A year after the release of their first collaborative Masters' Series expression, Walpole Members Aston Martin and Bowmore have this week released the sequel: Masters’ Selection 22-Year-Old – an exclusive single malt whisky that is inspired by the common values of heretige and innovation that the two brands share.
The story of this whisky sees Bowmore’s Master Whisky Blender, Ron Walsh, skillfully seeking the optimal nurture of spirit in cask, whilst the leader of Aston Martin’s world-renowned design function, Marek Reichman, the automotive house's Chief Creative Officer, strives to push the boundaries of technology, with often futuristic and experimental dynamism. It is these differences which drive the collective creativity and inspiration, allowing both teams to explore and shape the making of this whisky from start to finish, from sampling different cask styles to defining the character they all align behind.
The result? A salty-sweet single malt aged not only in two different types of casks (American oak hogsheads and sherry butts), but also across two different millennia, utilising whisky distilled in both 1997 and 2000 respectively. On the nose, the aroma opens with rich peach and apricot, before developming into something bolder and more medicinal, punctuated by fresh tobacco, cloves, and eucalyptus. On the palate, an initial saltiness gives way to sweetness in the form of honey, yet with an intriguing note of fresh oysters (in a nod to its home island of Islay), along with the subtle peat smoke on the mouth-drying finish.
"For Aston Martin, we are always striving to push the boundaries, be that design, engineering or performance, to achieve the very best in each car we create," says Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer of Aston Martin. "We are fueled by passion, but also by partnership. In coming together with Bowmore, we can imagine, discover, and create together, taking inspiration from one another constantly. Working together to create synergies and bridges between our two worlds feels very natural so we’ve achieved a powerful harmony built on mutual respect, trust and understanding.”
"We talk about shared synergies between the contrasting worlds of Bowmore and Aston Martin, and this is what truly defines the relationship Marek and I have formed," says Ron Welsh, Master Blender at Bowmore. "We have relished in the opportunity to share experiences, ideas and thoughts from each other’s world’s, listening and learning from the inherent skill, knowledge and creativity we both possess. In collaborating as guardians of our respective legacies, we recognize the honour bestowed upon us."
Bowmore Masters’ Selection Edition 2 is the second release in the collectable series, available in key global markets including UK, Germany, Canada, USA, and China for an RSP of £390. More information at bowmore.com
