Dalmore Luminary No. 1 | PiM.studio Architects

A unique series of limited edition Rare and Collectible whiskies created by luminaries from the worlds of whisky and design
Luminary No.1, 2022 Edition launches the Series with Rare and Collectible Single Malt Whiskies conceived with the Museum’s Globally Acclaimed Architect Kengo Kuma and his Protégé Maurizio Mucciola

The Dalmore Highland Single Malt introduces The Luminary Series – a collection of rare, limited-edition single malts presented by exceptional talent from the worlds of whisky and architectural design, curated in partnership with V&A Dundee, Scotland’s design museum. This three-year series will tell the stories of visionary artisans honing their craft and celebrate luminaries who inspire us to realise our full potential.
Starting in 2022, the series will see the release of three editions, each containing two Luminary whiskies: The Rare and The Collectible. Each release in the Luminary Series brings visionary design talent to the fore through a bespoke showcase of a unique bottling by The Dalmore’s whisky makers.

The Luminary No.1 – Collectible – 2022 Edition
In a collaboration between their protégés, the Collectible echoes its Rare partner in design. Gregg Glass created an innovative 15 Year Old Single Malt that spotlights his passion for wood and flavour, which is this Collectible Edition held in a contemporary case designed by Kuma-san’s protégé Maurizio Mucciola.
The Collectible begins its journey in American white oak and finished in hand selected Italian Amarone Red Wine casks and bespoke ‘Kintsugi’ Casks, which were crafted specifically for this Limited Edition and made from Scottish Tay Oak, sourced from an upcycled tree found on the banks of the River Tay, Japanese Mizunara Oak and American White Oak – as a nod to the heritage of each Luminary.

Mucciola skilfully pays homage to his mentor’s design vocabulary, using the same animated geometric particles scattered across the case. His design celebrates this unique world-first release and the importance of channelling potential with material components.
The Design Concept
The design of The Dalmore Luminary Series No.1 originates from the quest to discover a point of convergence between the complex skills of design and whisky-making. As Kuma is world-renowned for his innate ability and consistent approach to marry architecture with nature, understanding location is integral in making each project exceptional.
The importance placed on the extensive use of natural materials, especially wood, is Kuma-san’s signature and is reflected in his design of V&A Dundee’s interior. At The Dalmore, the location’s fundamental elements of soil and timber play an intrinsic role in the whisky-making process and in giving its distinctive flavour. Kuma and Mucciola establish a poetic connection between design and whisky-making: highlighting mutually utilised materials, taking inspiration from the power and natural surroundings of each destination, and honouring their friendship with V&A Dundee that brought together the project.
The sculpture of the Rare is made of 48 hand-crafted diamonds of Scottish Oak, Japanese Oak and polished metal to represent the 48 years of the whisky of Luminary No.1 Rare. The sculpture’s delicate use of wood and light confidently frames the Rare decanter at its centre. The Scottish Oak wood chosen is the same used for the ‘Kintsugi’ casks of the Collectible and further celebrates The Dalmore and V&A Dundee Partnership – as before being upcycled for this project the tree had fallen along the banks of the River Tay where both The Dalmore and V&A Dundee sit. It is inspired by how invisible natural forces inspire the visible.
The Scottish and Japanese Oak mingle with light reflected from the shiny metal particles to achieve balance and harmony, drawing parallels to the art of the Master Distillers that create perfectly harmonious whisky flavours.
For the packaging of the Collectible, the design for the Glorifier was reimagined and transformed into a graphic pattern and applied to the packaging. Soft earth tones were chosen to echo the strong connections between nature, the location, and the whisky.