As anyone who read the books would know, literary James Bond was more of a whisky man. Sure, the films had him wrecking the Martini, but in the books, James Bond was a Scot, so it made sense that he drank a fair number of Whiskey-based cocktails.
In recent times, the films have tried to align more with the books, with Daniel Craig sipping a Macallan 1962 ‘Fine and Rare’ Vintage, so it’s not surprising that The Macallan released its James Bond 60th Anniversary collection.
As this year marks six decades of the Bond film franchise, which launched with Sean Connery starring as Ian Fleming’s suave secret agent in Doctor No(1962), the brand has enlisted another UK giant to help with the festivities.
Renowned London department store Harrods is set to host an interactive James Bond-themed experience that will mark not only the release of The Macallan but also enable guests to travel through an interactive journey filled with memorabilia and moments from the 007 films.
The Macallan expression, created by master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell, is presented in six individual packaging designs – one for each decade of the film franchise – featuring original illustrations from the film archives to showcase the creative process behind some of Bond’s most iconic moments.
“The Macallan has become one of James Bond’s favourite whiskies, a reflection of his appreciation of the finer things in life,” said Neil Skinner, Director of Marketing at Edrington UK, The Macallan’s brand owner. “Both are modern innovators willing to push boundaries and linked by their Scottish heritage.
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Exclusively for Harrods in the UK, the collection is presented, in its entirety, in a limited-edition Globe-Trotter case crafted specially to hold the six bottles. Alongside the release, Harrods will create an interactive exhibition for its visitors that will run for four weeks from Sunday, 19 February.
Central to the experience will be a timeline composed of original illustrative designs, concept art and storyboards showcasing the creative development process of the Bond films, also featured on the distinctive packaging of the whisky collection. At the heart of the timeline will be the original Little Nellie, the compact autogyro flown by Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice (1967).
The final space takes the form of Moneypenny’s office, with filing cabinets showcasing a retrospective of memorabilia from the six decades of James Bond films. Inside various cabinets, visitors will uncover Bond’s passport from GoldenEye (1995), his government Whitehall ID as seen in Skyfall (2012), a Sean Connery-signed gold bar from Goldfinger (1964), the inhaler belonging to Le Chiffre in Casino Royale (2006), the metal teeth of towering henchman Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), and the steel-rimmed bowler hat worn by Oddjob in Goldfinger (1964).
In addition to the London activity, a series of similarly curated experiences will take place in selected markets worldwide as The Macallan in Cinema exhibit is celebrated across the globe.
Alex Unitt, Partnerships Director at Harrods, said: ‘We are delighted to be partnering with The Macallan on this special project, which marks the coming together of four iconic British brands. The Macallan, James Bond, Globe-Trotter and Harrods are synonymous with luxury and discerning taste, which resonates hugely with our Harrods customers in the UK and beyond.
“Harrods is proud to bring the rare and exclusive to our audience in every corner of our business, and this is no exception. The level of craftsmanship and dedication to quality is remarkable at The Macallan Distillery, and these are values that we hold very dear at Harrods. The interactive experience is not to be missed; we can’t wait to see it come to life for our customers to enjoy.’
For more information, go to themacallan.com
