Step inside The Macallan’s new interactive James Bond exhibition at Harrods
Launched by The Macallan in collaboration with Harrods, props on display include Oddjob’s bowler hat, Bond’s passport and the original ‘Little Nellie’ autogyro…
Words: Gentleman's Journal
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James Bond has a long, rich history with The Macallan. Though the world-renowned whisky may hail from Speyside — while Bond himself grew up across the country in the Highlands — bottles of its sumptuous single malts have appeared in the film franchise for over a decade. And now, at the world’s most iconic department store, Harrods, this spirited cinematic history has been brought to life through an interactive James Bond-themed experience.
Coinciding with the launch of The Macallan James Bond 60th Anniversary Release, visitors to Harrods will be offered the chance to explore an exhibition space filled with memorabilia and moments from the 007 films. Open until March 21st, and accessed via the Hans Road ‘Door 9’ entrance of the department store, a lit path leads fans of fine spirits and spy adventures alike to the individual displays — which can also be glimpsed through the Exhibition Windows on Brompton Road.
Among the objects on show are the razor-edged bowler hat wielded by Oddjob in 1964’s Goldfinger, the original ‘Little Nellie’ compact autogyro flown by Sean Connery in 1967’s You Only Live Twice, and the steel teeth worn by Jaws in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me.
At the heart of the experience, you’ll find a timeline created using original illustrations, concept art and storyboards taken from many of the franchise’s most-acclaimed films. From blueprints of the Bell-Textron jetpack used in Thunderball to plans of the Venetian building that claimed the life of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, these sketches and scribblings encompass each of Bond’s six cinematic decades — as well as embellishing a series of six special bottles from The Macallan.
The main attraction is the brand-new whisky, The Macallan James Bond 60th Anniversary Release — a unique single malt presented in a collection of six limited edition bottles each bearing the best of this 007 concept art. The new liquid has been created by master whisky maker, Kirsteen Campbell, and captures the character of Bond. It’s a single malt of extreme grace, balanced by its remarkable strength and depth of character.
The collection is offered in a limited-edition bespoke Globe-Trotter case crafted to hold the whiskies; a six-strong, spy-worthy spectrum of green, yellow and blue bottles that each correspond to a distinct decade in Bond’s big screen history. At the exhibition in Harrods itself, the bottles take pride of place on illuminated plinths.
A second space has been designed to resemble Moneypenny’s MI6 office, with filing cabinets concealing and showcasing further memorabilia from the Bond movies. Inside various drawers, visitors can uncover further props — including the passport Pierce Brosnan’s Bond used in GoldenEye, Daniel Craig’s government ID from Skyfall and an ingot from Goldfinger, signed by the late Sir Sean Connery. There’s even an inhaler used by Mads Mikkelsen’s nefarious Casino Royale villain, Le Chiffre, on show.
“We are delighted to be partnering with The Macallan on this special project,” says Alex Unitt, partnerships director 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”.
“Innovation and craftsmanship are at the heart of what we do,” adds Neil Skinner, director of marketing at The Macallan’s owner, Edrington UK, “and we are thrilled to be showcasing these qualities in such a fitting and distinguished setting”.
And Harrods certainly is a distinguished setting — with a James Bond history that stretches back even further than The Macallan’s; in The Living Daylights, Timothy Dalton’s 007 buys a hamper from the department store on M’s orders, and Roger Moore’s Bond can be seen with a Harrods-branded diary in Moonraker. So follow in their footsteps, raise a glass, and enjoy this exclusive exhibition — for a short time only.
Want more of Bond’s drinking habits? Here’s every champagne James Bond ever uncorked…
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