since 1976
since 1976
From Annandale Distillery Press Release
Design and engineering business CALLUM announced a partnership with Annandale Distillery to release a single cask, single malt, unpeated Scotch whisky, bottled at cask strength in a bespoke, CALLUM-designed ceramic bottle: CALLUM 529 by Annandale.
“This collaboration with Annandale fits CALLUM’s notion of taking on out of the ordinary projects that challenge and excite,” says Ian Callum CBE, design director at CALLUM. “We love the stories that sit behind them – ideas that have soul, stir the imagination and give meaning to our work. This collaboration story goes back to my time at school with David Thomson. While our two worlds are now very different, together we have created a luxury product that delivers a fun, unique and authentic sensory experience – both in terms of flavour and tactility.”
“Part science, part art, this is a collaboration that captivates the senses and elicits an emotional response,” says David Thomson, co-founder of Annandale Distillery. “I’m incredibly proud to be able to work with my fellow ‘Doonhamer’ to meld the long history and expertise of Annandale Distillery with CALLUM’s forward-thinking and disruptive design. Owning and sipping this single cask, single malt Scotch is a unique experience both whisky connoisseurs and aficionados of Ian’s designs will want to savour.”
Bespoke bottle design
Breaking with tradition, the single cask, single malt Scotch whisky is enclosed within a ceramic bottle designed by CALLUM. Ceramic provides new textures and visuals unfamiliar in today’s whisky offering, while being a neutral material that has no impact on the spirit’s distinct and respected flavour. The bottle features handcrafted ripples and is finished in a deep, dark navy blue glaze.
“Organic sweeping lines rest easily on the eye and balance beautifully in the hand,” explains Callum. “A dramatic diagonal slice separates the ripples from a contrasting smooth, structured finish, creating a bottle of two textural halves. The ripples are organic and natural, like the material, while the other half is structured, similar to how we’d design a product or car. It creates a really striking contrast and aesthetic while mirroring CALLUM’s disruptive spirit and echoing the slice in our logo.”
This dramatic slice is continued onto the natural cork stopper. CALLUM’s signature deconstructed tartan in accent orange seals the bottle, which is then enclosed in an outer capsule of the same dark navy blue.
“This partnership presented CALLUM with the perfect opportunity to do something we’ve never even thought about before. That is a great place to start in design – approaching a challenge from a new angle, a different point of view, which I feel is clearly evident in our resulting bottle design,” says Callum.
CALLUM 529 by Annandale
As with the bottle design, the whisky has been engineered to find its own unique place in the whisky world and provide an exceptional sensory experience.
Crafted by the award-winning Annandale Distillery near Dumfries, Scotland, just three ingredients – malted barley, water and yeast – have been expertly distilled in two copper spirit stills. Copper has a magical effect, determining and refining the spirit’s flavour and creating consistency of quality. Based at one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, Annandale was one of the first distilleries to use two small copper spirit stills rather than one, which increases the copper contact and enhances the process and purity of the spirit.
The whisky has been matured in a once-used ‘fresh’ bourbon cask made from American oak, providing a subtle richness, depth and complexity, as well as ensuring its complete individuality of flavour as single cask, single malt Scotch whisky.
Having reached sensory maturity, cask number 529 has been selected for its exceptional taste profile and sensory characteristics by Callum, Thomson, the CALLUM team and Annandale’s master blender, Keith Law.
The unpeated whisky has sweet, creamy vanilla and caramel hints on the nose, supported by oak and malt undertones, while suggestions of orchard fruits and hay bring a fresh scent that cuts through the sweetness.
Upon tasting, its sweetness has creamy toffee, salted caramel and chocolate notes, accompanied by hints of spices, including cinnamon and cardamom, while subtle low tannins provide the perfect touch of astringency to flawlessly balance the flavour.
Pre-order now for August 2022 delivery
By the very nature of a single cask whisky, only a limited number of CALLUM 529 by Annandale will be available for sale. However, that exact number will not be known until the whisky barrel is broached and its entire contents are bottled at cask strength in July 2022. The whisky will go straight from barrel to bottle – never blended – to produce a truly authentic whisky at its purest and most natural. It’s anticipated yield is around 230 bottles at 50-65%ABV, to be confirmed at the point of bottling. Each bottle will be hand numbered and signed by Ian Callum.
CALLUM 529 by Annandale is priced at £350 per 70cl bottle.
It is available to pre-order at callumdesigns.com/callum-529 with deliveries to begin in August 2022.
About Annandale
Annandale Distillery was reborn as part of a multi-million pound project in 2014 by owners Professor David Thomson and Teresa Church after sleeping for almost 100 years.
Annandale Distillery is a 5 star Visit Scotland tourist attraction where guests can witness the production of two award-winning single cask – single malt whiskies. The peated Man O’ Sword and unpeated Man O’ Words. These are both named in celebration of local icons, King Robert the Bruce (Scotland’s Warrior King and 7th Earl of Annandale) and Robert Burns (Scotland’s National Poet and Exciseman in Annandale), respectively.
Open every day except Christmas and New Year's Day, the distillery offers tours on the hour - every hour - and the opportunity to not only buy a bottle, but the chance to fill your bottle to take away or purchase your own cask of whisky. www.annandaledistillery.com
About CALLUM
CALLUM is a design and engineering business creating bespoke and limited-edition products.
CALLUM is focused on design, lifestyle and travel, taking on projects that intrigue, excite and tell a story. It is a collaboration of talented individuals with experience across art, audio, automotive, fashion and motorsport brands.
Nimble and agile, CALLUM produces exquisite design supported by quality execution, with its 30,000 sq. ft Warwick facility housing the latest technology to deliver design, prototyping, machining and trim services.
Amongst its founding members is British designer Ian Callum CBE, admired for his prolific automotive work, which includes the Aston Martin Vanquish, Vantage and DB9, Jaguar F-Type, F-PACE, XJ and, most recently, the World Car of the Year Award-winning I-PACE, amongst others. www.callumdesigns.com
