Your Move – The Balvenie Collabs To Create Chess Set

The Big Game is today – but for The Balvenie, that big game is chess, after the Speyside distillery has partnered with noted London-based jewelry designer Ellie Mercer – known for resin/gold/silver pieces – to create a chess set for Raffles London hotel’s Guards Bar and Lounge.

To create the chess set, Mercer used materials from The Balvenie distillery, including refurbished cask heads, alongside polished brass and resin squares in Raffles’ red tones, with each board featuring nooks to hold a dram of whisky.

The Balvenie x Ellie Mercer ‘Makers & Gamers’ Experience also features a whisky trolley, which holds the bar’s collection of chess sets and serves The Balvenie Rare Marriages Collection. Guests who order from the trolley will also experience ‘immersive aromatic experience’, featuring four fragrances that tell The Balvenie’s story.

Guests who order the sensory experience will fork over $75, while those who wish to have the chess experience will pay $135.

For those unable to be in London, a limited number of chess sets will also be available to buy from London-based department store, Fortnum & Mason, with each board also coming with a bottle of The Balvenie 25 Years Old.