The Dalmore and V&A Dundee, a design museum in Scotland, have expanded their partnership with an annual design commission for The Portfolio Series. The first installment in The Portfolio Series comprises three limited-edition whiskies with specially commissioned packaging designed by muralist, Fraser Gray.
Demonstrating the fusion of scotch whisky and Scottish art, The Dalmore and V&A Dundee Portfolio series is now available at V&A Dundee, select global airports, and The Dalmore website for £2,700 (~$3,460).
The Dalmore and V&A Dundee
The partnership between The Dalmore and V&A Dundee began in 2022 with the release of The Luminary Series, which brought together the worlds of architecture and whisky. Now comprising two releases and four amazing bottles, The Luminary Series is part of The Dalmore and V&A Dundee’s mission to showcase Scottish craftsmanship and design.
You can read all you need to know about The Luminary Series here.
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The Portfolio Series
The Portfolio Series is a continuation of The Dalmore and V&A Dundee’s commitment to supporting Scottish talent. Muralist, Fraser Gray, is the first artist to be commissioned for The Portfolio Series.
Gray, who grew up in Dundee and later attended the University of Dundee Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, took inspiration from the distillery building at The Dalmore, and the shapes of the stills. After a tasting of The Dalmore whisky, Gray used bold colors and striking designs to emulate the sensory experience of drinking The Dalmore single malt.
He explains: “The concept for the work came from one of their briefs where they described the whisky-making process as building taste and aroma through complex layering. To me, instantly, there was a visual parallel of being able to build up layers.
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“In my case, I wanted to combine different viewpoints into one viewpoint, so that you can see multiple things and include more information than you would normally. Within the designs, you’re seeing the back of the building, inside the building, the side of the building, outside the building, all in one picture.”
In choosing the colors for The Portfolio Series packaging, Fraser wanted to pay tribute to the wine casks used in the maturation of the whisky.
“The colour palette for the Portfolio Series comes from the fact that the whisky is held in red wine casks. So if you were to look at a colour wheel, you would see that the colours in the box actually come from an incredibly narrow band.
“It’s basically red, expanded. So, if you go to the side of red, you get orange, and to the other side, you get these violets and magentas. It’s like the red wine itself has created a colour tint or colour cast over the whole thing. You get these very subtle differences between each.”
The Whiskies
The Dalmore Portfolio Series contains the following expressions:
Portfolio Series No.1: Bottled at 46.8% ABV and limited to 5,000 bottles, this single malt is aged in meticulously chosen Bordeaux wine casks from a distinguished French estate known for an impressive collection of fine releases.
Portfolio Series No.2: With an ABV of 46.0% and an even rarer release of only 2,000 bottles, this expression is crafted by The Dalmore’s Master Whisky Makers and finished in specially selected casks from the renowned Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine region.
Portfolio Series No.3: The rarest of the collection, Portfolio Series No.3 is limited to just 1,000 bottles. Only the most prestigious estates were considered, culminating in a collaboration with a Premier Grand Cru vineyard that allowed The Dalmore to complete this whisky in select Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon casks, infusing it with remarkable character.
An Ongoing Partnership
“Supporting and celebrating Scottish creative talent sits at the heart of V&A Dundee and so it’s fantastic to see Fraser Gray commissioned as the first Portfolio Series Designer through our ongoing partnership with The Dalmore,” said Sam Edmond, Head of Partnerships at V&A Dundee. “Typically known for pushing boundaries with large-scale street art, Fraser has also now created outstanding packaging for an internationally recognised brand which will be seen by new audiences around the world. It’s a very exciting outcome.”
Rod Gilles, Global Creative Director at The Dalmore, added: “It is a pleasure to be able to continue our partnership with VA Dundee, this time supporting and working with Scotland based creative artists. The Portfolio Series collaboration with Fraser Gray has been fascinating, seeing his response to The Dalmore distillery and these whiskies and watching it come to life in this fantastic, contemporary packaging design.
“Working with Fraser has been a remarkable opportunity to gain fresh perspective on The Dalmore’s rich heritage, whisky making artistry and the perception of flavour. I am thrilled to see this illustrated in such a vibrant way and I am pleased we will be able to share Fraser’s work with so many people around the globe.”
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