Neighbouring Glasgow institutions SWG3 and The Clydeside Distillery have joined forces with globally renowned visual artist Jim Lambie to mark SWG3’s 20th anniversary with a one-of-a-kind limited-edition whisky: Velvet Odyssey.
The collaboration is rooted in the long-standing relationship between SWG3 Managing Director Andrew Fleming-Brown and Clydeside Distillery Founder Andrew S. Morrison – childhood friends and now neighbours on the banks of the Clyde. It also builds on a creative partnership with Jim Lambie that stretches back to SWG3’s early days.
Crafted using water from Loch Katrine and 100% Scottish barley, Velvet Odyssey is a hand-distilled single malt matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, before spending a further five months finishing in a Pedro Ximénez Sherry Butt. Bottled at 48.5% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in colour, the whisky offers notes of tropical fruit, toffee, oak spice and dark chocolate. An expressive, richly layered dram that reflects the creative spirit of SWG3 and its collaborators.
The bottle and packaging feature a specially revisited artwork by Jim Lambie, originally created in 2006 for the Comme des Garçons Guerrilla Store +44 141, which was housed in SWG3’s then-transitioning ground floor space – formerly a wedding car garage. Lambie’s customised white Daimler limousine, wrapped in his signature psychedelic vinyl tape, became the visual centrepiece of the project and one of the venue’s first iconic works.
Reflecting on the origins of the project, Andrew Fleming-Brown said: “SWG3 was a very different space back then, very rough around the edges, full of potential, with car mechanics as our neighbours and the air thick with activity.
“When we hosted the Comme des Garçons Guerrilla Store in 2006, Jim had the idea to take one of the Daimlers from the wedding car garage downstairs and transform it with layers of psychedelic vinyl tape. It became the centrepiece – this surreal, colourful car sitting in the middle of a warehouse at the end of a dead end street. It really captured the spirit of that time.
“I managed to get a small piece of the car back last year, and now it’s on display at The Clydeside Distillery for the launch. A nice way of reconnecting with the early days as we mark 20 years.”
Jim Lambie adds: “It was exciting to revisit the original design and think about how it could live again on the label and packaging. The memories came flooding back – the pop-up store, the line of Daimlers, and the idea to create something inspired by John Lennon’s Rolls-Royce.
“I designed my own version of a Paisley pattern, something local and iconic, and it became the visual anchor for the space. To see it come back to life nearly 20 years later, on a bottle made just across the road is pretty special.”
He also explains the thinking behind the name: “Velvet Odyssey suggests something smooth and elegant, but also a sense of movement – that each sip could take you somewhere. It’s about reimagining whisky as an experience, not just a drink.”
Located directly across the road from SWG3 in the former pump house of the Queens Dock, The Clydeside Distillery continues to honour Glasgow’s rich whisky export legacy. Every batch is distilled by hand, using traditional methods passed down through generations.
Andrew S. Morrison said: “To see where SWG3 is after 20 years is pretty incredible. Andrew and I have known each other since we were kids, and while my career took me away for a long time, I’d return every few years and watch SWG3 evolve one room at a time.
“Now, with our businesses based just across the road, it feels like a special moment to collaborate on something meaningful.”
On the whisky itself, Morrison adds: “We had a fantastic Pedro Ximénez sherry butt and decided to re-rack spirit that had been maturing in first-fill bourbon barrels for some time into the sherry butt for a further maturation. The result is a unique expression with real intensity, depth of colour and natural sweetness.
“It’s quite unlike anything else we’ve produced and felt like the right match for this project. Combined with Jim Lambie’s striking design, it captures the creative spirit and energy of this corner of Glasgow.”
Velvet Odyssey is available in limited quantities from The Clydeside Distillery shop and online store priced at £85.00: https://www.theclydeside.com/online-shop/velvet-odyssey/.
