What does The Glen Grant’s oldest release, which was sold for a record $135K, have in common with the late Queen Elizabeth II?

For years, Dennis Malcolm, master distiller of The Glen Grant did not have a clock in his office. The 77-year-old, who has been working for the single malt Scotch whisky distillery for over five decades, says with a chuckle: “If you love your job, you never work a day in your life. I never really looked at the time at work. If the office went quiet, I knew it was time to go home.”  

Malcolm’s devotion to whisky-making was apparent during a recent press trip to Scotland. The spritely Scotsman, who worked his way up from an apprentice cooper at 15, knows every nook and cranny of the 180-year-old distillery. During a tour, he gave an encyclopaedic run-down of the production process, from milling, mashing, and fermentation to the first of two rounds of distillation, in which alcohol vapour is passed through a purifier to yield a light but complex spirit — a process unique to The Glen Grant.

Related: The Glen Grant launches its oldest release, Devotion 70 Year Old in tribute of the late Queen Elizabeth II

So it is only apt that Malcolm is helming The Glen Grant’s oldest release — The Glen Grant Devotion, a 70-year-old single malt whisky. The limited-edition release commemorates the remarkable seven-decade-long reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. She passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland last September. 

A total of seven decanters of The Glen Grant Devotion have been made available worldwide, including one allocated for the Singapore market. Last month, the first decanter was launched via an online auction by Sotheby’s. It was sold at £81,250 (S$135,300) — the proceeds will be donated to the Royal Scottish Forestry Society, which preserves local woodland areas in Speyside.

Each of the seven decanters is engraved with some of the late Queen’s favourite flowers. The Singapore-allocated decanter is adorned with engravings of orchids, which appeared in the bridal bouquet from her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947. Singapore is one of four markets in APAC that have been allocated a decanter each. The others are Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan.

Malcolm, who was bestowed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 for his contributions to the Scotch whisky industry, says: “The late Queen held a great commitment towards people in the UK and the Commonwealth and was a role model for everyone to look up to. To be devoted is to show unwavering loyalty and love for something you care for deeply, which sits at the heart of our whisky-making philosophy.”

The French oak butt cask, which had been seasoned with oloroso sherry, was filled in 1953 and has since been stored at Warehouse No. 4, the oldest stone dunnage warehouse on the distillery grounds in Rothes. On what drew Malcolm to this particular cask, he says: “The aroma and taste of this spirit are in complete harmony while retaining the key DNA features of The Glen Grant.” The Scotch whisky is known for its fruity, floral, and nutty notes.

Related: The Glen Grant 60 Years pays homage to Master Distiller, Dennis Malcolm

What is the biggest challenge in launching a time-honoured release? Malcolm shares: “It is about safeguarding the cask and ensuring that the safety hooks do not break, especially since it has been here since the 1950s — you know that the liquid is good.”

A liquid Christmas cake

Malcolm was struck by how the Devotion reminded him of a Christmas fruitcake. He explains: “It is refreshing, floral, and has honeyed sweetness. There are notes of raisins, sultanas, orange peel, nuttiness, and a sweet long finish.” The whisky, which is bottled at 55.5 per cent ABV, has a lingering finish of soft fruit, spice, and a hint of smoke. 

Matching the beauty of the liquid is the stunning packaging of the Devotion, which would not look out of place in an art gallery. The gem-shaped decanter, which is hand-blown by hot glass master Brodie Nairn of GLASSTORM, boasts seven facets that represent the late Queen’s 70-year-old reign.

Each decanter is crowned with a silver capsule engraved with flowers that are significant to the late Queen. They include daffodil, the national flower of Wales and clematis, which is grown around the gardens of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. 

The decanter is nestled in a visually arresting wooden sculpture crafted by award-winning craftsman John Galvin, who is a familiar name in the packaging of bespoke spirits. Galvin handcrafted the sculpture from a fallen elm tree discovered within the distillery’s gardens.

The Glen Grant, which was founded in 1840 and is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, stands out for having an 11-ha Garden of Splendour within its compound. It started out as a mini botanical garden for Major James Grant, who brought back seeds and plants from his trips around the world and planted them in Victorian glasshouses that he designed. 

Prior to the Devotion, the oldest limited edition release from the distillery was The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition, which paid homage to the whisky stalwart’s illustrious career two years ago.

Related: The Balvenie honours whisky legend David C. Stewart with its oldest and rarest release to date

2023 marks a momentous year for The Glen Grant, which is owned by Italian spirits company Campari Group. Besides this rare limited-edition release, the 21-Year-Old was added to its core collection alongside the 10-, 12-, 15-, and 18-Year-Old expressions in March. This move paves the way for a range of innovative releases in its pipeline. 

Having seen The Glen Grant through its many chapters, Malcolm hopes to continue growing The Glen Grant’s range and widening its reach around the world. The whisky icon also wants to leave behind a legacy of putting out whiskies of consistent quality — something that still gives him immense satisfaction. 

He affirms: “The quality of whisky that I received when I started was what the founders had laid down, and I’ve just carried on the journey to ensure the spirit quality is the best so that future generations can enjoy it.”