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Black Bowmore DB5 1964: forget martinis, Mr Bond, try this £50,000 whisky
Bottle for this ultra-rare whisky features a piston from Aston Martin’s legendary car
Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Aston Martin have created a bottle of whisky so unique that even James Bond might consider changing his preferred tipple.
Indeed, the martini-loving spy would surely be shaken and stirred by the sleek styling of the Black Bowmore DB5 1964 bottle - and its contents. Featuring an exceptionally rare whisky in a bottle encased in a genuine Aston Martin DB5 piston, only 25 are to be released for sale, with a recommended price tag of £50,000 each.
1964: a great year
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The significance of 1964 is paramount to the new creation, as the year represents a defining era for both brands.
For Scottish distillery Bowmore, 1964 is arguably one of the most significant points in its 240-year history. The arrival of a new boiler saw the distillery enter the modern age of distilling as coal fires made way for steam in heating the stills.
It was the first distillation from this new boiler that produced the spirit which was to become the Black Bowmore - one of the rarest and most sought-after single malt whiskies ever created.
Since 1993, only 6,000 bottles of Black Bowmore have been made available.
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For Aston Martin, this was the era of what many fans regard as the brand’s most iconic creation. Launched in 1963, the Aston Martin DB5 is now widely agreed to be the “most famous car in the world”, thanks to its links with fictional British agent 007.
A year after launching, the DB5 made its on-screen debut as the car of choice for Sean Connery’s Bond in Goldfinger.
About the bottle
The bottle is handcrafted by Glasstorm, a bespoke contemporary glass studio based in northeast Scotland that has more than 50 years of design, sculpting and creative expertise. Each bottle took up to a week to complete.
Black Bowmore DB5 1964 is presented in a handmade presentation box inspired by the distillery’s coastal home. Wrapped in the finest string-grain calfskin, each box features a solid-brass latch and hinges, plated with nickel, for a polished final product that even Bond could not beat.
The limited-edition creations go on sale this autumn.
Mike Starling is the former digital features editor at The Week. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon.
