In celebration of HM King Charles III's 75th official birthday and Coronation, rare spirits specialist The Last Drop Distillers, and artist Mark Evans, have partnered to create a unique commemorative pairing of Coronation Portraits and ultra-premium blended Scotch.
Officially launched at Wiltons restaurant in St James's, Blend of 75 comprises one whisky for each of King Charles III's 75 years. Crafted by Master Blender Colin Scott, it's a unique marriage of single malts, blends, and grains, with liquids sourced from iconic distilleries such as The Glenlivet and Laphroaig, as well as rare samples from 19 of Scotland's Lost Distilleries, including Imperial, Glenlochy, Convalmore, and Glen Albyn.
The two bottles were filled November 14 2023, and have been dressed with an embossed green leather label. We can only imagine the interplay of sweet, smoky, and rich fruit notes from each contribution.
Crafted by Master Blender Colin Scott, Blend of 75 is a marriage of single malts, blends, and grains, with liquids sourced from iconic distilleries...
KCIII Blend of 75 Tasting Notes
A deep golden amber, the whisky is said to offer fruity aromas of figs, apricots and red apples, with a honey sweetness, translating to ripe black cherries, oranges and spiced apples, with the sweetness of toffee, dark chocolate and vanilla on the palate.
Scott says it was an honour to be asked to create this unique blend. " I had the opportunity to choose from The Last Drop's inventory of maturing barrels to create a blend of over 75 different Scotch Whiskies, from the four corners of Scotland. My aim was simple: to produce a unique whisky that represents Scotland, the magic of Scotch Whisky and our profound admiration for His Majesty."
KCIII Coronation Portraits hand etched in leather
The Coronation Portraits, measuring 135 x 120cm, and hand-etched on leather canvases by Welsh artist Mark Evans, are modelled after the celebrated Nadav Kander photograph of King Charles III, which graced the cover of Time Magazine and is now displayed in the National Portrait Gallery.
To create his signature artworks, Evans meticulously carves, shapes and etches into the surface of the hide, transforming a tonal photograph into a detailed map of contours. The process is unique and painstaking.
Evans, who is accepting no payment or commission for either portrait, says: "I had a particular vision for a unique pair of portraits that would become something lasting, multi generational and jaw-dropping. I wanted to hand-carve portraits that would tell a story, convey a moment in time, and be quite simply beautiful."
The first of these KCIII portraits is a Gift to the Nation, with the first Blend of 75 bottle presented privately. The second set is destined to be auctioned, or sold through a gallery, with proceeds benefiting Big Change, a charity dedicated to transformative educational outcomes worldwide.
The combined market value of the painting and whisky is estimated to be £471,600 ($600,000).
An additional limited edition of 10 drams, made during the bottling process, are being sold at £10,000 ($12,700) each, to further raise funds for the charity, and are available at Wiltons.
The KCIII artwork will be on display throughout the summer, at the Sladmore Gallery, London.
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