“There’s drama in art”

Introducing Stephanie Rew.

Based in Leith, Edinburgh, Stephanie is a celebrated artist who has shown her work all over the world. Just as it takes patience to age whisky, Stephanie’s use of the ancient water gilding technique forces her to slow down and take time. Disappearing when touched, the gold leaf she uses is like dust and has a divine quality, it’s a process that takes years to master.

A Challenging Stare

Stephanie’s reimagining of the iconic Hedonism woman subverts the artist-muse relationship. For so long, women in paintings were passive, to be gazed upon. But in Stephanie’s reimagining, she stares directly at us. Both feminine and powerful.

Over the years, almost every bottle of Hedonism has featured the same female form, originally from a ​​late 19th century English painting. While Stephanie of course took inspiration from this, her challenge was to create something individual, yet distinctly Compass Box. In an interview with Barley Magazine, she explains “I wanted it to stay like the original Hedonism woman but make it my own and make it modern – I believe in this strength in femininity and I like painting the direct gaze, as its challenging to the viewer and it’s a conversation starter.”

Gilded In Gold

There are very few artists who combine ancient techniques with modern painting. Stephanie’s use of water gilding with the incredibly delicate gold leaf utilises a technique which hasn’t changed in 800 years.

The process is laborious. Before Stephanie gilts the elements destined for an adornment of gold leaf, she must first build a gesso, adding up to 25 layers of it to a wooden panel, before sanding it back to create a smooth, marble-like finish. She then adds intricate detail, marking the surface with an engraving tool before the gold leaf is added.

Hedonism: From Grain to Gold

Stephanie’s subtle nod to the history of Compass Box sits in the background of the artwork. Gilded in gold leaf, our Hedonism woman is surrounded by a smattering of stars and constellations, the most significant being Pyxis Nautica. It was this very constellation that Compass Box was named after and serves as a reminder of the past as we enter this new era of Hedonism.

If you haven’t seen it already, our short documentary From Grain to Gold charts the process of working with Stephanie to create this incredible piece of art, Compass Box’s journey over the years and the history of Hedonism.

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GlenDronach – Single Cask #6753 (UK Exclusive) 1993 30 year old Whisky

£998.95

An exceptional single cask whisky from Glendronach’s Cask Bottling series. Cask #6753 is the final release to feature the distinctive Cask Bottling packaging design.

Cask Bottling expressions are bottled from a single cask, drawn from the rich collection of barrels, butts and hogsheads quietly maturing in the warehouses at Glendronach Distillery. These carefully selected whiskies are highly sought after by whisky drinkers, enthusiasts and collectors.

This rare limited edition single malt was drawn from a PX sherry butt that yielded just 595 bottles. Bottled at 30 years of age, at natural cask strength, without chill-filtration.

A richly sherried single malt, packed with sweet raisin, fig and plum fruit flavours, complemented by crushed nuts, dark chocolate, and bold oak spice.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sherry soaked bramble, orange and sultana with chocolate praline, Demerara sugar and Morello cherry fruitcake.

Palate: Rich and luxurious with masses of dark stewed fruit, and chocolate gateaux with savoury notes of leather, tobacco and oak.

Finish: Long and satisfying with lingering fruit and molasses giving way to complex wood spice and fine tannins.

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Phil is on vacation and will return on the 24th ….

“India’s young affluent consumers have a new-found pride in their Indian provenance alongside contributing towards a better, sustainable world. I could not be prouder of Godawan.”

Hina Nagarajan Managing Director and CEO, Diageo India

When you think of an artisan luxury Single Malt, Rajasthan might not be the first place that springs to mind.

And yet the hottest state in India has produced Godawan, a true gem in the Diageo Single Malt portfolio and a flag bearer for Betterment Brands. Consumers are thirsty for products that drive positive change for the environment, society and local communities. And in India, this is especially true for whisky.

India is the largest whisky market by volume in the world. It is a country that has a deep-rooted whisky culture with a long and rich history of appreciation for whisky, that embraces both domestically produced and imported whiskies. In fact, India is one of the few countries in the world where whisky is nearly twice the size of beer.

When Diageo India expressed a desire several years ago to launch a new luxury product in India – one that appealed to the growing number of younger, affluent consumers in India; consumers who possessed what Vikram Damodaran, Chief Innovation Officer, Diageo India, calls “Indian Pride”, it was no surprise that the preference was for a locally produced whisky brand.

“It needed to showcase the very best of what Diageo brings to the table and the very best of what India brings to the table. So it was decided that we would produce a luxury Indian Single Malt,” says Vikram.

Given Diageo owned seven distilleries across India, there was a big decision to make: where to produce this Single Malt? And in making this decision the Diageo saw an opportunity to deliver something entirely new and desirable for local and international markets: to create Godawan, a Single Malt not just about Indian Pride but also about sustainability, local community and ingenuity.

“Choosing the Alwar distillery in Rajasthan might have surprised some. When you think of a traditional distillery you think of Scotland, beautiful lakes and countryside,” says Vikram. “But in drinks production terms Rajasthan is an anomaly. It is extremely hot, dry with no obvious water sources. But when we decided upon producing it at Alwar it made us ask a question of ourselves – how do we create beauty and rarity from this environment?”

And the answer was to focus entirely on creating a whisky with sustainability in mind – to answer every challenge by pushing the dial and ensuring the process was as sustainable as possible.

And in doing so the Godawan team focused on four main areas: Sourcing and Ingredients; Water Usage; Low Carbon Footprint and Local Conservation.

Sourcing and ingredients

Godawan is made using specific barley that needs less water to thrive. The barley used is grown and sourced in six farms local to the distillery – and this in turn allows the barley (and the whisky) to be completely traceable.

Water usage

Godawan uses an efficient slow trickle distillation process. While this increases the distillation time, it decreases the water usage. Since the team started production of Godawan they have made improvements to reduce water usage. As a result, in March 2023, Alwar was awarded the Alliance for Water Stewardship Certification (the first distillery in Asia to attain this standard).

Acceleration to Low Carbon footprint

Alwar has transitioned from coal to biofuel use for the thermal energy requirement in the distillation process. As part of Diageo’s Spirit of Progress 2030, the distillery has committed to moving to 60% renewable electricity by 2026 and 100% by 2030.

Nature Conservation

Godawan has made a long-term commitment to the conservation of The Great Indian Bustard bird, which appears on the front label of every bottle.

The Great Indian Bustard is on the UN Red List of Endangered species, and with less than 150 birds left in the extreme terrain of Rajasthan. Diageo in partnership with local NGO community groups have worked on various conservation measures. These include safe habitat development through grassland, provision of water, protection from predators and poachers.

Importantly Diageo is committed to this project long-term, with donations from each sale as well as proceeds from auctions of the Godawan 100 Limited Edition series going towards conservation efforts.

www.godawansinglemalt.com

As we approach the release of our fourth and final blend from The Extinct Blends Quartet, join us as we cast our minds back and reflect on the journey so far.

The Extinct Blends Quartet has taken us on a voyage of flavours across the tides of time. At Compass Box, we see blends as the creative union of ideas, questions, and relationships – of stories, old and new.

And it’s exactly these stories of old and new that we’ve brought together in The Extinct Blends Quartet, re-visiting the vanished characters and flavours from four of our Whiskymakers’ favourite blended Scotches of yesteryear. Each reimagined using some of our rarest whisky stocks.

ULTRAMARINE

We journeyed beyond choppy tides and crashing waves to taste the enchanting and ethereal flavours of Ultramarine. With this oaky, smoky whisky we navigate back to a deluxe blended Scotch of the late 80s. This peaty whisky with its palate of raisins and roasted pecans conjures images of bracing walks along a rugged coastline.

DELOS

From there, we found retreat in our reimagined island sanctuary of Delos. A study of one of our very own lost whiskies, Delos is the richer and rounder reimagining of Asyla – an extinct blend of grain and malt. Delight in the comfort of the sweet succulence that first greets you followed by soft waves of citrus, pineapple and orange notes combined with decadent vanilla cream.

METROPOLIS

With feet on dry land, we found ourselves bolstered by the hustle and the bustle of the city, the industrious throng represented by Metropolis. Here to remind us that the soul and history of blended whisky can be found in the city, Metropolis tells a tales of old and new. With a truly unique depth and richness, expect nutty, spicy and caramel notes from this blend.

Stay tuned for the full story behind the final release in our intrepid Quartet coming next week. Through thunderous clouds, prepare to embark to the final destination on this flavour odyssey. Shop The Extinct Blends Quartet below.

Macbeth Series – Limited Edition Scotch Whisky – Illustrated by Sir Quentin Blake

A collection of forty-two different whiskies from the length and breadth of Scotland, selected and bottled by Livingstone in partnership with Elixir Distillers. Each whisky represents a character from the Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, with illustrations by Sir Quentin Blake and character notes by Dave Broom.

Lady Macduff is one of twelve noble malts in The Thanes series.

Linkwood is an all-time favourite distillery and it was a thrill to find a 31 year old expression of this Speyside Single Malt Scotch whisky, distilled in 1991, that worked so perfectly for Lady Macduff – although I would probably have had to rewrite Macbeth if there wasn’t a place for this amazing whisky.

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CHIVAS BROTHERS LAUNCHES NEW SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERSHIP TO GIVE BACK TO THE RIVERS THAT HELP MAKE ITS SCOTCH

The Scotch whisky producer announces its partnership with three River Trusts to improve the health of rivers and waterways in Scotland 

Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky business of Pernod Ricard and maker of global Scotch whisky brands including The Glenlivet and Aberlour, today unveils a new, long-term programme to preserve, protect and improve the health of some of Scotland’s iconic rivers and waterways.

The partnership, called ‘The River Within’, is a collaboration between Chivas Brothers and The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust, Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust, and the Spey Catchment Initiative. Chivas Brothers’ investment will help protect and restore the select waterways within the Trusts’ combined catchment areas in North-East Scotland – a total of 5,566 km2, some of which flows through Chivas Brothers-owned land – by focusing on enhancing biodiversity, limiting rises to water temperature from climate change and strengthening the longer-term resilience of the rivers.

This partnership is important not just for Scotland’s natural landscapes, but also its heritage industries. Currently 34% of Scotland’s rivers are in compromised ecological health, meaning by the end of this century as a result of climate change, they could face three times as many droughts and up to 40% more flooding, threatening the diversity of life in and around the waterways. Yet waterways are a vital source of life for Scotland’s rich wildlife, as well as a key component and ingredient of whisky making, which depends on the health of the nation’s rivers, banks, burns and springs.

Julie Gallacher, Head of Sustainability & Responsibility at Chivas Brothers, said:

“Scotland’s waterways are the lifeblood of whisky production, so while we use this precious resource responsibly, returning 96% of what we use to its source, we like to think there’s a ‘river within’ each bottle. Many of our distilleries are built on the banks of treasured Scottish rivers and it’s from these waters that our renowned whiskies are endowed with their unique spirit, essence and even their names.“

“Just as we rely on the rivers, the rivers rely on us. The art of whisky making is a delicate balance, so too is the Scottish landscape in which we craft it. That is why we are proud to launch this partnership with the three River Trusts to protect and build a resilient network of Scottish rivers and riverbanks that support biodiversity for generations to come​.“

Richard Miller, Director at The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust, commented:

“Many of the species Scotland is known for and their habitats are currently facing unprecedented challenges. One of these is the Atlantic Salmon which was recently reclassified by the IUCN from ‘least concern’ to ‘endangered’ in Great Britain.“

“We are delighted to be a partner in ‘The River Within’ programme which will provide essential resources to ensure Deveron fish stocks have free access to cold, clean, water. This will be achieved by removing obstacles to fish passage, creation of 3D buffer strips along field margins, riparian planting, fish refuge creation and habitat restoration. We very much look forward to working with Chivas Brothers on this new and exciting project.“

Bob Laughton, Director at Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust, commented: 

“We are delighted to welcome this new partnership with Chivas Brothers, and the support it will provide towards our nature recovery ambitions for our river catchments. The aims of ‘The River Within’ are closely aligned with the work on our new flagship project, the Findhorn Watershed Initiative. Chivas Brothers’ support will ensure riparian woodland and river restoration schemes that are currently in development are resourced, helping them to be turned into reality and delivered on the ground.“

“We have been impressed by the leadership being demonstrated by Chivas Brothers and Pernod Ricard in committing significant investment to support the health and resilience of our rivers and look forward to working with them over the years to come.“

Roger Knight, Chief Executive at the Spey Catchment Initiative, commented:

“Spey Catchment Initiative are delighted to join forces with Chivas Brothers in this groundbreaking partnership, ‘The River Within’. This collaboration marks a significant step towards safeguarding and enhancing the vitality of the Spey catchment’s rivers and waterways, which are not only crucial for our native wildlife but also for the communities that live alongside them and industries that thrive because of them.“

“Through this exciting partnership, we are poised to implement targeted projects that will not only address immediate concerns, such as biodiversity enhancement and climate change mitigation, but also ensure the long-term resilience and health of our rivers.“

A range of specific waterway projects are currently being developed in close partnership with the three River Trusts, to commence later this year. These will focus on direct activity along riverbanks and waterways designed to help increase biodiversity and overall health of the river ecosystem. This in turn will help limit the rise of water temperatures, restore floodplain resilience and increase river security. For example, simple practical interventions such as planting new trees along rivers can provide additional shade that helps limit river temperature rises and strengthen riverbanks.

Water stewardship is a critical part of Chivas Brothers’ vision to shape the future of sustainable Scotch. In line with its commitment to preserving and restoring water resources, the company continually monitors water consumption and implements new solutions such as water-cooling technology throughout its operations to prevent waste.

To learn more about the threats facing our waterways, please visit www.chivasbrothers.com/theriverwithin.

This article appears here well after the original publication date and as a matter of interest.