The $1.5 Million Interview: Harrods Wine and Spirits Buyer Nick Fleming
Note from the Editor, Amanda Schuster:
Adam Levy sits down with Nick Fleming, a 30-year veteran of Harrods of London, to discuss his relationship with Richard "the Nose" Paterson, Master Blender of the Dalmore Scotch. The Dalmore Paterson Collection - the only one of its kind in the world - became the pride of the spirits collection in the newly refurbished Harrods Rare Whisky Room in July, with a worth estimated at £987,500. Each of the twelve expressions is presented in a hand crafted crystal decanter, produced by Glencairn, one of the world’s leading crystal houses. Luxury jeweler Hamilton & Inches created and hand-engraved the silver ornaments on each bottle. The collection itself is presented in a wooden cabinet which was created by one of Britain’s leading cabinet makers, Gavin Robertson, which took over 700 hours of work to finish.
The whiskies - some of the rarest and oldest in the world - were nosed, tasted and selected by Paterson exclusively for Fleming's collection. They date from 1926 to the 1990s, and are named for those people who have influenced and inspired him throughout his career - spanning from his own father and grandfather, to the founders of The Dalmore’s parent company, James Whyte and Charles Mackay. Paterson also personally hand-wrote the 200 page ledger that accompanies the collection, about his career in the whisky industry and his process for choosing the whiskies.
In addition to the Rare Whisky Collection, Harrods offers a selection of whiskies for any occasion at a wide range of prices and rarity.