The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence through Engaging Collaborations

The Dalmore Luminary Series, curated in partnership with V&A Dundee, is releasing new masterpieces: a remarkable glass amber sculpture and collectable presentation case housing two new, exceptionally rare Highland Single Malt whiskies. The Dalmore Luminary - The Rare - 2024 Edition will be offered at auction with all proceeds donated to Scotland’s design museum, and The Dalmore Luminary - The Collectible - 2024 Edition will be available at leading luxury and specialist retailers globally from April 2, 2024.

The Dalmore Luminary - The Rare - 2024 Edition designed by Melodie Leung and her team at Zaha Hadid Architects
Photo credit: The Dalmore

Gregg Glass, Melodie Leung and Richard Paterson with designer proof at V&A Dundee
Photo credit: The Dalmore

Melodie Leung with prototype
Photo credit: The Dalmore

The Dalmore Luminary - The Rare - 2024 Edition sees the whisky and its sculptural housing designed by Melodie Leung, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, together with Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker at The Dalmore, and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE. Leung and The Dalmore whisky makers have worked side by side to share and examine where their intricate skills and knowledge converge. The result of the close collaboration is two, beautiful new releases that creatively stretch the signature styles of Zaha Hadid Architects and The Dalmore.

Designer proof at V&A Dundee
Photo credit: The Dalmore

Melodie Leung sketching
Photo credit: The Dalmore

The Dalmore Luminary - The Rare - 2024 Edition

Only three decanters and two sculptures will ever be made of The Rare, a 49 Year Old Single Malt from The Dalmore housed in a dynamic, glass amber sculpture designed by Leung and her team at Zaha Hadid Architects.

The Dalmore’s Richard Paterson OBE, Zaha Hadid Architects Melodie Leung, and The Dalmore’s Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass at V&A Dundee
Photo credit: The Dalmore

V&A Dundee, Scotland's design museum
Photo credit: The Dalmore

V&A Dundee, Scotland's design museum
Photo credit: The Dalmore

The Dalmore worked closely with Fiaz Elson from The Glass Foundry – one of the few master glass artists with the necessary experience and vision to manipulate glass to the desired form – to combine modern techniques with a centuries-old craft to deliver this unique sculpture. The sculpture was in the kiln at The Glass Foundry for 12 weeks. The initial moulding was made at 890 degrees and held at that temperature for 15 hours to ensure all moisture and air bubbles were released. The temperature was then gradually lowered approximately one degree per day until it was at room temperature. After this proving period, it was lifted carefully from the kiln, weighing in at 80 kilograms. In a process that took over 500 hours, the sculpture was then fine-polished by hand across the entire surface area to achieve the liquid texture and gloss finish.

Melodie Leung and Gregg Glass exploring The Dalmore
Photo credit: The Dalmore

Gregg Glass and Melodie Leung at The Dalmore
Photo credit: The Dalmore

With an extraordinary maturation and blending process, the 49 Year Old Highland Single Malt offers layers of intense vanilla, dark berry fruit, and cacao aromas, with a palate of freshly roasted chestnuts, blackcurrant, Doyenne pears, and soft patisserie spices leading to a subtle, sweet smoke finish.

One covetable set is expected to attract interest from collectors globally and achieve upwards of six figures when offered at auction through Sotheby’s in May 2024, with all proceeds donated to V&A Dundee.

The Dalmore Luminary - The Collectible - 2024 Edition

The bottle is housed in a presentation case that echoes the glowing, swirling design of The Rare sculpture. The carefully crafted elements of The Dalmore Luminary – 2024 Edition were conceived entirely collaboratively, with Glass, Paterson, and Leung working symbiotically to bring the whiskies to life.

Gregg Glass and Melodie Leung toasting samples
Photo credit: The Dalmore

Gregg Glass and Melodie Leung at The Dalmore
Photo credit: The Dalmore

Melodie Leung and Gregg Glass with
The Dalmore Luminary - The Collectible - 2024 Edition at V&A Dundee
Photo credit: The Dalmore

The Rare and The Collectible are covetable additions to any serious collection and reflect the shared commitment of The Dalmore, V&A Dundee, and Leung to champion exceptional design and innovation on a global scale. All proceeds from the Sotheby’s sale of The Rare will be donated to V&A Dundee in support of its important mission to inspire and empower through design.

New Exhibition at V&A Dundee

The Dalmore, Zaha Hadid Architects, and V&A Dundee have combined forces and included the architectural practice in an exciting new exhibition opening at V&A Dundee on Friday, March 29th: "Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World". Photo City brings together iconic images from the V&A’s spectacular photography collections, as well as works by contemporary photographers, architects, and digital artists to explore how photography and cities have influenced each other. The exhibition explores how photographs are powerful tools that not only document the city, but also help to project and design future cities and new ways of living together.

The Dalmore

Founded in 1839 on the banks of the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, The Dalmore has been making masterpieces of whisky for over 180 years.

V&A Dundee

V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum. Designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, the museum is at the centre of Dundee’s reimagined waterfront and is part of the V&A family of museums that celebrate creativity in all its forms from across centuries, for everyone.

From their respective homes in Scotland, both V&A Dundee and The Dalmore are integral community and cultural hubs at the heart of the region. Their collaboration is anchored in exporting shared purpose, talent, and stories, and in curating and advocating exceptional design and craftsmanship.

Zaha Hadid Architects

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) redefined architecture for the 21st century with a repertoire of projects that have captured imaginations across the globe. Form and space are woven within the structure of buildings that engage the senses, creating unrivalled spatial experiences that are clearly organized and intuitive to navigate. Receiving the highest honours from civic, professional, and academic institutions worldwide, ZHA is one of the world’s most consistently inventive architectural studios—and has been for four decades. These 40 years of research are inscribed within more than 70 award-winning projects built for clients with reputations for excellence and visionary communities across six continents.