The luxury whisky market continues to embrace high-profile brand collaborations as Sotheby’s announces its upcoming auction of the Bowmore ARC-54: Iridos Edition. This one-of-a-kind 54-year-old whisky is housed in a bespoke decanter designed by Aston Martin and is being sold to raise money for communities around Suntory Global Spirits’ Scottish distilleries.
The one of a kind decanter will be available through Sotheby’s Auctions online, and bids will be open from May 15 to 29, 2025. Bowmore’s latest addition to their super premium collaboration with Aston Martin was announced at a Raffles Hotel London last month. This unique version exemplifies the growing trend of premium spirits partnering with luxury automotive and design houses.
Scotch Whisky Craftsmanship Meet Automotive Engineering
The ARC-54 decanter draws inspiration from Aston Martin’s Valkyrie hypercar, featuring aerodynamic design elements that mirror the vehicle’s venturi tunnels. Most striking is the iridescent titanium top that’s been created using the same process applied to the Valkyrie’s exhaust system. The distinctive colours are created by milling the lid from a single billet of titanium that is then subjected to extreme temperature changes to achieve a unique iridescent blue patternation.
Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, highlighted the technological foundation of the collaboration: “This remarkable one-off creation is testament to the cutting edge, technology-based collaboration between two exceptional brands that are steeped in heritage and tradition. ARC-54 Iridos embodies the innovative thinking that we apply to Valkyrie and Valhalla.”
The whisky itself represents Bowmore’s finest craftsmanship, blending exceptional vintages from the distillery’s celebrated 1960s era. Chief Blender Calum Fraser combined spirits from a 1967 European oak butt, a 1968 Sherry butt, and a 1968 American oak hogshead.
Luxury Collaborations Driving Premium Whisky
Mark Littler, Owner and Editor in Chief of The Whiskey Wash was fortunate enough to be invited to the glamorous launch party for the Bowmore ARC-54, hosted in Raffles Hotel London last month. He said: “In the same way that a designer elevates a watch to more than just something to tell the time, the collaboration between two greats in their respective industries has crafted something more than just a whisky. I think that common ground of expertise is why this works so well.”
Collaborations between storied whisky houses and luxury brands have become increasingly important in the ultra-premium spirits market. These partnerships create unique value propositions by combining the heritage and craftsmanship of whisky distilleries with the design expertise and brand power of luxury manufacturers. For Bowmore and Aston Martin, this has proven particularly successful in capturing the attention of collectors willing to pay premium prices for limited edition releases.
Recent record-breaking sales demonstrate the value collectors place on these partnerships:
- Bowmore STAC 55-Year-Old 1962: $712,000 (£562,500) in October 2023
- Bowmore Onyx 51-Year-Old 1970: $506,000 (£400,000) in December 2021
- Black Bowmore Aston Martin DB5: $118,750 in February 2021
Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Global Head of Whisky & Spirits, noted: “In the last few years, Bowmore have consistently achieved the highest results for unique bottles combining age, rarity, vintage specificity and stunning design, so it’s a special moment for us to be entrusted once again with their latest creation.”
The Bowmore ARC-54 Iridos Edition is expected to fetch between $180,000 and $300,000 at auction, with proceeds benefiting communities supporting Suntory Global Spirits’ Scottish distilleries. This follows Sotheby’s successful sale of the predecessor ARC-52 Mokume Edition in 2023 for $237,000 (£187,500).
Read the full article at Aston Martin and Bowmore Unveil ARC-54 ‘Iridos Edition’ at Sotheby’s
