every handblown crystal decanter, additionally by Glencairn Crystal, has been impressed by a digital camera aperture and is topped with a hand-turned and completed gold-plated collar and stopper which notes particular milestone years from Littlemill’s historical past.
As a part of the worldwide collaboration, Stefan has manufactured 250 silver on black glass photographic plates. Nestled in a drawer below the decanter, it recaptures a picture of the River Clyde near Littlemill’s doorsteps. Every individually numbered plate is visibly distinctive and unique to its new proprietor, bearing Stefan’s signature and fingerprints on the reverse.
“Littlemill was misplaced earlier than its contribution to whisky might ever be absolutely acknowledged and applauded,” defined Henry. “Nonetheless, we’re fortunate to have the remaining few casks below our care, a stone’s throw from the place the unique distillery as soon as stood, and it felt solely proper to mark this important milestone with a really particular restricted launch.
“Distilled in 1976 and double distilled in Littlemill’s bespoke straight neck pot stills which have been designed to present a triple distillation type character, it is a lowland single malt whisky of remarkable character. In step with our data of how Littlemill was handled, I’ve given the liquid a closing six-month end in first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads. You’ll be able to style the historical past in each valuable drop, from elderflower, chamomile and lemon zest, to the silk-like creme caramel and tart inexperienced apple, and the warming ginger and cinnamon spice end.
“Our partnership with Stefan has allowed us to discover the assembly of our crafts, each of which protect and revive the previous. I’ve vastly loved sharing our ardour, endurance, and respect for custom. His artistry and our exceptional liquid have mixed to make one thing unbelievable for collectors. It’s a true privilege to be a part of Littlemill’s closing legacy and we’re so excited to offer 250 custodians the chance to personal this uncommon piece of whisky historical past.”
Sapper commented: “The artwork of whisky-making is fascinating. Like moist plate pictures, it captures a second that requires an equal quantity of endurance, dedication, ardour, and most significantly, time.
“My work makes use of one of many oldest photographic processes that hyperlinks on to the 1770s, the place the premise of making everlasting pictures was found and when Littlemill was based. I work with an outdated picket digital camera and a historic lens that’s over 160 years outdated. The end result isn’t just a digital picture, however a real piece of artwork.”
Analysis into the historical past of Littlemill and its connections with pictures was supported by The Royal Photographic Society, one of many world’s oldest pictures communities.
Dr Michael Pritchard FRPS, Director of Schooling at The Royal Photographic Society, added: “The historical past of pictures is interwoven with such significant moments from the previous. It captures the creativeness and solidifies a second in time. It has been great to play a component on this mission and discover the connections and shared milestones between pictures and whisky in celebration of Littlemill’s exceptional 250th anniversary.”
Bottled at 41.8% ABV, simply 250 bottles of the Littlemill 250th Anniversary launch can be obtainable for buy and are priced at £9,500. They are often bought through the model’s official web site and different specialised retailers.
In March 2021, Littlemill launched one other 40+ 12 months outdated bottling, Testomony 1976.
