Sir David Adjaye OBE is an award-winning Ghanaian-British architect known to infuse his artistic sensibilities and ethos for community-driven projects. His ingenious use of materials, bespoke designs and visionary sensibilities have set him apart as one of the leading architects of his generation. In 2000, David founded his own practice, Adjaye Associates, which today operates globally, with studios in Accra, London, and New York taking on projects that span the globe. The firm’s work ranges from private houses, bespoke furniture collections, product design, exhibitions, and temporary pavilions to major arts centres, civic buildings, and master plans. His largest project to date, The National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, DC opened on the National Mall in Washington DC in 2016 and was named Cultural Event of the Year by The New York Times. In 2017, Adjaye was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and was recognised as one of the 100 most influential people of the year by TIME Magazine. He is the recipient of the 2021 RIBA Royal Gold Medal. Approved personally by Her Majesty the Queen, the Royal Gold Medal is considered one of the highest honours in British architecture for significant contribution to the field internationally. Sir Adjaye is also the recipient of the World Economic Forum’s 27th Annual Crystal Award, which recognises his “leadership in serving communities, cities and the environment.”

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Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewellery, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others. Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide auction sales of wine and spirits totalled an outstanding $92 million in 2020, with over 15,000 lots sold across 41 sales – a nearly 50% increase in the number of auctions held in 2019. Over $60 million of wine and spirits were sold to online bidders in 2020 versus $28 million in 2019, with 85% of all lots offered finding online buyers. Demonstrating continued strength in Asia, Sotheby’s led the market in the region for the third consecutive year, with over 70% of the total bid amount in all Wine and Spirits sales attributed to collectors in Asia. Sotheby's Wines has had the privilege of auctioning numerous record-breaking wines and spirits in recent years, with 2020 alone witnessing new world auction records for any bottle of Japanese whisky, any bottle of whisky produced by Dalmore Distillery, as well as any bottle of Cognac. Sotheby’s Wine currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private wine collection ever sold at auction, the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most expensive bottle of spirits ever sold at auction. In addition to auction, Sotheby’s Wine launched a retail business in 2010. With a retail store located in Sotheby’s New York headquarters and e-commerce at www.sothebyswine.com, Sotheby’s Wine offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by our experienced specialists, the selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought after vintages. A second retail location opened in Sotheby’s Hong Kong galleries in 2014.

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Founded in 1993, Trees for Life is an award-winning charity with a vision of a revitalised wild forest in the Scottish Highlands, providing space for wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive. “It is our passionate belief that rewilding can help us achieve this vision,” says chief executive, Steve Makeweight. “It enriches the landscapes, wildlife and people who call these places home. Rewilding is about working with nature, natural processes and seeing human activity as part of an intricate system in which everything is connected.” The Gordon & MacPhail partnership with Trees for Life is a commitment to both the wild Caledonian Forest and to future generations.

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‘Our reputation has been built on a commitment to personal service and quality workmanship for some of the rarest spirits on earth. But producing the Generations decanter has been one of the most challenging projects we have ever undertaken,’ remarks Scott Davidson, Director at Glencairn. ‘From the outset we knew were producing a work of art befitting of the world’s oldest single malt,’ he continues, ‘which adds a certain pressure.’

Designed to appear as hewn from a single solid block of crystal, the decanter’s curving core needed to be individually hand-blown by experienced artisans with supreme mastery of the medium.

The metalwork was also forged by hand. While similar, no two decanters are exactly the same, reflecting the complexity of the process.

‘‘We have drawn deep on the knowledge and skill of our people and partners to provide a truly unique vessel to protect, display and celebrate this cherished liquid,” continues Scott.

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A family firm started 20 years ago by husband-and-wife team, Dom and Arabella Parish, Wardour is driven by a passion for timeless design using sustainable materials.

“It’s important to feel an emotional bond with how bespoke products are made,” Dom comments. ‘Oak is an inherent part of British craftsmanship, full of character, and it takes specific skill and knowledge to use it. There are easier types of wood, but oak has this wondrously enduring quality that lasts forever. Once it is cut and sized, it’s still a living organism.”

“It’s important for us to find sustainable timber from as near to our workshop as possible. The oak for this project comes from Stourhead Woods, barely five miles away. I have a personal understanding of where the trees have grown and how they came to be.”

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