To celebrate the distillery’s 250th anniversary, Littlemill has announced a partnership with photographer Stefan Sappert to launch a 45-year-old expression. Sappert’s role in the launch includes the manufacturing of 250 silver on black glass photographic plates, kept in a drawer underneath the decanter, capturing an image of the River Clyde.
Sappert’s traditional photographic technique is said to create a dramatic and atmospheric image, with these collectables – included with each bottling – giving custodians a chance to own a piece of Littlemill history.
Speaking on the similarities between whisky creation and photography, Sappert commented: “The art of whisky-making is fascinating. Like wet plate photography, it captures a moment that requires an equal amount of patience, dedication, passion, and most importantly, time. My work uses one of the oldest photographic processes that links directly to the 1770s, where the basis of creating permanent photographs was discovered and when Littlemill was founded. I work with an old wooden camera and a historic lens that is over 160 years old. The result is not just a digital image, but a genuine piece of art.”
Fittingly, only 250 individually numbered bottles will be made available, released on August 22 with a price of £9,500. The liquid has been taken from a single distillation on October 1976, before a re-cask in 1996 into American oak hogsheads. Maturation occurred in first-fill oloroso sherry hogsheads for the final six months prior to bottling.
The producer has described the 41.8% ABV liquid as having notes of elderflower and chamomile with grapefruit and lemon zest on the nose, notes of crème caramel and vanilla syrup with tart green fruits of apple on the nose, concluded with a long mouth-watering green fruit finish.
Littlemill was founded in 1772 in Bowling, West Dumbartonshire, before tragically burning down in a fire in 2004. Michael Henry, blender of Loch Lomond Group, has held guardianship over the remaining casks, drawing on the most limited reserves to create the 250th Anniversary release.
Commenting on the history of the distillery and this expression, Henry said: “Littlemill was lost before its contribution to whisky could ever be fully acknowledged and applauded. However, we are lucky to have the remaining few casks under our care, a stone’s throw from where the original distillery once stood, and it felt only right to mark this significant milestone with a very special limited release.”
Purchasing is available through enquiry at Littlemill’s website.
Sappert’s traditional photographic technique is said to create a dramatic and atmospheric image, with these collectables – included with each bottling – giving custodians a chance to own a piece of Littlemill history.
Speaking on the similarities between whisky creation and photography, Sappert commented: “The art of whisky-making is fascinating. Like wet plate photography, it captures a moment that requires an equal amount of patience, dedication, passion, and most importantly, time. My work uses one of the oldest photographic processes that links directly to the 1770s, where the basis of creating permanent photographs was discovered and when Littlemill was founded. I work with an old wooden camera and a historic lens that is over 160 years old. The result is not just a digital image, but a genuine piece of art.”
Stefan Sappert
Fittingly, only 250 individually numbered bottles will be made available, released on August 22 with a price of £9,500. The liquid has been taken from a single distillation on October 1976, before a re-cask in 1996 into American oak hogsheads. Maturation occurred in first-fill oloroso sherry hogsheads for the final six months prior to bottling.
The producer has described the 41.8% ABV liquid as having notes of elderflower and chamomile with grapefruit and lemon zest on the nose, notes of crème caramel and vanilla syrup with tart green fruits of apple on the nose, concluded with a long mouth-watering green fruit finish.
Littlemill was founded in 1772 in Bowling, West Dumbartonshire, before tragically burning down in a fire in 2004. Michael Henry, blender of Loch Lomond Group, has held guardianship over the remaining casks, drawing on the most limited reserves to create the 250th Anniversary release.
Commenting on the history of the distillery and this expression, Henry said: “Littlemill was lost before its contribution to whisky could ever be fully acknowledged and applauded. However, we are lucky to have the remaining few casks under our care, a stone’s throw from where the original distillery once stood, and it felt only right to mark this significant milestone with a very special limited release.”
Michael Henry
Purchasing is available through enquiry at Littlemill’s website.
