A one-of-a-kind decanter containing a unique 54-year-old Bowmore: a marriage of vintages from 1967 and 1968. ARC-54 Iridos is the second one-off decanter in the ARC series, following on from ARC-52 Mokume, sold in 2023.
Unlike all other releases in the ARC series, Iridos’ top half is milled from a single billet of titanium, with its iridescent effect created using a heat-treatment process that mimics the patina naturally developed on the Aston Martin Valkyrie’s exhaust system, as the hypercar’s 1,100 BHP generates extreme heat. Keen-eyed horologists may be familiar with this thermal-bluing technique; it has been used for over 500 years by watchmakers to protect and colour small components, and sometimes even entire watch faces.
By subjecting the titanium to extremely controlled heat, a magical cycle of colour transformation takes place. At over 200 degrees Celsius, the surface of the metal begins to turn yellow; as the temperature rises, the colours cycle through purple, blue, and a range of incandescent rainbow hues before finally overheating and turning a brownish grey. The full cycle occurs within a very short window, so the skill lies in maintaining a watchful eye and precise manual command of the entire process – much like the ageing of the whisky within.
ARC-54 Iridos was auctioned by Sotheby’s on 29 May 2025 for a final price of £112,500, with the hammer proceeds charitably donated to communities that support Suntory Global Spirits’ distilleries in Scotland.
See the other one-of-one ARC series release here.