Glenfiddich partners with Japanese artist Fantasista Utamaro to unveil Grand Yozakura
Japanese artist Fantasista ‘Uta’ Utamaro. Photo credit: Andy Donohoe
Glenfiddich is celebrating the release of its limited-edition Grand Yozakura 29 Year Old scotch whisky with a series of digital art installations designed by Japanese artist, director and designer Fantasista ‘Uta’ Utamaro.
According to the company, "The installations will appear in major airports in the months when cherry blossoms are in peak bloom. Participating airport spaces (Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong) will be showing one of four different artworks on a digital screen at a time. In addition, for a fully immersive experience, Taipei and Hong Kong wil have VR headsets that allow you to step into a one of its kind virtual gallery to view all four artworks up close alongside exclusive behind the scenes videos with Uta. For locations without oculus headsets, QR codes will be available for users to access the virtual gallery via their phones or desktop."
Joining Glenfiddich's Grand Series range, Grand Yozakura is the first single malt scotch whisky finished in rare Japanese ex-Awamori casks.
"A fusion of Scottish and Japanese distilling and paying homage to Japanese tradition and culture, the innovative release is inspired by Hanami - the ancient tradition where Japan appreciates the fleeting beauty of nature through the Sakura (cherry blossom). A time for renewal and optimism, the festival is best experienced illuminated after dark where it is known as the Yozakura or ‘night sakura’. Grand Yozakura champions the moment of fleeting beauty when Japanese cherry blossoms are admired under the light of the moon. Reflecting its namesake and the temporal nature of beauty, only a limited number of Grand Yozakura bottles are available globally."
To reflect the experience of Yozakura, Utamaro has applied his signature technicolor sensibilities to capture the essence of a cherry blossom in full bloom against a night sky.
Claudia Falcone, Glenfiddich Global Brand Director, said, “The Grand Series underpins Glenfiddich’s spirit of innovation and Grand Yozakura is no exception. It is perhaps the most ground-breaking expression to sit alongside the series so far, whilst also being the first limited-edition release. Bringing together two scarce components accentuates the anticipation and sense of occasion, paying homage to the brand’s innovative nature when it comes to creating dynamic whiskies of the highest quality. We’re thrilled to be working with Utamaro on this project and his passion for creating pieces of art really demonstrate and reflect the rarity and spirit of the new liquid.”
“Creating this art, that showcases the beauty of Japanese culture, has been an honor," said Utamaro. "I like to push the boundaries of what people expect from traditional art; blending technicolor and manga-style to bring Japanese symbols of culture to life. I enjoyed using these digital artworks to represent elements of the Scottish and Japanese processes used to create the whisky itself such as the inclusion of the iconic Glenfiddich stag head incorporated with Yozakura.”
Grand Yozakura is now available in select airports and countries worldwide from April. The virtual gallery can be viewed here.
