Luxist

Woodford Reserve has announced the latest limited edition release of its acclaimed Master's Collection bourbons. Called Seasoned Oak Finish, it is finish-aged in unique barrels crafted with wood that has been seasoned longer than any previously used in the industry, producing an extremely robust spirit.

The staves for most bourbon barrels are seasoned for three to five months; however, Seasoned Oak Finish combines fully-matured Woodford Reserve with barrels crafted from wood that has been exposed to the outdoors for three to five years, making for a much richer and more complex flavor profile.

"Of all the distillers in our industry, we are the only bourbon company that crafts its own barrels, giving us unique knowledge and control of the process," said Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris. "As the rough oak staves are exposed to seasonal weather changes and subsequently dried, this natural cycle develops a new range of flavors in the wood."

Seasoned Oak Finish is the fourth in the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection series following the Four Grain, Sonoma-Cutrer Finish and Sweet Mash bottlings. Released periodically at the master distiller's discretion, the Master's Collection whiskeys are are bottled only once in a proprietary package inspired by the copper pot stills of the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Kentucky.

A famous nude photograph of Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate taken by David Bailey in 1969 will be auctioned off during Christie's Photographs sale in New York on Dec. 7. Estimated at $8,000 - $12,000, it's likely to go higher given the current media glare surrounding the controversial director. At press time, Polanski, whose films include Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown and The Pianist, was granted $4.5 million bail after being held in a prison in Switzerland on charges relating to a 32-year-old case in which he admitted to having sex with a minor. In 1978, Polanski fled the U.S. rather than face sentencing in a Los Angeles court, and has lived as a fugitive in France ever since. Tate was murdered in L.A. by members of Charles Manson's gang not long after the photograph was taken.

Antiquorum's auction on On December 9th in New York will include an exceptional collection of Rolex watches formerly owned by world renowned record holding diver Patrice Chemin. Chemin joined Comex in the early 1970's and was selected to participate in several hyperbaric experimental dives including Physalie V, a world record dive at 530 m (1706 ft) in 1970, and Physalie VI at 610m (2001 ft) in 1972 – a world record that he held for 11 years. His collection includes a Rolex 'Comex' Ref. 5514, a Rolex 'Double Red' Sea-Dweller and a Rolex 'Comex' Ref. 168000. The Rolex Comex Ref. 5514 (above) is a very rare stainless steel diver's wristwatch with first generation helium escapement valve and a 'maxi' dial. It is being offered along with Mr. Chemin's diving helmet with an estimate of $40,000 - $ 60,000. The 'Double Red' SeaDweller from 1972 is estimated at $25,000 - $45,000.

The other day we wrote about a report in Forbes stating that Villa Leopolda in the Cote d'Azur, once the most expensive estate in the world with a reputed pricetag of $750 million, had been put back on the market for a mere $102 million. Leopolda's owner Lily Safra now says the Forbes report was "pure fantasy". "The residence is not being sold and was never offered for sale," Safra's rep Seth Goldschlager insists. Forbes has now removed Leopolda from its list of the world's most expensive estates. Albemarle House in Charlottesville, Va., listed at $100 million, is now the 4th most expensive estate in the world according to the magazine, behind No. 1, the Spelling Manor at $150 million; No. 2, Fleur De Lys at $125 million; and No. 3, Updown Court at $117 million.

Presiding over the picturesque Vermont village of Manchester, The Equinox has played host to the well-heeled and well-traveled for nearly 250 years. Established in 1769, the archetypal grand old New England hotel has served as a meeting place for the fathers of the American Revolution and hosted American presidents including Taft, Grant, Harrison and Teddy Roosevelt. Now part of the Luxury Collection, the iconic 195-room resort recently underwent a $20 million restoration, adding luxury amenities, luxe accommodations, and a new restaurant and bar to update an American icon and uphold its legacy going forward.

Designer Geoffrey Bradfield was put in charge of the redecoration, and fitted out the new guestrooms with a muted palette of slate blue, dark brown and beige accented with hand-carved furniture. One wall of each guest room features a large black and white photograph of The Equinox from the early 1900's. Custom-made beds, marble vanities, dramatic floor length curtains and plush leather armchairs add the finishing touches. The lobby seating areas and library, both with fireplaces, have also been spruced up.

The Falcon Bar and Chop House are the new additions to the drinking and dining scene. The Falcon Bar features French doors opening onto a terrace with incredible mountain vistas and an open-air fire pit. Inside there's dark wood paneling and plush leather chairs, as well as an extensive collection of single malt Scotch and a comprehensive wine list. There's also a menu of locally sourced cheeses and gourmet chocolates. The Chop House, located at the original site of The Equinox House Hotel built by Franklin Orvis in 1853, features the original stone hearth and is designed in the manner of a refined hunter's lodge complementing the gourmet steak house fare. Leather banquettes and rugged palette are accented by old hardwood floors.



The adjacent Marsh Tavern, which has been the favorite watering hole of presidents since 1769, has been given a new menu of sophisticated, New England-style cuisine full of nostalgic flavors and simple, farm fresh ingredients. The bar specializes in an extensive selection of beers and ales and features snacks such as pretzels served with Raye's Mustard from Maine, the last stone ground mustard mill in the country. And of course there's lots to do besides eating and drinking: the indoor pool and spa, for starters.

The Equinox also offers the ultimate outdoor Vermont adventure experience with a variety of activities such as golf, falconry, archery, fly-fishing, shooting and Land Rover off-road driving. You can spend your morning maneuvering a Land Rover on rough terrain, midday practice your aim with recurve bows on the archery field, play golf on the lush course, and in the afternoon try field hunting alongside a majestic hawk, with some of the country's most scenic vistas as a backdrop.

UK-based TMB Art Metal is launching a limited edition set of cufflinks handmade from metal taken from the Aston Martin DBR1 race car that won Le Mans and the World Sportscar Championships in 1959. TMB's exclusive Aston Martin DBR1/2 Essence of Form links are crafted using original pieces of aluminum body panel removed from the the famous car that was driven by Carroll Shelby, and was victorious with Sir Stirling Moss behind the wheel in the 1959 World Sportscar Championship. Two versions of the cufflinks, with arms and drivers made of solid 18ct gold, are being issued accompanied by certificates of authenticity signed personally by either Shelby or Moss. Each version is limited to just 50 pairs worldwide, priced at £1,795 or about $3,000 each. The winning Aston Martin, one of the most famous cars in the world, is today believed to be worth around $25 million.

On May 1st RM Auctions will inaugurate a new annual sale in Monaco headlined by a rare Ferrari expected to fetch up to $3.5 million. The Sporting Classics of Monaco event will be held at the Grimaldi Forum during the same weekend as the 7th Grand Prix Historique de Monaco. 80 of the world's finest motor cars will be on offer, headlined by a stunning 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet Pininfarina (above). One of only six short wheelbase examples bodied by Pininfarina, the Ferrari, chassis no. 3309SA was the last example built, and displayed as a factory show car at the Geneva and New York Auto Shows in 1962. The car, which recently underwent a no-expense spared, nut and bolt restoration by top tier marque specialists, won an award at this year's famed Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Widely regarded as more exclusive, powerful and luxurious than the SWB California Spider, its offering is set to garner significant attention from collectors around the world.

[via JustLuxe]

Duncan Quinn, the London-born, New York-based menswear designer whose Savile Row-with-a-twist togs are favored by the likes of Sean Combs, Entourage star Adrien Grenier, LeBron James and alt-rockers Green Day among others, has come out with a new line of silk ties sporting gangster chic motifs to complement his killer new fall collection we previewed here. The designs (above) are partially inspired by Russian prison tattoos - think Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises - and are made of 100% silk handwoven in England, cut, stitched and finished by hand in New York City. A lot of Quinn's inspiration comes from the "long and well-recorded history of members of the criminal fraternity frequenting Savile Row for their sharp suits and other attire," the designer notes - the ones played by Michael Caine at least.

An electric motorcycle that does 130 mph and looks as good as this seems an impressive enough feat in and of itself, but Mavizen has gone even further with its new TTX02 model, just unveiled at SEMA. Billed as a "laptop on wheels" it features a dedicated IP address, on-board web server, WiFi and Linux. Born of Team Agni's TTXGP race-winning electric motorcycle team, the bike is slated for a limited production of only 50 units, with a price of about $42,000 and a delivery date in early 2010, aimed at race teams who wish to compete in the upcoming eGrand-Prix series. "We are living in a click culture and connectivity is the key, across the board," notes TTXGP founder Azhar Hussain. "Our approach was to find how we could make a laptop go racing."

Building fine shotguns that blend beauty, performance and value is the key to gunmaker Caesar Guerini. Imported from Brescia, Italy, their over / under models combine craftsmanship, precision, and premium materials in a stylish package. The quality of the wood, the spot-on fit and finish and the intricate engraving are matched by the kind of perfect ergonomics and handling Italian gun makers are famous for the world over. Each Guerini gun is a work of art that is perfectly functional for sportsmen. The company now makes shotguns for legendary sporting outfitters Orvis, a testament to their worth.

Their newest and most stunning model, the Apex, put in an appearance in our recent Fall Sporting Style feature. It has distinctly British lines with a classic Prince of Wales grip on oiled Turkish Circassian walnut and a trim, rounded fore-end, with a revolutionary new full-length trigger guard. The action is embellished with full-coverage engraving that incorporates no fewer than four different techniques; the hand work and design are from the studios of the world renowned Italian engraving house Bottega Incisioni C. Giovanelli. And most importantly it shoots like a dream. Small wonder the gun was named Outdoor Life Magazine's Editors Choice. Not bad for a company started from the ground up in 2002.

Another much-lauded Guerini model is the Maxum, a true collector grade shotgun featuring deep relief floral scroll hand finished engraving on the receiver, side plates, and forearm assembly. An elegant coin finish complements the strikingly detailed classic style engraving. A deluxe grade of Turkish walnut, featuring precision cut, fines 26 lines-per-inch checkering and a natural oil finish, is hand rubbed to a stunning sheen. You can see both the Apex and Maxum in the gallery. The company also now has a custom shop in its Cambridge, Maryland, headquarters, offering services such as gun fittings and custom stock finishing.



We had the pleasure of meeting Wes Lang, president of Guerini U.S.A., at the recent Orvis Cup sporting event sponsored by Barbour at the Orvis Sandanona Shooting Grounds in Millbrook, New York. "We are like you, avid shooters and hunters," Wes says. "The passion for fine shotguns and the related activities influences many of our decisions. Our goal is to produce the very best shotguns possible at a price that makes your purchase a good investment. We constantly strive to manufacture shotguns that we enjoy shooting and we want to share the results of our passion for finely crafted and highly functional shotguns with all of our customers. Providing exemplary customer service to anyone who owns a Caesar Guerini is our mandate as well. When you own one of our shotguns you become part of a family - our family - and it's our goal to treat you that way."