Oliver Sweeney x Talisker “Made By the Sea” Gift Set ($779)
The clever (and dapper) folks at British shoemaker Oliver Sweeney are at it yet again with another innovative “stash” shoe, this time in partnership with one of our favorite peaty whiskeys, Talisker.
Crafted with only the finest Italian leather that’s burnished by hand in the Italian village of Le Marche, these sturdy “skye light brown” hiking boots come with a clever addition built into the left boot collar—a small leather pocket that holds a 2-ounce etched stainless steel “hip” flask for when you’re on the move. And should you find yourself lost on that move after one too many, a convenient micro compass built into the right boot collar will help you find your way.
But the real innovative twist comes in the shoe’s vintage St. Moritz soles, which feature sections of the actual cask used in aging the 10-year-old Talisker seamlessly built right into them, with the rear left cask-sole branded with the shoe’s namesake while the rear right is branded with the whisky’s.
Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time Oliver Sweeney has teamed up with a whiskey maker, having done so back in 2015 with the Johnnie Walker Oliver Sweeney Brogue. And while that shoe featured an arguably cleverer stash spot in the form of a hidden under compartment outfitted with a miniature bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label, it doesn’t really hold a candle to the 700ml bottle of 10-year-old Talisker that comes with this one.
Like the previous Johnnie Walker set, this “Made by the Sea” Talisker one also comes in a commemorative, engraved wooden oak box that makes a perfect, albeit expensive, gift for any true Hemponair. And the best part? You can always replace the 2-ounce flask with 2 ounces of your favorite buds. Okay, maybe not that much, but you get the idea.
