Bowmore and Snarkitecture: The Captivo Collection Redefines Portal Design

A Threshold Into Bowmore's World

In August 2026, Bowmore and New York design studio Snarkitecture unveiled the Captivo Collection, a limited release of two 20 year old single malts that challenge the typical boundaries of whisky packaging. Rather than treating the bottle as a vessel alone, Snarkitecture co founder Alex Mustonen designed each expression as a portal, a deliberate threshold inviting the drinker to step into the distillery's world. The collaboration represents a rare meeting of two distinct disciplines: the patience and precision of 20 year maturation and the contemporary architectural vision of one of today's most influential design practices.

"Spaces and objects invite people to look again and question their assumptions. Whisky making shares a similar philosophy."

Oak Voyage and Sherry Cask Pursuit: Two Visions of Maturation

The collection's two expressions could not be more different in their maturation stories, despite sharing a common age and distillery. The Oak Voyage spends its full two decades in American oak ex Bourbon casks before finishing in American oak Oloroso sherry butts. This approach emphasizes gradual cask influence, building toward the sweetness of Oloroso while maintaining the whisky's core distillery character. Bottled at 50.8% ABV, it presents with notes of dark cherry, candied orange, and Manuka honey, with an unexpected eucalyptus note cutting through toasted oak and fading into smooth vanilla and the faintest whisper of campfire smoke.

The Sherry Cask Pursuit pursues a bolder path, matured in Spanish oak Oloroso sherry casks with American oak ex Bourbon support before a final finish in Oloroso hogsheads. At 51.8% ABV, this expression leans into tropical fruit and cracked black pepper, balanced by soft oak and smoked toffee, with a lingering finish of sweet peat smoke and charred mango. Where Oak Voyage invites contemplation through subtlety, Sherry Cask Pursuit commands attention through the depth of sherry influence combined with Islay's coastal peat character.

Design as Doorway

Mustonen traveled to Islay to develop the Captivo concept, drawing inspiration from the island's landscape and the distillery's historic No.1 Vaults, one of the world's oldest maturation warehouses. Each bottle's portal design reflects its respective whisky's character, transforming the act of looking at the packaging into an act of discovery. This is not incidental decoration but a deliberate philosophy: the threshold as invitation.

The name Captivo itself carries meaning. In design and architecture, a captive element draws attention; in this collection, the bottles capture not just the two distinct whisky experiences but the very concept of transformation that 20 years of patient maturation represents. The collection launches with Oak Voyage on August 19, 2026, available on Bowmore.com and at Harrods from September 1st. Sherry Cask Pursuit, designated as a global travel retail exclusive, arrives in select locations throughout the year.

The Bowmore 20 Years Old Snarkitecture Oak Voyage Captivo Collection is available on Spiritory. The Bowmore 20 Years Old Snarkitecture Sherry Cask Pursuit Captivo Collection will be available on Spiritory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes these expressions different from each other?

Oak Voyage uses American oak ex Bourbon casks with an Oloroso sherry butt finish for subtler sweetness, while Sherry Cask Pursuit matures in Spanish oak Oloroso sherry casks for deeper, more pronounced sherry influence. Oak Voyage is 50.8% ABV; Sherry Cask Pursuit is 51.8% ABV.

What is the Captivo Collection?

The Captivo Collection is a limited edition partnership between Bowmore and New York design studio Snarkitecture, featuring two 20 year old Islay single malts with portal inspired bottle design by Snarkitecture co founder Alex Mustonen.

When is this collection available?

Oak Voyage launched August 19, 2026, on Bowmore.com and arrives at Harrods September 1st. Sherry Cask Pursuit is a global travel retail exclusive arriving throughout 2026.

Where can I buy these bottles?

Oak Voyage is available on Spiritory. Sherry Cask Pursuit will be available on Spiritory once it releases globally.