The creation of a visual marvel for ex-Macallan distiller and blender, Dhavall Gandhi. The result is the first ‘one of one’ bottle for his new luxury 'Kandoblanc' studio. The bottle was sold by Sotherby’s at their most prestigious whisky auction in October of 2023 breaking two world records along the way.

AGA, by KANDOBLANC is a celebration of duality. Exquisite hand blown Murano glass inspired by a combination of Japanese and Italian aesthetics. This bottle is the first bottle by Kandoblanc and builds upon Dhavall’s personal reputation
as creator of ‘The World’s Best Single Malt’ 2022. 

In the realm of Japanese language and symbolism, "Kando" eloquently encapsulates the profound emotional journey of encountering unrivaled beauty, a harmonious blend of deep satisfaction and intense excitement. Conversely, "Blanc," deriving from the French lexicon, invokes the concept of purity, artistic transcendence, and sheer excellence. Additionally, in the Sanskrit tradition, it morphs into "Dhavall."

The inaugural release, known as AGA, delves into layers of significance. "Aga," not only signifying a mountain but also the namesake of Dhavall's own son, binds itself to the sacred mountain archetype. Here, the ordinary world converges with the sacred, a theme intrinsic to the design. The bottle's cap, meticulously crafted in the likeness of a mountain peak, evokes images of perhaps Fuji-san or even the distinctive hat of a Japanese mendicant Zen monk, with the bottle itself serving as their cloak.

Adorning the bottle's neck, a thread of gold pays homage to the revered Japanese art of kintsugi, where gold dust is used to mend cracks in ceramics, accentuating their imperfections, echoing Leonard Cohen's timeless sentiment: "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in."

The base of the bottle exhibits intricate patterns resembling scales or feathers, painstakingly crafted through the age-old Italian technique of battuto—hand-blown and then carefully carved. This craftsmanship consciously avoids the path of perfection, embracing instead the elements of chance, skill, and the art of craft.

These principles extend to the whisky itself—two casks, each hailing from the year 1979, one embodying finesse, the other texture. These opposites gracefully meld into a harmonious whole, resulting in a sum greater than its individual parts. While one could indeed label these casks as "old," the essence is more profound, rooted in maturity that transcends mere wood and spirit. It is a fusion of air, liquid, and oak—incorporating the elements of air pressure and time. Ultimately, the distillery's origin becomes a mere distraction, as the focus shifts towards a higher pursuit of the craft.