Glasgow’s creative heartland just dropped something seriously special. To mark SWG3’s 20th anniversary, the legendary arts space has teamed up with its riverside neighbour The Clydeside Distillery and iconic visual artist Jim Lambie to release Velvet Odyssey — a limited-edition single malt whisky that blends bold flavour with pure visual firepower.
Distilled using 100% Scottish barley and Loch Katrine water, Velvet Odyssey is first matured in bourbon barrels, then finished for five months in a Pedro Ximénez sherry butt. The result? A rich, complex dram bursting with notes of tropical fruit, toffee, oak spice and dark chocolate. It’s a full-bodied sipper that hits the sweet spot between craft and creativity.
The bottle’s a work of art in itself, dressed in a revived version of Lambie’s signature psychedelic design — first created in 2006 for Comme des Garçons’ guerrilla store pop-up inside SWG3. Back then, Lambie transformed a white Daimler from the venue’s downstairs garage into a swirling, vinyl-wrapped showpiece. Now, two decades later, that same visual energy wraps this whisky release.
Velvet Odyssey is more than just a bottle — it’s a nod to the wild, DIY spirit that made SWG3 what it is today. “Each sip could take you somewhere,” says Lambie. “It’s about reimagining whisky as an experience, not just a drink.”
Only limited bottles are available, exclusively at The Clydeside Distillery and online for £85. You can grab yours here.
Image by Christina Kernohan
