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Bowmore’s ARC-52 Decanter Raises Funds for Islay Charities

A one-of-a-kind “Mokume Edition” ARC-52 Bowmore single malt brought a high bid of $283,988 (Including taxes) at Sotheby’s in London Friday. The decanter designed by Aston Martin comes with a special experience at the distillery on Islay, and proceeds from the auction will benefit the Islay community. 

“Over the next couple of months, what we’ll work on is where these funds go and what causes they go towards, because it is about giving back,” Beam Suntory Global Private Client Director Daryl Haldane told WhiskyCast in an interview for this week’s episode. 

The concept for the ARC-52 decanter comes from the Japanese metalworking technique “Mokume-Gane” which produces a mixed-metal laminate with layered patterns. Aston Martin’s designers recreated the technique using carbon fiber for the top of the decanter, which resembles the black rocks of Loch Indall on Islay near the distillery. The whisky inside the decanter came from a special blend of 1960’s-vintage Bowmore casks created by Master Blender Ron Welsh. 

The winning bidder was not identified.

Published May 28, 2023