The Balvenie is delighted to announce a landmark collaboration with creative visionary Daniel Arsham. In partnership with The Balvenie’s esteemed Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie, Arsham will conceive of an artistic programme that will unfold over multiple layers to honour a forthcoming, remarkable, Limited-Edition Collection.
Titled The Dawn of Our Spirit, the collaboration will unearth the spirit of The Balvenie through its Five Rare Crafts: the barley, its cooperage, malting floor, copper stills and the intuitive role of the malt master. McKechnie and Arsham will curate a series of sensorial and immersive experiences celebrating this multi-generational artistry across Asia and the United States. Audiences will uncover a significant hand-crafted whisky Collection which includes an ultra-rare release and collectible limited editions, each embodying the Five Rare Crafts, and each artistically interpreted by Arsham.
McKechnie and Arsham will embark on an empirical journey, discovering the artistry and influences embedded within each of their respective practices. The Balvenie’s current Home Floor Maltings, which began operation circa 1931 and remains largely unchanged to this day, becomes a central theme of exploration. As two interpreters of the same language – namely the human instinct to capture the moment when creation becomes art – notions of time, longevity, preciousness and materiality will be creatively interrogated.
The Balvenie’s accomplished Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie holds the keys to the alchemy and singular essence of The Balvenie. She brings a vibrancy to the brand’s celebrated portfolio, crafting for the future while preserving the timeless skills behind the rich, honeyed notes for which the liquid is revered. Hers is an art form rooted in instinct and combined with highly technical mastery.
Straddling the line between art, architecture and performance, Arsham’s work combines structural experiment with historical inquiry. Through an exploration of the passage of time, Arsham intersects the spirits industry with his distinctive, sculptural form, adding a defining resonance to an already remarkable offering. Together, McKechnie and Arsham will bring The Balvenie’s most ambitious partnership ever to fruition.
Kelsey McKechnie, Malt Master, The Balvenie, commented, “The Balvenie’s approach remains the same today as it always has been; it is a story of artistry, innovation and human endeavour. Our collaboration with Daniel Arsham has become a creative dialogue exploring the enduring character of our spirit, formed by our consistent approach across multiple generations. We look forward to unveiling our collaboration to the world, later this year.”
Artist Daniel Arsham, said of the collaboration, “Learning of The Balvenie’s time-honoured skills and its dedication to the most traditional methods of making whisky is inspiring. Our collaboration is rooted in a shared respect for both process and time.”
