Portraits That Would Tell a Story.
Mark Evans and The Last Drop Distillers have collaborated to produce two Coronation Portraits and two bottles of a special Blended Scotch Whisky, which was written by renowned Master Blender Colin Scott, in honour of HM King Charles III's coronation.
With the first KCIII "Blend of 75" Bottle to be given in private, the first KCIII Portrait is a gift of enduring heritage to the country. "Blend of 75" commemorates HM King Charles III's formal 75th birthday, which falls on Saturday, June 15, 2024, popularly known as Trooping the Colour. It contains 75 whiskies.
The proceeds from the sale of the second KCIII Portrait and "Blend of 75" will go to Big Change, an organisation dedicated to bringing about a radical improvement in educational outcomes on a worldwide scale.
The KCIII Portrait by Mark Evans, Courtesy the artist.
The whisky bottle and image were unveiled on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at Wiltons Restaurant in St. James's. Throughout the summer, the artwork will be on display at Sladmore Gallery. The bottle of whisky and the painting have a conservative aggregate market worth of $600,000 USD / £471,600 GBP*.
A second limited edition of ten drams, created during the bottling process, is being offered at Wiltons for $12,700 USD* / £10,000 GBP apiece in an effort to generate more revenue for the organisation.
Welsh artist Mark Evans uses a scalpel as his brush and leather as his canvas to produce dramatic, massively detailed works of art. Evans based his picture for this elaborate, one-of-a-kind piece on the well-known Nadav Kander image that hung at the National Picture Gallery after it was featured on the cover of Time Magazine. Evans calls the photo that was taken at HRH's private home, Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, "spellbinding."
Before carefully cutting, shaving, and etching onto a tenth of a millimetre of the hide's surface, Evans carefully examines the photograph that serves as his source material. The artist uses surgeon-like precision to turn a tone map from a tonal image into a comprehensive contour map that directs his carving. This special method and exact methodology have no room for error and are impossible to rush, producing incredibly lifelike portrayals that are more than just representations; they truly capture the beauty and importance of perseverance and devotion.
The KCIII Portrait by Mark Evans at Wiltons, photo by Sam Churchill
Evans was born and raised in North Wales, where his passion for the natural world inspired him to carve pictures into slate or tree bark. When Evans was five years old in 1980, the then Prince of Wales paid a visit to his hamlet, Llysfaen, and he snapped pictures of the Prince, which is why the royal image holds a special place in his heart. For these two portraits, he is not taking any form of commission or remuneration.
“I had a particular vision for a unique pair of portraits that would become something lasting, multi-generational, and jaw-dropping. I wanted to hand carve portraits that would tell a story, convey a moment in time, and be quite simply beautiful.” Mark Evans’ purpose for The KCIII Portraits
THE KCIII "BLEND of 75", bottle 2 of 2
“It was my great honour to be asked to create this unique blend to honour His Majesty King Charles. I had the opportunity to choose from The Last Drop’s inventory of maturing barrels to create a blend of over 75 different Scotch Whiskies, from the four corners of Scotland. My aim was simple: to produce a unique whisky that represents Scotland, the magic of Scotch Whisky and our profound admiration for His Majesty.” Colin J P Scott, Master Blender, The Last Drop Distillers
THE KCIII BLEND of 75, The Last Drop Distillers
Colin Scott, Master Blender at The Last Drop, created this exceptional and one-of-a-kind celebration whisky using a wide range of samples, including grains, blends, and single malts. In order to choose and blend more than 75 distinct whiskies, Colin had to source samples from barrels chosen from The Last Drop's proprietary inventory that was ageing. Spirits from Scotland's "Lost distilleries," such as Imperial, Glenlochy, Convalmore, Glen Albyn, and the North of Scotland grain distillery, are served alongside whiskies from modern malt distilleries like The Glenlivet and Laphroaig. Every drink from the 19 lost distilleries has flavourful nuggets that are impossible to define but offer a really unique flavour experience.
On November 14, 2023, two bottles were filled and given a green leather label with embossing. Each bottle, along with a 50-ml miniature that goes with it, is a combination of 75 distinct whiskies, some of which are over 50 years old.
Big Change, a charity established in 2012 by Princess Beatrice, Holly and Sam Branson, and three other friends, will benefit from the auction's revenues. Big Change imagines a society in which every youth is prepared to succeed in life, not simply in school. It has supported early stage leaders with ideas that have the potential to change lives by funding more than 60 programmes that have improved the lives of around 8 million young people.