Fellow Royal Warrant holder and whisky distiller John Walker & Sons, first approached NEJ Stevenson in November 2010 to design and manufacture a prestigious presentation chest, which would be used to house a rather special malt whisky commemorating The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The Diamond Jubilee whisky is a specially crafted blend of rare malt and grain Scotch Whiskies distilled in and maturing since 1952, the year the then Princess Elizabeth ascended to the throne. John Walker & Sons aimed to create 61 bottles of the whisky, housed in diamond shaped Baccarat crystal decanters, resting in a separate crystal base with six radial legs (one for each decade of the Queen’s reign). The decanter is topped with a Britannia silver collar set with a half-carat diamond and individually numbered silver seal.
Over 11 months, NEJ Stevenson worked to design, prototype and finalise a presentation chest to house the whisky decanter and base, together with a pair of hand-engraved lead Cumbria Crystal glasses and a commemorative hand bound artefact book.
We used select timbers from Her Majesty’s private estates at Balmoral and Sandringham. These were further complemented by two Commonwealth timbers, Wenge and Australian black bean. The Chest included concealed compartments and intricate mechanisms, which when triggered, reveal some of the contents.
This entire process involved an eclectic mix of some of the Country’s finest craftsmen, from the master blenders and master coopers at the distillery to the silversmiths, glass engravers, calligraphers and of course ourselves the cabinetmakers; we were thrilled to be involved in this significant project that generated worldwide interest and raised money for such a worthwhile cause.
