The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Unveils Limited Edition ‘Emerald Isle’ Collectable Whiskey Set
in Partnership with Fabergé – Inspired by The Seven Wonders of Ireland
The Oldest Triple-Distilled Irish Whiskey and First Fabergé Celtic Egg & Rough Emerald Surprise
March 2021, Dublin – The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. has collaborated with Fabergé, the world’s most iconic artist-jeweller, to release ‘The Emerald Isle Collection,’ a seven-piece custom-made whiskey set which celebrates the ‘Seven Wonders of Ireland’. Beautifully presented in a dark walnut experience box, each set features two bottles of ultra-rare, 30-year-old, triple distilled Irish whiskey, accompanied by two unique and exclusive creations from Fabergé – the first-of-its-kind Celtic Egg objet and bespoke Altruist timepiece. Each collection also includes a humidor with two ultra-rare Cohiba Siglo VI Grand Reserva cigars, a gold-plated cigar cutter, gold plated water pipette, pure obsidian whiskey stones, a hip flask with a sample of the Emerald Isle whiskey, which is the rarest Irish whiskey in existence, and a carafe filled with Irish spring water from the same region where the whiskey was made.
The official unveiling of ‘The Emerald Isle Collection’ took place on 2 February 2021 in Houston, Texas, and following the launch all seven bespoke experience boxes will be sold at private auctions and events throughout the year. Significantly for the sale of the first experience box, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. has pledged 100 per cent of the proceeds to charity, with 50 per cent of proceeds benefitting the Correa Family Foundation supporting children affected by serious illness, and the remaining 50 per cent donated to the buyer’s charity of choice.
‘The Emerald Isle Collection’ is The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.’s second release, and now takes the crown as the oldest triple distilled Irish whiskey in the world, following the launch in November 2020 of a limited 333 bottles of The Devil’s Keep – a 29-year-old, triple distilled, single malt whiskey. The 30-year-old Emerald Isle’s single malt Irish whiskey has been aged in 200-litre ‘first fill’ American oak casks, which previously stored bourbon, and then finished in a rare single 40-litre Pedro Ximénez sherry barrel. This maturation process has imparted profiles that range from chocolate fudge and maple syrup on the nose, to sweet leather and silky-smooth, ripe banana on the palate which flows into a long finish with hints of creamy meringue and rich vanilla cigar smoke.
‘The Emerald Isle Collection’ fuses Faberge’s unique heritage with rich Irish tradition and mythology, as well as the distinctive flavours of an ultra-rare whiskey, in highly collectable and unique special-edition, legacy bottles. It is little known that Ireland invented whiskey in the 14th century and dominated the sector for centuries until an unfortunate fall due to both world wars, embargoes and their fight for independence; with the launch of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.’s collection, Irish whiskey is being restored to its former glory as the world’s most iconic whiskey.
This bespoke whiskey collection takes inspiration from seven historical and important places in Ireland and sees Fabergé honour Irish heritage in the form of its first ever Celtic Egg bespoke objet. The Fabergé design team, along with Jay Bradley and Tiago Russo, Design Director at The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., worked together to pay homage to seven beautiful and iconic Irish locations that hold a certain mysticism or mythological interest – representing the ‘Seven Wonders of Ireland’, and lucky number seven.
Each bespoke set is presented in an experience box which has been inspired by the shape of an emerald, representing the natural beauty of Ireland, and features an illustration of one of the ‘wonders’ of Ireland and its geographical coordinates, with a frontal egg-shaped aperture and a frame of coloured gemstones. Inside each box is the pièce de resistance, the hand-crafted whiskey bottle containing the ‘liquid gold,’ a collector’s item in its own right. Each of the seven bottles has been inspired by key Fabergé design elements, set with responsibly sourced emeralds from Gemfields’ Kagem mine in Zambia on the neck and lowermost part of the bottle.
Each bottle of whiskey is accompanied by a bespoke Fabergé Celtic Egg, handcrafted by fourth generation Fabergé enamel Workmaster Dr. Marcus Mohr. Each egg is handcrafted from 18k yellow gold and features Fabergé’s legendary guilloché enamel in a pastel green; the green, white and gold colours of the egg symbolising the Irish flag. Guilloché enamelling is a time-honoured technique which combines the art of engraving using an engine-turning machine combined with hot enamel which is hand-painted onto a surface in a series of layers to produce a shimmering liquid silk effect. This rare artform is a signature of Fabergé’s, practised by only a select few expert craftspeople around the world.
The seven unique eggs are set with a pavé diamond Celtic knot, a renowned symbol of Irish heritage which has no start or finish, representing eternity, love and friendship, and frames a coloured gemstone at its centre. Each of the seven Fabergé eggs features a different gemstone on its exterior: Gemfields Zambian emerald, Gemfields Mozambican ruby, blue sapphire, amethyst, rhodolite, spessartite or tourmaline, representing each of the seven locations, from The Blarney Stone to the Giant’s Causeway, and its rich Irish mythology. A matching cabochon coloured gemstone is also set on top of the egg, which itself is mounted on a beautiful hand-carved and polished rock crystal plinth with gold base.
In true Fabergé spirit, a surprise awaits inside in the form of a rough, uncut Zambian emerald responsibly sourced from Gemfields, presented on a gold guilloché base with intricate claw setting. This is the first time in Fabergé’s history that the Maison has featured a surprise of this kind. It invites collectors to further customise the creation by commissioning Fabergé to convert the beautiful rough emerald as part of a bespoke set or piece of jewellery.
Emeralds are 20 times more rare than colourless diamonds, and aptly are believed to symbolise hope, growth and fresh starts – which befits the current challenging times.
In addition to the whiskey and unique Celtic Egg, each edition of ‘The Emerald Isle’ features another ultimate collectors’ item, a bespoke one-of-a-kind Fabergé Altruist 18k rose gold timepiece with a self-winding movement from Vaucher Manufacture. Each piece has a unique dial, inspired by the landscape of one of the ‘Seven Wonders of Ireland’. Hand crafted by Fabergé’s Workmaster André Martinez, a specialist in decorating exquisite watch dials, the white mother of pearl face has been skilfully etched and hand-painted with 24k gold flakes. The case backs on each piece are dedicated to The Craft Irish Whisky Co. with the addition of the CIWC logo and 1/1 engraved to signify the uniqueness. The timepiece is finished with a brown alligator strap which complements the design perfectly.
Jay Bradley, Founder of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. commented on the collaboration: “We are more than delighted to be partnering with prestigious atelier Fabergé to launch ‘The Emerald Isle Collection,’ which is an extraordinary bespoke set, and will truly put ultra-rare luxury Irish whiskies on the map. Fabergé is an iconic brand with an enduring legacy that continues to evolve and knows no bounds, so we cannot think of a better collaboration for a luxury whiskey from Ireland. This is simply a dream come true for me and the team – and an unbelievable elevation for a 30-year whiskey, which was already going to be a particularly sought-after collector’s item. With the Fabergé addition, there is surely nothing that compares for the ultimate aficionado.”
Josina von dem Bussche-Kessell, Global Sales and Business Development Director at Fabergé, said: “This is a thrilling partnership for Fabergé, as it sees us continuing our legacy of creating unique and collectable objects, bridging the gap between historic legacy and modern-day heirlooms. Rare whiskey has seen tremendous investor attention, and the whiskey market is undergoing a dynamic evolution. It is very exciting for Fabergé to participate in such a cross-pollination of luxury sectors, thereby adding a contemporary twist on age old traditions.”
For further information about ‘The Emerald Isle Collection’, please visit www.craftirishwhiskey.com/the-emerald-isle.
Notes
Price: POA
Seven Wonders of Ireland and Their Mythology
1. The Old Head of Kinsale, Co. Cork (Blue Sapphire): The cliffside headland is a celebration of Ireland’s beauty and heritage, with panoramic views of the sea. It also marks the location where the first settlers came to Ireland over 6,000 years ago.
2. The Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare (Gemfields Zambian Emerald): Located on Ireland’s breath-taking west coast, the aerial sight of the grassy headlands of the Cliffs of Moher epitomise the Emerald Island, and are home to some of the greatest Irish mythology chapters, where great creatures of both land and sea meet.
3. The Newgrange, Co. Meath (Amethyst): Built around 3200BC, this Neolithic tomb is one of the most significant references in early Irish literature and tradition. It is associated with the Tuatha Dé Danaan, a race of supernatural beings who, according to legend, ruled Ireland before the coming of the Celts and afterwards retreated into the fairy mounds and forts.
4. The Blarney Stone, Co. Cork (Rhodolite): According to legend, those who kiss this mythical stone, which is built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, are endowed with the gift of gab (or eloquence). The myth is associated with Clíodhna, the goddess of love and beauty, who assisted Cormac McCarthy by instructing him to kiss the first stone he saw on his way to court in order to help him win his case with surreal eloquence.
5. The Giant’s Causeway, Co. Antrim (Spessartite): Renowned for its scenic beauty, Giant’s Causeway features more than 40,000 basalt columns which, according to the Gaelic mythology, are the remains of a causeway built by a giant that was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner, who built the causeway across the Channel so that the two giants could meet.
6. The Ring of Kerry, Co. Kerry (Tourmaline): The first home of the Milesians, the original settlers arriving in Ireland, this circular route full of valleys, lakes and river streams is the site of ancient legends, with sightings of mythical creatures such as the Leprechaun – who is said to have been first seen here.
7. The Ha’penny Bridge, Co. Dublin (Gemfields Mozambican Ruby): The Ha’penny, now named Liffey Bridge, is Dublin’s oldest footbridge, which dates back to 1816. It was originally a tolled access bridge for travellers to cross the River Liffey, where they would have to pay half a penny – a “Ha’penny” – to cross. The toll system was abandoned a century later, but to this day, the bridge keeps its name, and memories of ancient stories of lovers from both sides of the bridge meeting at the very top, sharing that moment together over the cost of a ha’penny.
Emerald Isle Tasting Notes:
Nose: Butter toffee, chocolate fudge, followed by maple syrup. Hints of brine and tobacco
Palate: Old leather-bound books up front with slight tobacco backdrop. Really silky smooth with some cherry notes, ripe banana and residual caramel.
Back palate: Christmas cake spices that flow perfectly into the finish Finish: Very long finish with some hints of creamy meringue and vanilla cigar smoke that transform into a lingering touch of spice and sweet leather flavour.
About The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. is different. This is not mass-produced whiskey, but an attention to detail and crafting processes that create the very finest craft Irish whiskey.
The company sources rare whiskey and uses ultra-premium finishing barrels to mature its whiskey due to the high quality of the wood and previous spirit or wine that helps deliver complex flavour profiles. The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., knows that a premium level of spirit stored in this type of barrel adds deep and complex flavours into the finish which produces a phenomenal Irish whiskey.
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. uniquely cask their whiskey at 52% ABV. Adding water in at the start allows the water and whiskey to marry over time creating a far smoother whiskey.
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. is the proud whiskey partner of the The MICHELIN Guide and a partner in the Michelin Star Revelation Great Britain and Ireland 2021.
Their first release in November was The Devil’s Keep, the first ultra-rare Irish whiskey in the world and the oldest ever triple distilled Irish single malt whiskey, as well as being crowned the most expensive first release in the history of whiskey at €10,000 per bottle. Significantly, it also achieved the world record for the most expensive inaugural whiskey release ever at auction at USD $60,000 (almost £46,000 and €51,000 Euros).
About Fabergé
Fabergé, the world’s most iconic artist jeweller, creates extraordinary jewellery, timepieces and objets d’art, as well as bespoke commissions for a discerning international clientele.
Founded in 1842, Fabergé has been the most revered name in jewellery ever since Peter Carl Fabergé became official goldsmith to the Russian Imperial Court; the house created exquisite jewels and objects, including the legendary series of lavish and ingenious Imperial Easter Eggs.
Today, Fabergé takes inspiration from its storied past to introduce a new era of enchanting and enduring personal possessions and gifts for contemporary connoisseurs. By painting with the world’s finest coloured gemstones, Fabergé explores the art of colour through creations which are designed to become future heirlooms.
Fabergé collections are available to purchase via its boutiques in London, Houston and Dubai, its’ By Appointment service in London and New York and through authorised retailers in over 80 countries around the world. Selected items are also available via Fabergé’s online boutique at Faberge.com.
