We’ve always known that many aficionados of fine watches are also fans of high-end spirits, particularly single-malt Scotch. Now, thanks to a collaboration between the avant-garde Swiss watch brand Urwerk and the whisky maestros at the Macallan, well-traveled fans of both watches and Scotches can carry their whiskies in a high-tech flask made especially with them in mind.
The Macallan X Urwerk Flask, a project that took two years to come to fruition, is equipped with a number of mechanical functions reminiscent of those developed for Urwerk’s unconventional timepieces by Urwerk co-founder and chief designer Martin Frei. Composed of no less than 156 total parts, the flask is made of machined aluminum, titanium, and stainless steel; its “scaled” surface echoes that of Urwerk’s recently released UR-105 “T-Rex” model.
The flask is rightly described by its inventors as both “critically useable and highly collectible.” Its cap has a hidden, connecting arm with hidden, 1-mm “ball clickers,” which click when completely open. The ball snaps into a small recess to hold the cap open while the precious contents inside are being poured; no more worries about losing the cap or holding it with your fingers while pouring. Two hinged winglets at the base can be deployed to create a stand for the flask so it can be stabilized on a table or other surface. (Check out the video below for a detailed look at how the flask’s mechanical parts work.)
Even better, the owner of this flask doesn’t have to choose only one of his favorite whiskies to bring with him on his travels. The Macallan X Urwerk flask contains two titanium tanks that allow two different expressions to be carried at once. A cleverly designed, spring-loaded mouthpiece made of stainless steel allows the owner to switch between the two tanks. Urwerk also applied its watchmaking expertise to create the “cask indicators,” which use rotating wheels to display the age and wood type of both whiskies in both tanks.
The Macallan X Urwerk Flask is limited to only 500 pieces, priced at 1,995 euros, and can be purchased via the Macallan’s website, www.themacallan.com… just in case you want to snap one up for your trip to Baselworld.
