Your move, whisky pals. The Balvenie has partnered London-based artisan Ellie Mercer to create a limited-edition collector’s chess set, Mercer’s first step into luxury interiors and homeware.
Ellie Mercer, known for sculptural pieces that blend resin, solid gold, and silver, has reinterpreted the classic Staunton chess set, incorporating materials directly sourced from The Balvenie distillery.
The collaboration is part of The Makers Project, an initiative in its fourth year that highlights modern creativity through partnerships with craftspeople who share The Balvenie’s commitment to passion, skill, and patience.
Ellie Mercer, known for sculptural jewellery pieces that blend resin, solid gold, and silver, has reinterpreted the classic Staunton chess set…
The contemporary, minimalist chess set is both collectable and functional.
Like The Balvenie cask heads, solid oak is crafted into a striking, square chessboard which combines polished brass details with deep, chocolate marbled resin, which contrasts with the amber resin chess pieces inspired by the honey tones of The Balvenie whisky.
The Balvenie x Ellie Mercer Luxury Chess Set is packaged with a bottle of The Balvenie Twenty Five, and is available exclusively at Fortnum & Mason, priced £1,650. Limited quantities are available, so make your move now.
For those unable to get their hands on a set, visitors to The Balvenie x Ellie Mercer ‘Makers & Gamers’ Experience at The Guards Bar and Lounge Raffles London at The OWO will be able to play a game on the designer chessboard, accompanied by a dram from The Balvenie Rare Marriages Collection.
Ad Gefrin, the Anglo-Saxon museum and distillery in Wooler, has released what it describes as the first legal Northumbrian single malt whisky of the modern era, ending a two-century absence of local single malt production. The debut bottling arrives as the Crǣft Series, a collection of three single cask whiskies that offer an early glimpse…
If you’re wondering what to give the dad on Father’s Day who claims he wants nothing, allow us to suggest something sincere, sophisticated, and soul-warming: whisky. Not socks, not a novelty mug, not a gadget that’ll sit untouched on a shelf, but a bottle of golden liquid crafted purely to delight the senses. In this…
Mystery Malt has returned for its sixth instalment, and according to its creators at Thompson Brothers, it is the biggest release yet. The concept remains delightfully simple: every whisky bottle looks identical, costs the same £65, and arrives concealed beneath a tamper-proof capsule. Buyers know the full list of whiskies that could be inside, but…
The Luxe Review 
Your move, whisky pals. The Balvenie has partnered London-based artisan Ellie Mercer to create a limited-edition collector’s chess set, Mercer’s first step into luxury interiors and homeware.
Ellie Mercer, known for sculptural pieces that blend resin, solid gold, and silver, has reinterpreted the classic Staunton chess set, incorporating materials directly sourced from The Balvenie distillery.
The collaboration is part of The Makers Project, an initiative in its fourth year that highlights modern creativity through partnerships with craftspeople who share The Balvenie’s commitment to passion, skill, and patience.
The contemporary, minimalist chess set is both collectable and functional.
Like The Balvenie cask heads, solid oak is crafted into a striking, square chessboard which combines polished brass details with deep, chocolate marbled resin, which contrasts with the amber resin chess pieces inspired by the honey tones of The Balvenie whisky.
The Balvenie x Ellie Mercer Luxury Chess Set is packaged with a bottle of The Balvenie Twenty Five, and is available exclusively at Fortnum & Mason, priced £1,650. Limited quantities are available, so make your move now.
For those unable to get their hands on a set, visitors to The Balvenie x Ellie Mercer ‘Makers & Gamers’ Experience at The Guards Bar and Lounge Raffles London at The OWO will be able to play a game on the designer chessboard, accompanied by a dram from The Balvenie Rare Marriages Collection.
Ad Gefrin announces first Northumbrian single malt in 200 years, but there’s mystery in the launch
Ad Gefrin, the Anglo-Saxon museum and distillery in Wooler, has released what it describes as the first legal Northumbrian single malt whisky of the modern era, ending a two-century absence of local single malt production. The debut bottling arrives as the Crǣft Series, a collection of three single cask whiskies that offer an early glimpse…
The Best Father’s Day Whisky Guide 2026: 19 wonderful whiskies from budget to premium
If you’re wondering what to give the dad on Father’s Day who claims he wants nothing, allow us to suggest something sincere, sophisticated, and soul-warming: whisky. Not socks, not a novelty mug, not a gadget that’ll sit untouched on a shelf, but a bottle of golden liquid crafted purely to delight the senses. In this…
Fortune favours the thirsty as Mystery Malt Series 6 lands with 9,960 bottles and 38 hidden whiskies
Mystery Malt has returned for its sixth instalment, and according to its creators at Thompson Brothers, it is the biggest release yet. The concept remains delightfully simple: every whisky bottle looks identical, costs the same £65, and arrives concealed beneath a tamper-proof capsule. Buyers know the full list of whiskies that could be inside, but…
Share this: