Beam Suntory-owned single malt Scotch whisky house Bowmore has unveiled ‘The Changeling’, the second release from its acclaimed collaboration with graphic artist and illustrator Frank Quitely.
‘The Changeling’ is a duo of travel retail-exclusive single malts which include a 22 Year Old and 33 Year Old blend. In November, it will launch in selected travel retail locations in Hainan, Paris, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Hong-Kong, Macau, Dubai, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, London and New York.
The Changeling has an RRP of US$440 for the 22 Year Old and US$3,300 for the 33 Year Old.
The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Editor & Digital Marketing Manager Hannah Tan-Gillies attended the intimate launch event on 20 October at The Monarch Theatre in Park Row London as the sole travel retail media representative.
The event was attended by Frank Quitely and Bowmore Master Distiller Ron Welsh, with a guided whisky tasting led by whisky writer Paul Archibald.
The evening featured a four-course meal complete with wine pairings, alongside a tasting of ‘The Changeling’ and ‘No Corners to Hide’. The whiskies were inspired by myths from the island of Islay, home to the Bowmore Distillery.
Both collaborations feature exclusive designs from Scotsman Quitely, who has illustrated for Marvel and DC Comics. The illustrations portray the rich and evocative history of Islay and represent the artistic expression of Bowmore’s 240-year heritage on the island.
The Changeling was inspired by the story of a blacksmith and his son from the Rhinns of Islay. The blacksmith had been teaching his son the ways of his trade until one day the son became completely unresponsive. The situation worsened until a wise man came to the forge and said “Tis a changeling in that bed, left there by Fairy Folk who have taken your son to their realm.”
Following the wise man’s advice, the blacksmith set out to rescue his son on the next full moon carrying nothing but a Bible, a dagger and a cockerel. As he drew near Fairy Hill, the blacksmith could hear the sounds of music and dancing as the fairies were holding a feast in honour of their queen.
As instructed, he held the Bible for courage, wedged a dagger into the threshold of the hill, and threw a crowing cockerel inside. Amid the panic he grabbed his son from the anvil, where the boy had been labouring under a trance, and they both escaped. The next morning, the blacksmith’s son had forged a sword unlike anything else in the world.
Click on the YouTube video above to watch our exclusive on location video footage of the launch event at Monarch Theatre, Park Row London
“To continue to tell these incredible stories through such awe-inspiring and special whiskies is both hugely exciting and rewarding for me,” Quitely said. “This time we started from a different place, with a very different narrative to bring to life, but I needed to make sure this was an evolution from No Corners to Hide. The whiskies themselves are captivating and it is vital to me that I do them justice in my work.”
Both the 22 Year Old and 32 Year Old were matured in port casks to add a new flavour dimension. The 22 Year Old was nurtured in American Oak hogsheads for 20 years, followed by an additional two-year maturation in white port casks to create a light floral flavour. On the palate, it offers flavours of white flowers, peaches, lemongrass, honey, stewed fruits and figs, balanced with peat smoke, brine, salt and spice.
The 33 Year Old was matured for 31 and a half years in American Oak hogsheads ex-Bourbon casks and finished in Tawny Port casks to bring out stewed fruit and spice flavours. On the palate, it offers notes of meadow flowers, peaches, plums and summer grass, followed by stewed figs, port and peat. Only 667 bottles of the 33 Year Old have been produced.
Welsh said, “We joined as a team four years ago and had this idea of creating fantastic packaging, which Frank created, to go with some fantastic whiskies that reflect the legends of Islay. We were inspired by this story with the fairy hill, foliage, grass and the forge – and we hope you can taste those green, floral and mineral elements in the whisky.
“Taking this story of transformation as the inspiration, we’ve brought together different maturation styles to shape the character of each of these exquisite expressions. The choice of port casks to add a distinct dimension to their characters is an intentional, and vital, part of the creative process. Keeping the story firmly front of mind, the whisky tells its own story, defined by intriguing flavours and aromas which bring the story to life and immerse the senses.”
No Corners to Hide was the first limited-edition release from the Bowmore x Frank Quitely collection. It was also the subject of a memorable Moodie Davitt Spotlight Series eZine in 2021.
The evocative packaging, illustrated by Quitely, tells the story of the Islay legend when the devil himself visited the round church on the island. The building’s round shape was purposefully built in that fashion as it would offer no corners for the devil to hide if he came a calling. Despite the congregation’s best efforts to chase the devil from the church to the Bowmore distillery, where they bolted the gates and locked the doors, the devil had managed to escape.
That same night, The Maid of Islay, a small paddle steamer used to transport Bowmore whiskey, was loaded with casks for the mainland. While the devil was never found, it was believed that he hid himself in a cask, where perversely, there too were no corners to hide.
