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Celebrating Diamond Jubilee with whisky from John Walker & Sons
On sale at £100,000 per bottle, the limited edition of 60 bottles is a unique blend of grain and malt whiskies, all distilled in and maturing since 1952. Finished in a marrying cask of English oak from the Queen's Sandringham Estate, the whiskey rested at Royal Lochnagar Distillery, on the edge of The Queen's Balmoral Estate, Bottling took place on 6 February 2012, 60 years to the day since the Queen acceded to the throne.
Master blender Jim Beveridge and his apprentice Matthew Crow explored stocks of Scotch whisky to seek out some of the exceptional casks of whiskies distilled in 1952. Beveridge drew on expertise gained over more than 30 years and inspiration from the Walker family blending notes to create this blend with a unique sense of provenance.
The luxury crystal decanters were created in a diamond shape with six radial legs representing each decade of the Queen's rule. They are decorated with Britannia silver adornments, including a half-carat diamond and accompanied by lead crystal glasses by Cumbria Crystal, engraved with wildlife scenes from the Balmoral and Sandringham estates. The set is accompanied by a hand-bound artefact book telling the story of the craftsmanship behind the whiskey. All these items are housed in a bespoke cabinet made from oak and native Caledonian pine from the Queen's Sandringham and Balmoral Estates.
One edition will be presented to The Queen to celebrate the occasion, with another two editions taking residence in the John Walker & Sons archive. John Walker & Sons will donate the profits from the sale, a guarantee of at least £1 million, to Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association that preserves rare craft and conservation skills and enables them to flourish.