When the angel's share has evaporated and the bounteous liquid has been collected, an empty whisky cask has a few uses: you can use it to age other spirits; you can use it as an enormous decorative ornament; or, as glasses designer Finlay & Co has done, you can do something really cool and use it to make a limited run of designer sunglasses.
Finlay & Co is no stranger to wood – it's been producing head-turning sunglasses from smooth, sanded wood since its inception, so partnering up with a brand like Glenmorangie, whose connection to the same is tantamount to its finished product, was a no-brainer. "The appreciation of wood is really central both to Finlay & Co. and to Glenmorangie," says David Lochhead, managing director of the eyewear brand. "For this collaboration we were excited to give each cask a new step in its story. There is a real beauty to the oak that Glenmorangie use for their casks. It's a thrill to strip this wood down and reveal the unique grain on every individual pair."
The glasses are made from the staves from the American oak barrels Glenmorangie uses to age its uniquely flavoured whisky, and go through the same rigorous, 16-step manufacturing process as the other wooden pairs in its collection. The result is a beautifully engineered product that's the result of not one, but two individual pieces of craftsmanship.
Finlay & Co's Glenmorangie sunglasses are priced at £300; buy at glenmorangie.com
