GLENMORANGIE LAUNCHES BEYOND THE CASK 2017 WITH BICYCLES MADE FROM WHISKY CASKS 

In honour of the wood which matures The Original, Glenmorangie has formed an innovative collaboration with bicycle pioneer Renovo, to create a ground-breaking limited edition of bicycles from the whisky’s casks.

It takes a decade of patient maturation in the finest casks – only ever used twice – to create the smoother, rounder taste of Glenmorangie’s signature single malt, The Original. Inspired by the character that the ex-bourbon casks bring to the whisky, the award-winning Highland distillery brings new life to their staves, in the world’s first bicycles made from whisky casks.

Renovo shares Glenmorangie’s passion for wood – its founder was so inspired by the material’s superior abilities to create a smoother ride, that he designed the first engineered wooden bicycle more than a decade ago.  When the casks’ work at the distillery is done, their staves are shipped from Scotland to Renovo’s workshop in Oregon, in the U.S.  There, with a meticulous precision which echoes Glenmorangie’s uncompromising dedication to whisky creation, they are crafted into Glenmorangie Original bicycles. Each contains about 15 staves in a frame which reflects the curvature of the casks.

Since 1843, Glenmorangie has been renowned for its innovative whisky creation and expertise in wood.  While many distilleries may fill casks up to five or six times, the casks of The Original are used only twice – ensuring they always remain full of flavour, to enrich the spirit within. From first-fill casks, the whisky gains wonderful wood notes of vanilla, almond, coconut and honey.  The second-fill casks invite the citrus tones of Glenmorangie’s spirit to shine through.  Together, they create The Original’s soft and smooth style.

Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling & Whisky Creation, said: “Glenmorangie is renowned for using the finest casks just twice, to create the smoother, rounder profile of The Original – a whisky which beautifully balances hints of ripening peaches and citrus fruits with creamy, vanilla notes, to delight malt connoisseurs and amateurs alike. This pioneering collaboration with Renovo brings new life to the casks which inspire our whisky. Each one of these limited-edition bicycles is a fitting celebration of our expertise in wood and shared passion for creativity.”

Renovo’s founder Ken Wheeler, said: “We are so excited to be working with Glenmorangie, a distillery with which we feel such affinity.  Renovo is dedicated to honouring wood in the creation of our bicycles, engineered to perfection for a smoother ride.  And these beautiful machines, uniquely fashioned from Glenmorangie’s staves, will inspire anyone with a taste for innovation.” 

www.glenmorangie.com

www.renovobikes.com

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NOTES:

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at

the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland for a purer spirit, expertly matured in the finest oak casks for great depth, and perfected by the Men of Tain.  The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field, uniting tradition with innovation.

Glenmorangie Original bicycles:

Inspired by a shared passion for innovation with wood, Glenmorangie’s collaboration with Renovo celebrates the casks of Glenmorangie Original – the signature expression of Glenmorangie’s spirit. The hollow frame of each Glenmorangie Original bicycle is created from about 15 staves, taken from the casks in which Glenmorangie Original was matured.  Each is uniquely designed to embrace the trapezoidal shape of each stave, as well as the curve of the barrel in the frame’s down tube – the largest tube on the frame.  When shipped to Portland, the staves were first kiln dried to ensure their suitability for Renovo’s purposes.  Then the staves’ charred surfaces were smoothed away, before they were handcrafted into frames by Renovo’s select craftsmen – each taking more than 20 hours to create.  The frames, which vary in size to accommodate different riders (from 52-61cm), incorporate the American oak of Glenmorangie’s staves, alongside a small proportion of darker sapele wood, which brings an intriguing colour contrast to the wood of the staves. Given a durable coating, decorated with Glenmorangie’s Signet icon and individually numbered, these bicycles, which weigh around 18lb, (8.1kg) form a beautiful and functional tribute to the character of Glenmorangie Original. RRP: £5,400 

List of participating outlets: 

On Premise

• Boisdale Canary Wharf (Bicycle Display & Cocktail Fair)
• Boisdale of Bishopsgate (Cocktail Fair)
• Boisdale of Mayfair (Cocktail Fair)
• Boisdale Belgravia (Cocktail Fair)

Off Premise:

• The Whisky Shop Piccadilly (Bicycle Display and Whisky Tasting with UK Brand Ambassador Max Helms)
• Soho Wine Supply (Bicycle Display and Whisky Tastings with UK Brand Ambassador Max Helms)
• Luvians Bottle Shop @ St Andrews (Bicycle Display and Whisky Tastings with UK Brand Ambassador Max Helms)

Beyond the Cask:

Glenmorangie’s collaboration with Renovo is the second partnership in the Distillery’s Beyond the Cask series, which celebrates the casks in which Glenmorangie Original is matured, by repurposing their staves in innovative ways.  Last year, Glenmorangie created an exquisite limited edition of the world’s first Scotch whisky sunglasses, with renowned British eyewear designer Finlay & Co.

About Renovo:

Founded in 2007 by Ken Wheeler, Renovo pioneered the first engineered wooden bicycles.  Ken, an avid touring cyclist, has a background in aircraft design, and was inspired to create bicycles out of wood because of the material’s superior engineering properties: it shows less fatigue than other materials and excels at absorbing vibration – ensuring a smoother ride.  Committed to creating fine quality bicycles, Renovo feels a strong affinity with Glenmorangie. Like the distillery, Renovo combines traditional materials and innovative thinking, for inspirational results.

Responsible Drinking:

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.