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the great gatsby single cask spirits collection

XM Studios Distills New Niche, From Toy Statues To Cask Spirits

XM Studios launches its first-ever collectible set of prized spirits, The Great Gatsby Single Cask Spirits Collection based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald story.

If you’ve ever heard of award-winning design studio XM Studios, chances are you’re a hardcore collectible toy collector. The homegrown studio is best known for producing some of the most intricate handcrafted figurines from popular pop culture franchises Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and Transformers, among many others. Many of these figurines even come with price tags running into thousands of dollars (and yet are still able to find homes in the collections of avid fans from around the world).

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xm sutdios' the great gatsby single cask spirits collection

They’ve just launched a collectible set of a totally different kind. XM Studios last month unveiled The Great Gatsby Single Cask Spirits Collection, a set of three single cask spirits comprising of two premium single malt whiskies and one luxurious vintage cognac.

The Great Gatsby Single Cask Spirits Collection comprises of:

  • The Great Gatsby Bunnahabhain 1991 Single Cask
  • The Great Gatsby Glen Grant 1998 Single Cask
  • The Great Gatsby Vallein Tercinier Petit Champagne 1994 Single Cask
xm studios' the great gatsby glen grant 1998 single cask spirits

Borrowing from the 2013 Warner Bros movie The Great Gatsby and the 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald novel it was inspired by, the three-piece spirits collection leans on the signature Roaring ’20s iconography of that franchise for its bottle designs, labels and packaging.

But it’s more than mere packaging. Much more.

The Great Gatsby takes place at the height of the Roaring ’20s in New York, a time of prosperity and excess. The story follows one Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire who hosts extravagant parties in his home in the hope that his former lover Daisy will return.

The liquids that go into each bottle have been carefully selected to match the mood and feel of the Baz Luhrmann film, which won Best Production Design and Best Costume Design at the 2014 Oscars. Like the tragic historical romantic drama, each bottle in the collection evoke different poignant moments.

xm studios' the great gatsby vallein tercinier petit champagne 1994 single cask spirits

The Vallein Tercinier Petit Champagne 1994 Single Cask, for example, is a cognac that’s fresh, vibrant and sensual, much like the pining love Jay has for Daisy. Then there’s the Glen Grant 1998 Single Cask, the rich roundness and layered complexity of the Speyside single malt a liquid reflection of the complicated and entangled relationships between movie’s many different characters. Finally there’s its Bunnahabhain 1991 Single Cask, a dark and broody unpeated Islay that represents the film’s inevitable, tragic end.

If you’re not a fan of the movie, the collection may not mean much. But for spirits enthusiasts, The Great Gatsby Single Cask Spirits Collection is still worth picking up. Single cask – and therefore single vintage – cognacs are not easily available commercially, which makes the Vallein Tarcinier a prize catch. Then there’s the 1991 Bunnahabhain, whose old-school flavours harkens back to the style from the ’80s and ’90s that are much beloved but are increasingly rare.

xm studios' the great gatsby bunnahabhain 1991 single cask spirits

Is the collection worth getting? Yes. Because if you never again find the love of your life, at least you’ll have a great whisky or cognac to commiserate with.

The Great Gatsby Single Cask Spirits Collection is available singly – in sizes of 700ml and 1500ml – as well as in a full set at S$1,888 (3 x 700ml). Collectors who wish to enquire on the availability of the bottles for purchase may do so via [email protected].


The original version of this article can be read on Spirited Singapore.