The decanter has been created as a totally unique “objet d’art” which will never again be repeated with a one-off blend of Bowmore’s oldest vintages from the 1960s, named the Bowmore ARC-52 Mokume Edition.

Crafted by master blender Ron Welsh, the whisky is housed in a vessel designed by Aston Martin, inspired by the black rocks in the bay of Loch Indaal, home to the Bowmore Distillery.

The auction will be hosted by Sotheby’s in London on 26 May 2023, with an estimated price range of £140,000-220,000. The winning bidder will also be invited for a unique experience at Bowmore Distillery and a drive in the limited-edition Aston Martin DBX Bowmore Edition, Aston Martin’s first luxury SUV.

All proceeds will be donated to a dedicated fund to support the people of Islay and the local distilling industry.

This unique auction follows successful collaborations between Bowmore and Aston Martin. In 2022, the ARC-52 decanter was unveiled, merging the engineering excellence of Aston Martin and the craftsmanship of Bowmore. Last year, a bottle of Bowmore Onyx 51-Year-Old 1970 sold for £400,000 at Sotheby’s.