Latest news with #Springbank
Forbes
30-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Glenrothes 51 Year Old And The Death Of Whisky As We Knew It
What does it say about whisky today that you have to break this open just to see what's inside? Opening a bottle of whiskey is always, in some sense, an act of destruction. Regardless of its value, the moment the seal is broken, the bottle is stripped of its monetary worth on the secondary market. Sure, there's the pleasure of drinking it, but from a purely commercial standpoint, that moment marks the loss of financial value. This idea isn't new. But The Glenrothes 51 Year Old (priced at $46,500) takes the concept of deliberate destruction to another level. To even see the bottle, let alone taste the liquid inside, you must first destroy the casing that holds it. The whisky comes housed inside a cylindrical column made from Jesmonite, which is a composite of mineral powder (like gypsum or chalk) and water based resin. It looks more like a piece of contemporary sculpture than traditional packaging. It also comes with a branded hammer. Why? Because the only way to access the whisky is to smash open the column. It's arguably the pinnacle of whisky consumerism and a masterstroke of gimmickry. But to dismiss it on those terms alone would be reductive. The Glenrothes 51 Year Old isn't just a novelty in packaging or a marketing gimmick. It's a near-perfect example of how whisky has evolved beyond its traditional role as simply a drink. It encapsulates the broader shift I've written about in other articles: that whisky today is less about flavor or intoxication and more about symbolism, ownership and cultural capital. Reducing whisky to its 'use value', that is, something to be consumed, is to ignore the wider meanings we've collectively assigned to it. And, arguably, the entire industry has benefitted from this shift. Is this the first whisky release where the bottle, and the whisky itself, has been deliberately kept out of sight? The Glenrothes 51 embraces that transformation with almost theatrical clarity. The whisky itself is hidden until the owner chooses to destroy the column that encases it. Destruction is no longer a flaw in the process; it's the entire point. The act of opening the bottle becomes a ritual of transformation. And in doing so, the release lays bare how much of modern whisky culture is built around the object, not the liquid. Critics of this view often argue that collectors or investors have undermined whisky for the everyday drinker. But that's to overlook how the industry itself has shaped this landscape. Distilleries have spent decades building narratives around new releases, presenting each bottle as limited, special and aesthetically curated. Of course, there's a spectrum, with Macallan and Glenrothes sitting at the more theatrical end, with releases like the Macallan Horizon or the Glenrothes Philos. But even independent bottlers now frequently list edition numbers on labels and commission artists to design bespoke labels. Even Springbank—often held up as a kind of anti-brand—recently released the Countdown Collection: a highly limited series aimed squarely at collectors. Its scarcity invites not just appreciation but FOMO. It's a series meant to be pursued, not just consumed. What I admire most about the Glenrothes 51 is that it doesn't pretend otherwise. It's refreshingly honest about the fact that most bottles will never be opened. It makes no attempt to position itself solely on the strength of the liquid inside, and in doing so, it offers a rare kind of clarity about what whisky has become. Collector's Club founders John (left) and Scott (right) with the Glenrothes 51 whisky bottle inside its column Given the $46,500 price tag and the private nature of many collectors, I'd wager that very few of these bottles will ever be destroyed, or enjoyed. But one chance remains to actually see the bottle and taste the whisky. The Collectors Club Competitions, a UK-based raffle platform, is offering one Glenrothes 51 Year Old bottle as a prize, with tickets priced at just $2 (£1.51). The winner will receive their bottle during a tasting dinner hosted by Michelin-starred chef Graeme Cheevers and the Glenrothes team, held at Cameron House on Loch Lomond. Coincidentally, the hotel itself is somewhere I stayed on my honeymoon many moons ago. There's a certain irony here. A bottle quite literally designed to be destroyed will almost certainly never be, at least not by those who can afford to buy it. But this competition offers a sliver of hope. Hope that one day, someone will have both the means and the mindset to smash it open, pour a dram and share what lies inside. For me, I really appreciate the Glenrothes 51 year old on a number of levels. I've no doubt the whisky inside will be excellent, but what stands out just as much is the thinking behind it. The design, the philosophy and the honesty of the concept; it's all carefully considered and bold. If Glenrothes keeps heading in this direction, combining great whisky with design integrity, I think we'll be seeing their name mentioned in the same breath as Macallan, Bowmore and Dalmore more and more in the years ahead.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Parents scrambling with three days' notice about Springbank daycare closure
A surprise announcement that a Springbank daycare is closing by week's end is creating stress for families and businesses caught in the middle. A Springbank daycare is abruptly closing this week, leaving families of 130 children with three days to find alternatives. Springbank Cottage Childcare contacted families on the afternoon of May 27, saying the building is not structurally safe and will permanently shut down on May 30. 'Three days doesn't give anyone a chance to make alternate arrangements,' said Dave Serfas, whose two daughters attend Springbank Cottage Childcare. 'Where are the kids going to go for the summer programs? Now they're all full. We've kind of missed that boat, so what are we supposed to do?' Some parents said they are disappointed by a lack of communication and clarity about the risks. 'There has been a tremendous lack of transparency (and) communication with Rocky View school district,' said Serfas. 'I'm picking my son up there this afternoon. Is it safe for them to be in this building? We are told yes, but then what's not safe about the occupancy come next week?' said Mark Stanley, whose son attends before- and after-school care. A Springbank daycare is abruptly closing this week, leaving families of 130 children with three days to find alternatives. A Springbank daycare is abruptly closing this week, leaving families of 130 children with three days to find alternatives. Families first learned of potential structural concerns with the 1903 former schoolhouse in March, following an engineering assessment. At that point, the building was deemed safe to remain open until September. Rocky View Schools (RVS) said things changed after it commissioned a second, more comprehensive assessment, which found the building unsafe. In a statement, RVS said, 'We recognize this expedited timeline is challenging for families and staff. This was a difficult but necessary decision made in the interest of safety.' 'Springbank is a rural residential community, so these facilities don't exist everywhere out in this area,' said Serfas. Some parents said aside from putting them in a tough situation, the lack of transparency is unsettling. 'Now, it's for all intents and purposes an immediate closure. Along with that immediate closure, Friday that building is unsafe, but there are 130 kids in there (Wednesday),' said Serfas. They agree safety needs to be prioritized but said if the building can safely stay open a few more days, why not three more weeks, until the end of the school year? 'We're so close to the end of the school year. Is it really necessary to create all this turmoil and chaos when we're talking about another three weeks?' said Stanley. 'If the risks are real, then absolutely, safety is a priority, but then that has some bigger questions as to what was previously decided. Either way, there are questions that have to be answered. 'Are the safety risks real? And if they are real, why were our children allowed to be in this building until Friday? And if they're not real, then let's apply some common sense and look at this in a more staged approach.' In a letter to parents, Springbank Cottage Childcare wrote, 'We were served with an order to vacate by Rocky View County requiring us to vacate our current facility by May 30, 2025, despite a previously agreed-upon Sept. 1 timeline. We are actively pursuing an appeal and have submitted a request for a stay of the order.' A Springbank daycare is abruptly closing this week, leaving families of 130 children with three days to find alternatives. A Springbank daycare is abruptly closing this week, leaving families of 130 children with three days to find alternatives. As for the future of the building, RVS said the structural concerns are too severe and costly to fix, so the historic schoolhouse will be demolished this summer. Parents said Springbank Cottage Childcare planned to reopen in a new location in September, and staff are just as shocked by the sudden notice to close. 'I feel terrible for the staff and the actual folks that work at Cottage. It is a family business. They do an amazing job. The kids are always excited to go there, and we're just disappointed,' said Serfas. CTV reached out to Springbank Cottage Childcare and Rocky View County but has not yet heard back.
CTV News
20-05-2025
- CTV News
Airports urge Calgarians to remember ‘no drone zones' this summer
The Calgary Airport Authority and Calgary Police Service are reminding drone pilots to steer clear of the 'no drone zones' around YYC and Springbank airports. (Pexels/Pok Rie)
