Campari Group CEO Bob Kunze-Concewitz led the way at the Rolls Royce showroom venue in Mayfair, with an exclusive preview of the coveted release – a single malt scotch whisky honouring the firm’s acclaimed Master Distiller.

The new release – a refined, limited-edition, 60-year-old single-malt scotch whisky – celebrates the storied, six-decades-long career of The Glen Grant’s own Dennis Malcolm, known as one of Scotland’s longest serving distillers. 

Attendees of the glitzy evening – including the likes of designer Joshua Kane, and Editor of NetJets Farhad Heydari – had the chance to enjoy a taste of the rare liquid in a toast led by Master Distiller Malcolm himself, following addresses from Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO of Campari Group.

An extremely rare and precious liquid

For almost 22,000 days and nights, this carefully distilled amber malt whisky has matured naturally in a hand-selected Oloroso sherry cask, filled on October 24th 1960 – making it, to date, the oldest distillery bottling in the brand’s 181-year history. 

An extremely rare and precious liquid, The Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition is a luxurious, aromatic spirit, exuding an elegance that can only be achieved with time and dedication. The result is – quite simply – a sublime masterpiece. With only 360 decanters available, this complex alchemy of spirit and time is a rare specimen and a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.  

Before having the pleasure to sample the rare, refined 60-year-old spirit, guests enjoyed The Glen Grant cocktails and noshed on canapés, while they sipped drinks neat and on the rocks from the award-winning, world-renowned The Glen Grant core range, including the 15- and 18-Year-Old aged spirits.

The first of the decanters (Bottle No. 88) was purchased at auction during a special dinner at the Shanghai St Regis Hotel in China last week. The winning bid came from Ms. Luo Xiaorong, a whisky collector from Chengdu, who bid 380,000 RMB for the bottle, making it the highest-price sale in The Glen Grant’s history.

Paying tribute to “a true Scottish gentleman”

“With the launch of The Glen Grant® Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition, we celebrate and pay tribute to the career of a true Scottish gentleman and globally recognised Scotch Whisky craftsman – an unwavering champion for the whisky industry,” remarked co-host Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO of Campari Group. 

“With craftsmanship at the heart of The Glen Grant, it was only fitting that we partner with a brand that embodies British quality and luxury, and so we looked to Rolls Royce and its showroom in Mayfair,” he continued. “This is an incredibly exciting time for The Glen Grant as we make our entrance into the luxury market, and we could think of nowhere better to showcase this extremely special expression of our portfolio.”

Expert craftsmanship

Each marked with a bespoke number, every one of the 360 decanters has been made from hand-blown crystal glass, designed by world renowned Glencairn Studio, based on the design of the distillery’s unique tall, slender pot stills. 

Nestled in an elegant presentation case crafted from sustainable walnut, the decanter itself requires over 15 hours of expert craftsmanship for each creation, encompassing intricate details that symbolise the unique aromas of The Glen Grant. 

Each presentation case has the Master Distiller’s signature engraved within it and includes a Certificate of Authenticity, signed personally by Dennis Malcolm.

“Consistent dedication to craftsmanship and quality”

‘It’s been such a joy to spend my life working in an industry and with a craft that I’m so passionate about,” enthused Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm. “Much like our UK launch partner, Rolls Royce, The Glen Grant has always been about consistent dedication to craftsmanship and quality, and this comes across in the high standard of what we produce.

 

“This quality cannot be maintained without the right people, looking after the brand and ensuring that care and attention go into every bottle,” he noted at the prestigious launch event. “This evening was a night to celebrate all of the people who have made The Glen Grant the brand that it is today.”

The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition Aged 60 Years is priced at €25,000 and will be available through select retailers in global markets from October 2021. The launch event and release of the new expression marks an exciting new chapter for The Glen Grant, showcasing the incredible six-decade career of the Master Distiller on the world’s stage.

The Glen Grant’s story began in 1840, in Rothes, Speyside – Scotland’s premier region for Whisky production; by brothers John and James Grant. Still produced in Rothes today, The Glen Grant holds a range of prestigious industry awards and is world renowned for its consistent quality across its aged variants.  The elegant and seductively smooth taste for which The Glen Grant is famous is the result of the innovative tall slender stills and revolutionary purifiers that James 'The Major' Grant, son of founder James Grant, was one of the first to introduce over a century ago. Still used to this day, this lasting legacy continues to distinguish the brand.

Today, Dennis Malcolm, the multi-award winning The Glen Grant Master Distiller, directs and presides over the amber liquid. Born in the grounds of The Glen Grant Distillery in 1946, he has worked for The Glen Grant for over five decades, with an uncommon passion and unrivalled knowledge of the industry. Dennis’ unmatched Scotch whisky experience ensures that every expression in The Glen Grant range makes the absolute best of the complex alchemy of spirit, wood and time.

The current range includes; The Glen Grant Major’s Reserve, Arboralis, 10 Years Old, 12 Years Old, 15 Years Old, 18 Year Old (select markets), limited edition bottles and a selection of travel retail exclusive offerings, including a 12 Years Old Non-chill Filtered and Cask Haven.  The Glen Grant became part of the Campari Group portfolio in 2006. The ABV of each The Glen Grant single malt Scotch whisky differs between each expression and consumers are encouraged to always drink responsibly.

THE AWARD-WINNING THE GLEN GRANT RANGE

The Glen Grant 12 Year Old 

• 91 Points, Gold Medal, Exceptional* - BTI (2021)

• 93 Points, Great Value – USC (2021)

• 89 Points; Gold – Ascot Awards (2021)

The Glen Grant 15 Year Old 

• 94 Points; Platinum - Ascot (2021)          

• DOUBLE GOLD – SFWSC (2019, 2021)               

• 92 Points – USC (2021)

• 93 Points, Gold Medal, Exceptional* - BTI (2021)

• Gold Medal: “Single Malt Scotch of the Year” -New York International Spirits Competition (2020)

The Glen Grant 18 Year Old 

• 100 Points; Double Platinum - Ascot Awards (2021)

• DOUBLE GOLD – San Francisco World Spirits Competition  (2021)

• 95 Points, Finalist – USC (2021)

• 93 Points, Gold Medal, Exceptional* - BTI (2021)

About the Campari Group

Campari Group is a major player in the global beverage sector, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. Campari Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. Campari Group’s portfolio, with over 50 brands, spans spirits (the core business), wines, and soft drinks. Its internationally-renowned brands include Aperol®, Appleton Estate®, Campari®, SKYY®, Wild Turkey®, and Grand Marnier®. Headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, Campari Group owns 22 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 22 countries. Campari Group employs around 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company, Davide Campari-Milano N.V. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM), have been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: www.camparigroup.com. Please enjoy our brands responsibly.