The Dalmore - Unveils Collaboration with Foster + Partners’ Ben Dobbin on the Prestigious Luminary Series as 2025 Edition Launches in Venice Dundee United Kingdom

2025-05-08

Ben Dobbin of Foster + Partners, in collaboration with The Dalmore Master Whisky Makers, introduces The Dalmore Luminary Series No.3, with two rare, limited-edition whiskies, with one being offered at auction by Sotheby’s Hong Kong, in support of partner V&A Dundee.

The Dalmore Single Malt Whisky proudly announce their collaboration with Ben Dobbin of renowned architecture practice Foster + Partners for the third chapter of The Dalmore Luminary Series, which shines a light on the worlds of whisky making artistry and architectural design. Curated in partnership with V&A Dundee, Scotland’s Design Museum, The Dalmore Luminary Series No.3 offers two exquisite new Single Malt Whiskies, both a co-creation between Ben Dobbin, whose projects include the iconic Apple Park (USA) and the revitalisation of the Transamerica Pyramid (USA), and The Dalmore’s renowned Whisky Makers, Gregg Glass and Richard Paterson OBE.

The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition - The Rare - is an extremely rare Single Malt Whisky Aged 52 Years, and the oldest whisky to be released in The Luminary Series. This beautifully rich whisky will be held in a specially designed decanter, housed within a bespoke sculpture designed by Dobbin, and is to be offered at auction by Sotheby’s, in support of partner V&A Dundee.

The Dalmore Luminary No.3 – 2025 Edition – The Collectible is a rare Single Malt Whisky Aged 17 Years, with a bespoke presentation case inspired by ‘The Rare’. Strictly limited, only 20,000 bottles will be available globally at select luxury and specialist retailers. This edition of The Dalmore Luminary Series is rooted in creative flow and precision. These are qualities shared by Ben Dobbin and The Dalmore’s Master Whisky Makers, Gregg Glass and Richard Paterson OBE, in both ethos and process, as Luminaries in their respective fields. This is evident in both the whiskies and accompanying designs created for these very special releases. Reflections on the power of landscapes and nature to inspire creativity were a key part of the exchange between the team, with Dobbin captivated by the ebb and flow of the topography and finely engineered magnificence of the bridges and lochs that surround The Dalmore’s Highland distillery.

Dobbin’s extraordinary sculpture, which houses The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition - The Rare, sees the whisky appear almost suspended in time and is a fine example of tensegrity, a contemporary style of architecture in which objects appear to be built by nature in precisely balanced tension. Using this architectural approach, Dobbin has designed an art sculpture that is dynamic, bold, and perfectly balanced. The asymmetric sculpture, made of bronze, features dramatic waves and rods, smooth curves, and straight lines, and is balanced with precision in dynamic equilibrium. The Dalmore whisky makers were equally exacting when creating the whiskies and also took inspiration from Dobbin’s personal tastes and preferences into the creative process. The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition - The Rare is Aged 52 Years, with a multi-cask finish in exceptionally rare casks, whilst The Dalmore Luminary No.3 – 2025 Edition is Aged 17 Years and also features a complex multi-cask finish that alludes to the flavour profile of ‘The Rare’.

Inspired by conversations with Dobbin, The Dalmore whisky makers revisited a special set of Calvados casks, which the team had the foresight to laydown even before the French brandy was approved as a cask finish by the Scotch Whisky authorities in 2019. From here, both whiskies took on separate and complex maturation journeys, whilst staying true to the signature house style of citrus, chocolate, and warming spice that The Dalmore is known and loved for. The resulting whiskies showcase The Dalmore's pioneering approach to multi-cask maturation and whisky making artistry.

The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition – The Rare is aged 52 Years, and will be offered at leading auction house Sotheby’s along with the accompanying sculpture. The auction will be held via Sotheby’s Hong Kong and will close on May 16, with 100% of proceeds again donated to V&A Dundee, Scotland’s Design Museum. The lot is one of only two sets, with the second set to be held at The Dalmore distillery, in the Scottish Highlands. This exceptionally rare Single Malt is a sumptuous and layered whisky of finesse. It captures the essence of The Dalmore’s whisky making artistry and reflects the design philosophy behind Ben Dobbin’s sculpture. Just as Dobbin’s work balances precision and creative flow, The Dalmore’s whisky makers elevate the spirit’s journey by moving parcels of whisky between some of the world’s rarest casks. These include Vintage 1980 Calvados, 1940 Colheita Port, rare Tawny Port, 40 year old Pedro Ximénez Sherry, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine casks. By harnessing the tension between these diverse cask characters, that are either contrasting or complementary, The Dalmore has brought to life a whisky of extraordinary depth, complexity, and enduring elegance. A rare masterpiece, creating a truly extraordinary moment of reward. The Dalmore Luminary No.3 - 2025 Edition – The Collectible is aged 17 Years, and is inspired by ‘The Rare’, elegantly housed in a bespoke, fold-out presentation case, which draws inspiration from the sculpture. A strictly limited release, just 20,000 bottles will be made available globally from mid-May. From initial maturation in American White Oak ex-Bourbon barrels, this whisky has been finished in a bold combination of seven casks, including both vintage and aged Calvados, rare Matusalem Sherry, rare Apostoles Sherry, select red wine casks from Bordeaux and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and fully matured American White Oak. The Dalmore Luminary Series No. 3 follows two acclaimed earlier collaborations, firstly with Kengo Kuma and Maurizio Mucciola, designers of the landmark V&A Dundee, and last year with Melodie Leung, renowned designer and Director at Zaha Hadid Associates, whose portfolio includes The Henderson Building in Hong Kong. The Luminary Series proudly supports The Dalmore’s partner, V&A Dundee, Scotland’s Design Museum. Since forming their partnership in 2020, and the inception of The Luminary Series in 2021, The Dalmore has given over £200,000 to the museum to aid in their design and community work both locally and globally. All elements for this third chapter of The Dalmore Luminary Series were conceived collaboratively, with Glass, Paterson, and Dobbin working together to bring both the whiskies and designs to life.

The Global Launch in Venice

The Dalmore Luminary Series No.3 was officially unveiled on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in Venice, ahead of the world’s most important exhibition of architecture, the Venice Biennale. The global launch featured dynamic discussion from The Dalmore's Luminary collaborators – Ben Dobbin, Melodie Leung, and Maurizio Mucciola - moderated by Venice Architecture Biennale 2023 curator, Professor Lesley Lokko OBE. The Venice Biennale invites conversation on the role of architecture in the world. Attendees to this event from The Dalmore received an exclusive first look at The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition sculpture and decanter, which featured in a unique exhibition co-curated by V&A Dundee and Foster + Partners, and is available to view digitally from May 8 via The Dalmore website. A world-first tasting of The Dalmore Luminary No.3 – 2025 Edition was also hosted. The Dalmore Luminary 2025 Edition – The Rare - will be offered at auction by Sotheby’s Hong Kong, where the sculpture and decanter will be on display from May 9-16. The auction will close on May 16 and, as with the 2024 Edition auctioned last year, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to V&A Dundee. The Dalmore Luminary No.3 - 2025 Edition will be available from luxury and specialist retailers around the world and also in global travel retail, from mid-May, RRP $399.99 USD / £299 / €340. Those in the UK and USA can also purchase directly.

About The Dalmore

Founded in 1839 on the shores of the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, The Dalmore has been making masterpieces of whisky for over 180 years. The 12-point silver stag which proudly adorns each bottle was bestowed upon the first chieftain of Clan Mackenzie in 1263 by King Alexander III of Scotland. The stag became the whisky’s emblem when descendants of the clan took over the distillery in 1878. The Dalmore distillery’s collection of idiosyncratic stills creates a New Make spirit of unique character and depth – robust and fruity, particularly well-suited to longer and more complex maturation. This allows The Dalmore’s renowned whisky makers to develop spirit over longer periods, continuing a tradition of visionary whisky-making as they fully express their art using rare casks from some of the world’s finest wineries and bodegas.

About V&A Dundee

V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum. Designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, the museum is at the centre of Dundee’s reimagined waterfront and is part of the V&A family of museums that celebrate creativity in all its forms from across centuries, for everyone. V&A Dundee features world-class exhibitions alongside the permanent Scottish Design Galleries, and a changing programme of commissions, events and activities. The V&A and The Dalmore share a historic legacy of pioneering work and innovation. Founded in 1839, The Dalmore holds exclusive use of the royal 12-pointed stag emblem after the Chief of the Clan Mackenzie, the distillery’s historic owners, saved King Alexander III from a charging stag. Just over a decade later, in 1852, the V&A was founded with a mission to educate designers, manufacturers and the public in art and design. This followed the Great Exhibition of 1851 which was created and championed by Prince Albert. From their respective homes in Scotland, both V&A Dundee and The Dalmore are integral community and cultural hubs at the heart of the region. Today, both V&A Dundee and The Dalmore are proud champions of Scottish culture and unite to celebrate a relentless pursuit of excellence. Their collaboration is anchored in exporting shared purpose, talent and stories, and in curating and advocating exceptional design and craftsmanship.

About Ben Dobbin

Ben Dobbin is a British-born architect, designer, and digital artist who grew up in England. He studied architecture at Edinburgh University, where he developed an interest in the interaction between contemporary design and historical contexts. In 2001 he joined globally recognised architects Foster + Partners, where he worked under the guidance of Norman Foster on notable projects including The Gherkin building in London, EY Headquarters in Amsterdam. Ben was a key design team leader at Apple Park in California, where he now lives and leads the San Francisco office. He was also design team lead on the revitalisation of the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. Throughout his career, Dobbin has pursued his passion for art; creating abstract digital works exploring themes of synaesthesia, landscape, music, and memory.

About Foster + Partners

Foster + Partners is an award-winning global studio for architecture, urbanism and design, rooted in sustainability, which was founded in 1967 by Norman Foster. Since then, the practice has established an international reputation for thoughtful and pioneering design, working as a single studio that is both ethnically and culturally diverse. The studio integrates the skills of architecture with engineering, both structural and environmental, urbanism, interior and industrial design and many more. These diverse skills make Foster + Partners capable of tackling a wide range of projects, particularly those of considerable complexity and scale. Key projects include headquarters for Apple, Bloomberg and Comcast, the ‘Gherkin’ building, the Great Court at the British Museum and the Millennium Bridge in London.