Glenfarclas has released its 63 Year Old Pagoda Sapphire Reserve in jewel encrusted Glencairn crystal decanters.
This final addition completes one of the world’s most prestigious series of single malt whiskies, which has been almost five years in the making.
The Glenfarclas Pagoda Sapphire Reserve joins the critically acclaimed Pagoda Reserve Trilogy, comprising some of the finest and rarest whiskies available now, as well as the 62 Year Old Ruby Pagoda Reserve released earlier this year.
The Sapphire Reserve is available in two editions - a limited edition silver which includes 180 700ml bottles, priced £23,783 (ex. VAT) and 63 bottles of 1.5L Magnums, priced £50,964 (ex.VAT).
There is also a Collector’s Edition Gold, which is 1.5L Magnums, priced £56,060 (ex. VAT) - 45 bottles produced.
The award-winning Scottish family business, Glencairn Crystal Studio, has designed and created all the luxury decanters in the Pagoda Reserve Series and it's these, as well as the whisky, that contribute to the large price tags.
The Pagoda Sapphire Reserve decanters, along with the other decanters in the series, are produced from the highest quality hand blown 30 per cent lead crystal, renowned for its ultra-clarity to allow the full colour and richness of the whisky to shine through.
The Pagoda Sapphire Reserve decanter has been an exciting project for Glencairn Crystal Studio as it is the first time that the company has created glassware featuring sapphires.
The front age statement on each decanter is embedded with 36 sapphires to construct the number 63, to highlight the age of the whisky.
11,000 sapphires were ordered and only those that were matching in size, and a dark blue rather than light blue colour, were individually selected to compliment the blue crystal stopper and specially created metallic blue colour applied to the engravings on the sides.
Intricate Chinese Guardian lions are featured on the sides of the Pagoda Sapphire Reserve decanter and are engraved and infilled with a rich dark blue colour to match the blue crystal Pagoda shaped stopper.
The solid silver and gold plated collars of the two editions are both individually numbered with a unique design.
The Glenfarclas Pagoda Series takes its inspiration from the pagoda style kiln invented by Charles Doig more than 130 years ago.
It turned the pagoda roof structure from Asia into a Scotch whisky icon and became an integral part of the whisky making process.
Glenfarclas decommissioned its Pagoda Kiln in 1972 and the Pagoda Series pays tribute to this relic of malt whisky production of the past.
Scott Davidson, Glencairn’s new product development director, commented: “We are incredibly proud of our work on the Glenfarclas Pagoda Series and believe we have delivered some of our finest and most exceptional crystal cut decanters to date.
"It has been an absolute joy to work on this project as it has given us the chance to incorporate valuable gemstones into our decanters for the first time. Each and every decanter created is a truly unique work of art to honour the quality of the whisky inside. ”
You can purchase Glenfarclas Pagoda Sapphire Reserve at The Whisky Exchange or visit the Glenfarclas Pagoda series website.
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