The renowned Scottish whisky distillery unveils a special collaboration with South Korean artist Ha Chong-Hyun, who adds a creative touch to the bottle design
A life cut short is a tragedy. But, in creative arenas it serves as a pedestal – the oeuvre gains more value for being limited. Think of the poetry of John Keats; the films of James Dean; the songs of Kurt Cobain… and the whiskies of Ladyburn distillery. This was the name of what was essentially an extension: in 1966, two pot stills were built alongside William Grant & Sons’ Girvan grain distillery in Ayrshire. The tiny malt distillery lasted less than a decade – it ceased production in 1975 and was demolished the following year.
Unsurprisingly, very little liquid remains from its production. What does, however, has become a byword for collectible whiskies, at first thanks to independent bottler Signatory, now under the stewardship of Jonathan Driver, MD of William Grant’s private client arm, and master blender Brian Kinsman.
Kinsman’s nose for selection and timing ensures the most sublime casks are released at the right time. What Driver brings is an understanding of the period in history this whisky represents – and, by collaborating with carefully selected artists, they have become cultural touchstones of what was tumultuous period for good and ill.
Ha Chong-Hyun’s studio
After the joy and positivity of a trilogy of 1966 releases featuring labels by Swinging London icons such as David Bailey, Driver looked further afield for the latest release, from 1973. The artworks this time not only broaden the reach but represent a more complicated vision of the times. Korean artist Ha Chong-Hyun, who is still working today, was working in an atmosphere of curtailed free speech and a constant military presence. While not an overtly political artist, his use of materials such as barbed wire and burlap sacks as canvases are regarded in part as a subtle social commentary.
A bottle from the Ladyburn Ha Chong-Hyun Collection
Ten of Ha Chong-Hyun’s works appear on sets of 10 bottles of cask 3219 (vanilla, crème brûlée, toasted oak); while an 11th appears on 85 individual bottles from cask 3216 (leather, black cherry, liquorice). Both whiskies have been aged for 50 years in refill American oak casks, which makes the differences all the more remarkable.
