Suchi Reddy’s RARE Sensorial Object
The artist and architect designed a limited edition tiger’s eye artifact and aromatic paper incense to pair with Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky
If you care to pay close attention, there’s so much more to a dram of whisky than a series of sips. There’s the richness of the color, a product of barrel aging, and viscosity, born from both distillation and maturation. There are the distinct—and distinctly personal—aromas that waft toward the nose, and the layers of flavor revealed over time on the palate. Artist and architect Suchi Reddy, an avowed whisky aficionado, was well-acquainted with all of these sensorial attributes. To couple with the ritual of tasting and reflecting upon Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Reddy designed a complementary component: a precious object hewn from tiger’s eye and a specially crafted incense to burn atop it. Entitled RARE, the limited edition artifact and its ephemeral counterpart add even more depth to the multisensory whisky-savoring experience.
Last year, Reddy’s practice, Reddymade Architecture and Design, celebrated a milestone 21st anniversary. Over the last decade, we’ve written extensively about her mantra—form follows feeling—and its foundation in the study of neuroaesthetics. This scientific practice—which observes the influence of art, architecture and design on our brains—informs RARE, along with a Proustian moment Reddy recalled from the novel In Search of Lost Time, wherein the scent of a tea-soaked biscuit conjured a joyful childhood memory for the narrator.
“I was very interested in exploring our sense of smell, because through neuroaesthetics I’m always looking at the human body and the way we react to everything around us. Our sense of smell brings us to a place in our memory the fastest. I knew I wanted to work with memory and amplify emotion,” Reddy told COOL HUNTING during RARE’s Frieze Los Angeles launch event at NeueHouse Venice Beach. “I decided to craft a scent to go with the experience of drinking whisky. Because I am from India and incense is such a deep part of my heritage, I made an incense paper that you burn while you drink the spirit.” As pairing scent and flavor is such a personal exercise, Reddy selected cedar, sweet tobacco, clove and “spent match” aromas to enhance the scent of Mortlach.
In the way that Reddy’s incense weaves into the aromas of the whisky, the precious item she crafted to hold the paper also nods to the spirit, as well as the distillation process behind single malt scotch whisky. “This object was created following a conversation with Ewan Morgan, Diageo’s Luxury Ambassador, who schooled me in whisky,” Reddy told us. “It’s made out of tiger’s eye, which references the amber color of the liquid as light passes through. Laid within that stone is a copper disk, an acknowledgment of Mortlach’s stills in Scotland.” The copper develops a patina as the incense is burned.
250 RARE pieces were produced, each unique because of the naturally formed silken luster of the stone. “It was very important to me that we made a beautiful object—something that felt rare because that’s how I felt about the spirit,” Reddy concluded.
Alongside RARE’s release, Mortlach 30 Year Old Midnight Malt made its attention-grabbing debut. Limited to 350 bottles worldwide, the liquid has been finished in Bordeaux wine, Calvados and Guatemalan rum barrels. It’s an apt pairing with Reddy’s wondrous creation, and a highly covetable limited edition by one of the most expressive single malt scotch whisky makers.
What are your thoughts?