The artist’s limited-edition artwork adorns the packaging of the Grande Couronne 26 Year Old, an opulent whisky finished in rare French Cognac casks.

The world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky unveils a distinct collaboration with artists from around the world to celebrate the launch of the Grande Couronne. In Kenya, Glenfiddich presents the artistic vision of esteemed contemporary local artist WiseTwo.

Sitting within Glenfiddich’s Grand Series, Grande Couronne is an opulent 26-year old, whisky which has been finished in French cognac casks, a nod to Glenfiddich’s maverick spirit, consistently pushing the boundaries of whisky innovation.

WiseTwo is one of only 20 artists from around the world invited to reimagine the Grande Couronne’s luxurious design through their artist interpretation, as part of a multi-cultural collaboration titled the Grand Composition. The experienced artist took up the challenge backed by a perfected craft spanning 15 years in different countries. He is credited for painting some of the largest and most outstanding murals in East and Central Africa, and Mexico. He is also one of the first Kenyan artists whose work has been auctioned by the prestigious Sotheby auction house in New York.

The Glenfiddich Grand Couronne is borne from the merging of two worlds coming together: Scottish craftsmanship of fine whisky making and French excellence towards the making of cognac. It is from this merging of craftsmanship that WiseTwo drew his inspiration for the Grand Couronne custom sleeve. He added his distinct style and artistic point of view, bringing to life the elements of ancient fusion, vibrancy and alchemy to add his perspective to the collaboration.

“I have this special thing for the ancient world; I admire how societies in the past would document their lives. We are what we are because of that rich heritage, and so when I am doing my artwork, that’s the fusion I like to portray in my work. The Glenfiddich Grand Couronne is borne from the merging of two worlds. Similarly, my work is a collision of cultures and influences.”

Hieroglyphs (a signature of WiseTwo’s work) around the entire sleeve reinterpret the intricate filigree design featured on the Grande Couronne bottle. There is both richness in design and texture not just when viewed but when touched. He also integrates the subtle shape of a mask at the center of the piece (another signature element from WiseTwo’s work) enhanced by gold foil treatment to give the sleeve an accentuated, royal feeling along with beautiful contrast. In a tribute to his roots, WiseTwo pays homage to his home country in a deliberate quest to make prominent the Kenyan colours on his work.

The Grande Couronne takes it’s luxury cues by borrowing semiotic cues from Cognac. Gold filigree adorns the bottle while a gold capsule sits on top of the sleek, elegant bottle. The package features decorative gold filigree and foiling. A rotating box structure fully reveals the bottle, which sits in front of a French fresco artwork reminiscent of French renaissance paintings.

Reflecting on the collaboration, Glenfiddich Kenya Brand Ambassador Mulunda Kombo remarks: “Something that I love about WiseTwo’s art is that the moment you look at it, you find a point of conversation. You look at it again and a new conversation springs up. This keeps progressing on and on and that’s precisely the beauty of art and Single Malt Whisky: every sip is a whole new experience.”

The Grande Couronne represents the epitome of opulence, cherished for the most meaningful of celebrations. And this spirit WiseTwo envisioned a piece that crowns the moment in a multitude of ways.

“You know, art is a wholesome experience and when I set out to do this, I had this picture in mind of a person sipping the Grande Couronne. I asked myself what experience would I want this person to have more than just enjoying the drink? I didn’t want to draw just a sleeve, I focused on everything-the feel, the texture. I wanted to spark the artistic sense in everyone who would interact with this great whisky.”

The Grande Couronne is the third addition to the grand series which includes the Glenfiddich Grand Cru and the Glenfiddich Gran Reserva.