Drawn from lawyers, accountants, wealth managers, tax and fiduciary advisors and other experts across the globe, we come together to provide a seamless service for all our clients’ business and personal needs. With a history dating back to the 1770s, and Headquartered in the heart of London’s West End, we also have representative offices in Almaty, Geneva, Gibraltar and Malta and a wider international reach through our trusted professional partners.
THIS AUTUMN SEASON has begun with great upheaval, both political and cultural. Not only have we witnessed history through the death of Queen Elizabeth II – to whom we pay tribute on page 18 of this issue – and the ascension of her son, King Charles III, to the UK throne, the moving traditions of pageantry and public mourning have been seen against an admittedly more tumultuous political landscape.
In less than two months, we have seen Liz Truss replace Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, only to be herself replaced by incoming PM Rishi Sunak just 44 days later. Indeed, as this issue goes to press, Mr Sunak is spending his first days in the halls of No 10 Downing Street. In recent months, the swinging pendulum of the value of the pound, mortgage crisis and rising cost of energy has made for a concerning picture for economic forecasters and institutions – but there is, as always, hope, as well as ways to futureproof our businesses even in tough economic times.
In this issue, members of Burlingtons Group’s expert team guide us through the latest news in the subjects of Investor Visas (44) and overseas entities (54), investment tips (64) to popular collector assets (76). We also dive into the luxury world for some new releases and rare delights that will brighten our days as the season grows colder, from fine dining reviews (66) to new hotel openings (14).
I hope you enjoy this new issue’s insight into the very best of business news and luxury lifestyle.
Deborah Mills Chief Executive Officer Burlingtons Group Limited
Cover credit: Photo by Jose G. Ortega Castro
Deborah Mills Chief Executive Officer deborah.mills@burlingtons.group
Director – Burlingtons Private Office henry.mills@burlingtons.pro
Jacob Kett
Liaison – Burlingtons Private Office jacob.kett@burlingtons.pro
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Contributors: Design: Olivia Brotheridge (illustrator), Emma Ha; Editorial: Polly Jean Harrison, Gabriel Power
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Burlingtons Magazine is published by Vantage Media Limited. www.vantagemediagroup.co.uk
Superstar conductor Lorenzo
Burlingtons Legal’s Paramjit Sehmi
Burlingtons
THE DAY OF THE DEAD, or to practice my Spanish, “Día de los Muertos”, is usually celebrated across the world at the end of October or early November each year in a variety of ways.
In Latin America, Día de los Muertos falls on 1 November, and is seen as a joyful celebration of remembrance rather than one of mourning or fear. It is full of humour, colour and festivities, with people honouring and remembering the departed by offering up their favourite food and drinks. Pan de Muerto and sugared skulls are popular symbols and treats of this holiday. Marigold flowers also are a strong theme and form a large part of this festival’s decorations, having their links back to Aztec culture.
This celebration shares some seasonal themes with holidays closer to home. In the UK, we celebrate Halloween at this time; a holiday which has its roots in Celtic harvest festivals and Pagan tradition. Today’s celebration more closely mirrors the modern US celebrations, with trick or treating for money or sweets, and children running around dressed as witches, ghosts, ghouls and goblins. Increasingly the British have got into the Halloween theme with more gusto, keeping up with our American friends.
The ephemeral and fragile nature of life and inevitability of death is in the bedrock of art, literature and music; artistic, musical and literal reflections on life and death litter our cultural world.
In art, perhaps one of the most captivating paintings is that of The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio (my favourite artist). The painting, with Caravaggio’s trademark black omnipresent background and simple over-powering construction, has been copied by artists as diverse as Rubens and Cezanne. Caravaggio’s The Entombment of Christ is related to Michelangelo’s Pieta and, indeed, of the two men carrying the body of Christ, one being John the Evangelist and the other Nicodemus, the latter has the face of Michelangelo.
In music the French composer Camille SaintSaëns reflected humorously on death in his 1874 composition Danse Macabre. The famous piece was not fondly received at that time (in fact, audiences found it to be stressful) but the composition has been used in so many movies and other television productions over the decades, as well as making a regular appearance on Strictly Come Dancing’s Halloween shows! According to legend, and forming the basis of the »
piece, Death appears at midnight every Halloween. Death calls forth the dead from their graves to dance for him while he plays the violin. The skeletons dance for him until the cockerel crows at dawn, when the dead must return to their graves until next year.
In death, we also reflect at this time on the loss of our beloved Queen Elizabeth II in
September this year. Our country’s dramatic and moving pageantry captivated the hearts of all the people across the world and provided the deepest respect to an incredible monarch and woman. The country collectively came together to honour our longest serving and dedicated queen, at a time when chaos seems to be running rife through our politics as bizarrely as SaintSaën’s skeletons dancing to Death.
Classical music played at the Queen’s
funeral equally moved the nation if not the world. From Vaughan Williams to Peter Tchaikovsky, and more modernist composers such as James MacMillan – who wrote a specific piece for the funeral – there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
In classical music so many famous composers have written equally famous compositions focused on the fragility of life and death including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler, Liszt and Bach, to name
but a few. Puccini’s Sono Andate – from his opera La Boheme – is perhaps viewed as the saddest piece of classical music ever written.
In the literary world, Shakespeare wrote Hamlet around 1599-1601, and it is today considered one of the most powerful plays in the history of English theatre. Court records note that Hamlet was performed at the Globe Theatre (today’s Globe is pictured, above) and before King James in 1619 and King Charles I in 1637. Now, King Charles III has
ascended to the throne, and the dawn of a new Carolean Age is upon us as we bid a sad goodbye to the Elizabethan Age.
Hamlet’s pre-occupation with death is romantically captured in Act I, Scene II:
“All that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity.”
Celebrations like the Day of the Dead therefore provide us the opportunity to
remember those we have lost, and reflect on happier times. While words can never fully express how much someone means to us, language, music and art provides comfort, hope and even inspiration and – as Shakespeare wrote – bearing life and love out “even to the edge of doom”.
Find out more about Burlingtons Group by visiting burlingtons.group or emailing deborah.mills@burlingtons.pro
The incredible places and products Burlingtons Club members are talking about this season...
Opening in late 2022, Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México is a brand new luxury resort set in a secluded oceanfront nature reserve and surrounded by 3,000 acres of lush jungle. The hotel, which has 157 contemporary Mexican accommodations, is designed to offers its guests a new way to get back to nature, while celebrating Mexico’s culture and heritage and emphasising green travel. Its ambitious environmental promise means that just 2% of the nature reserve will be developed, while still providing modern luxury in its private pools, four restaurants and bars – served by the resort’s 35 acre farm – an 18-hole golf course, and spa and wellness centre. »
fourseasons.com
Specialist automotive brand Argent Timeless has launched a new range of travel-inspired apparel and luggage, packed with the same quality and style as the brand’s restoration skills. The collection includes handmade Italian luggage, driving gloves (above), sunglasses, watches, and British leather goods, all ready to wear in a range of styles and colours to suit any classic or contemporary car fanatic. Start your engines in style.
argenttimeless.com
Discover the 100 most exceptional bottles from Champagne in this remarkable tome curated by World’s Best Sommelier Enrico Bernardo. The Impossible Collection of Champagne pops the cork on three centuries of champagne-making, from unique vintages to modern masterpieces. Presented in a wooden box (left), the 236 page edition is bound by hand and luxuriously crafted with hand-tipped labels, as well as including 193 illustrations. The perfect collector’s piece for champagne-lovers, the book is available at Maison Assouline.
maisonassouline.com
If you’re a fan of vintage wine, vinyl records, and 1950s inspired interiors, this limited edition record console created by heritage Australian winemaker, Penfolds, may be the ideal gift. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of Penfolds’ renowned flagship blend, Grange, the piece has now gone on sale exclusively at Harrods, priced at £55,000 –it is the only one available to purchase in the UK and one of just seven available across the globe. Not only does this record player offer up an extraordinary sound system, it doubles as an integrated wine bar (right), with a hand blown Grange Decanter, eight Riedel Extreme Shiraz glasses and – best of all – a Grange magnum duo from 2010 and 2017.
penfolds.com
The first collaboration between Lalique and American artist James Turrell sees the haute crystal maker release a series of 42 crystal light panels and two perfume bottles, each in a limited edition of 100, presented at Paris+ par Art Basel this year. The shining result of a four year collaboration, Turrell’s pieces celebrate Lalique’s 100-year anniversary with a collection that celebrates light and space. The two perfume flacons, Range Rider and Purple Sage (right), are handmade crystal prisms that diffuse and diffract the light. Turrell also cocreated the two perfumes, using scents from his native Arizona to capture the beauty of the American West.
lalique.com
HER MAJESTY QUEEN Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom’s longestserving monarch and one of the longest-serving sovereigns in world history, died peacefully at her home in Balmoral, Scotland on 8 September, prompting a global outpouring of grief that looks set to continue into the coming weeks and months.
As concerns began to grow over the state of the Queen’s health during the day of her death, multiple members of the Royal Family convened at the Aberdeenshire castle, before officially announcing her death at around 6:30pm that evening.
Her eldest son the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, was the first to address the public, stating: “The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty the Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.” »
Remembering a monarch: Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day, 1953, by Cecil Beaton (right); Dorothy Wilding, HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1952 (above). Both courtesy Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2022
Ascending to the throne in 1952 following the death of her father King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II presided over a period of enormous societal and geopolitical upheaval, from the shrinking of the British Empire to multiple decades of sweeping social change taking place on British shores from the 1950s onwards. She was often characterised as a strong and stable presence during difficult times.
Furthermore, she was seen as a truly global icon. In an increasingly interconnected and globalised world, she effectively took the British royal family on the road, becoming an unprecedently proactive head of state and extending by diplomatic handshake to all corners of the globe. As a result, she is — by far — the most widely-travelled monarch in British history, having visited around 117 countries.
Her longevity, too, added to her mystique. The first prime minister to serve under the Queen was Sir Winston Churchill, born in 1874; the last, Liz Truss, was born in 1975.
Following the Queen’s death on 8 September, a national mourning period of 10 days was held in the UK and the Queen lay in state in Westminster Hall from 14 to 19 September, with members of the public invited to pay their respects in person. An estimated 250,000 people eventually joined the ten-mile queue to visit the coffin, with some visitors – included football star David Beckham – even queueing for a full 24 hours.
On 19 September the Queen was laid to rest within the King George VI Memorial Chapel in Windsor, alongside her father King George VI, mother Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, sister Princess Margaret, and husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died at the age of 99 in 2021.
Her funeral was broadcast live on the BBC, with at least 28 million viewers tuning in in the UK and tens of millions more watching across the globe as the Second Elizabethan Era came to a close.
Now, the crown has been passed to King Charles III, although royal correspondents predict that his coronation will not be held until spring or summer 2023. According to The Telegraph, the event could even take place on the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth’s coronation, which would be 2 June 2023.
The King faces an intimidating task living up to the popularity of his mother, but experts predict he will reform large parts of the monarchy. For instance, he has been referred to colloquially as the “Activist King” and the “Climate King” thanks to his track record of advocating for government action on climate change. His care for the environment was shown even in the wreath he designed and laid upon his mother’s coffin – a sustainable bouquet of flowers cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Balmoral and his own personal residence of Highgrove, situated in a nest of oak branches and moss, without the use of floral foam. The touching funeral wreath was deeply personal, including myrtle flowers that had been grown from a sprig of the Queen’s wedding bouquet when she married Prince Philip in 1947, sweet peas – the Queen’s favourite flower – and a handwritten tribute.
But the most notable change Charles is expected to make is that of “slimming down” the monarchy, as some reporters have put it. Currently, the website of the royal family lists 22 high-ranking members, but the new King is expected to limit the number of working royals to just seven, including himself and the Queen Consort, Camilla, Prince William and his wife Catherine – now the Prince and Princess of Wales – as well as the Princess Royal, and the Earl and Countess Wessex (Prince Edward and Sophie).
King Charles’ household is currently based at Clarence House in London but is expected to move into Buckingham Palace in the coming months.
Long live the king: The Royal Family (left); King Charles III (below and below left, with Queen Camilla)
Experts predict that King Charles III will reform large parts of the monarchy... he has been referred to colloquially as the “Activist King”
One of London’s newest property developments, Belvedere Gardens at the Southbank is courting the rich and famous with a penthouse so luxurious it has made headlines across the country. Gabriel Power takes a closer look...
“
ANOTHER AMAZING VIEW,” says Jo Goddard, co-founder of interior design company Goddard Littlefair, as we swing open the door to a master bedroom pouring sunlight through enormous floorto-ceiling windows that look out onto the Thames. Goddard’s enthusiasm is barely contained, despite having no doubt set foot in this property dozens of times. “I just love London and the South Bank.”
Considering the grand creations her design firm has concocted here, in one of London’s most sought-after neighbourhoods, I imagine the feeling is mutual; the property in question is The Penthouse at Belvedere Gardens, a staggering 3,778sq ft, four-bedroom behemoth of a luxury apartment, priced at £17m. Serving as the jewel in the crown of the new Southbank Place development towering over the Thameside district, the western-facing property offers views so remarkable — and that so capture the essence of London — that they seem to resemble an unrealistic composite image one might see on a postcard. The Thames, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye; they’re all here, practically climbing over each other to be centre stage of this panorama.
As the brains behind this opulent 20th-floor penthouse, Goddard was aware from the start that visitors would likely be overawed by the impressive vistas offered by the property – even from the east-facing windows at the back, the views are stunning.
»
Sky high design: The penthouse at Belvedere Gardens is styled to make the most of the extraordinary views
However, this is no mere viewing deck, but a prime example of world-class luxury real estate design, defined by meticulous attention to detail, trend-setting artwork, and no small number of subtle nods to the history of this marvellous city.
“We know that the buyer of this property is likely to be someone who has multiple homes of this calibre throughout the world,” Goddard says, standing in the centre of the living room, which takes a similar open plan form to much of the rest of the apartment. “We felt that we had to elevate our design beyond what they might expect; after all, these guys have seen everything. But rather than elevating the space in a way that is overly gilded or ‘blingy’, we tried to unravel what their ideal sophisticated London property might look like.
“We had to ask ourselves endless questions to get it right. How many master bedrooms would they need? How much storage space should be provided? Will they be entertaining guests? How much of a functional kitchen do they need? Once we have our answers, we build a base palette and then embellish ideas from there.”
Evidently, one of the firm’s brightest ideas was to enlist the services of Studio Graphite, a bespoke artistry studio founded by Patrick O’Neill, Louise Seabrook and Quentin Wright. As we move from sculpture to sculpture, weaving around the furniture, Seabrook and Wright talk us through their evident passion for their craft – as well as their impressive creative investment in this project.
The artistic centrepiece of the apartment is the original wall sculpture Icarus, a playful, elegant work consisting of helixing strips of gold, cut and shaped by hand. The piece is lively and energetic, off to the side and slightly inset from the full-aspect windows that dominate the space. “Our early thought when we first saw the penthouse was that we had to make the most of the incredible light pouring in,”
Wright says. “Icarus is inspired by nature, by bird’s wings.”
The piece was cut and shaped by Simon Day, an expert metalworker and neighbouring artist in Studio Graphite’s HQ.
Moving across the traditional parquet wooden floor –picked by Goddard and her team to evoke a mid-century English study – is the dining space, connected to the living room by virtue of the open-plan layout. This is Seabrook’s moment to shine: her own original artwork hangs on the walls, mirroring the marble dining table, which contains a unique patchwork of textures and colours.
“We wanted something that was going to sit well on the wall covering, and the immediate reference for us were the materials used to create this fantastic tabletop,” Seabrook says. “The marble’s random assortment of colours and shapes informed the decisions when creating the paintings. We wanted something that was geometric; that had a naturally »
Artistic license: Original art adorns the walls of the doubleheight living area, dining room and office
graphic element to work with. And we got that with this table.”
The master bedroom, meanwhile, plays host to the most agonisingly detailed artwork in the property. Housed in an acrylic case is an almost impossibly fragile piece consisting of hundreds of strips of hand-ripped paper, arranged into a circular pattern and spaced evenly to the tune of fractions of millimetres, painted to create a head-scratching 3D effect akin to a holographic image. It is worth taking a moment to pore over, purely to attempt to gauge where the inspiration for such a piece came from.
As the overseer of this particular work, Wright describes –with good humour – the many painstaking weeks it took to assemble the piece. “Each strip of paper is hand ripped, with the height of the undulations left by the rips not deviating by more than five millimetres in either direction. My assistant Freya helped me, thank God. She has more patience – and steadier hands – than me.
“The main [inspiration for this piece] is the Thames itself and the ripples on the water. Paper has an incredible quality whereby if you manipulate it just right, because of the ripped edges, you are left with varying translucency. It is illuminated in different ways depending on both the angle you view it from, and the time of day.”
The Penthouse at Belvedere Gardens is something of a unicorn property, expertly straddling several conceptual, aesthetic and domiciliary lines.
It is homely, yet grand; airy, yet cosy; artistically prosperous, yet not remotely ostentatious. It overlooks one of the most-visited destinations in not just London but perhaps Europe, yet it feels firmly detached from the grinding mass of tourists.
Such is the tranquillity afforded by its considerable altitude and ultra-effective soundproofing. It feels like living among the clouds as the world carries on below, both literally and figuratively.
“We like to think there’s a strength to all of it. Building up all the threads and narratives about what a potential owner might want from a property like this gives you something really tangible to work with,” Goddard says. “We’re not just
going to buy something off the shelf, or hang up black-andwhite photos of St Paul’s, you know? We’re going to go a lot more in-depth than that. That’s the beauty of working with Studio Graphite. They have access to the right people and a sense for when something really works and hangs together.
“After all, to create an apartment like this – to play with colours and styles in such a manner that every room has its own personality while remaining luxurious – I think you need to be quite brave, don’t you?”
southbank-place.com; goddardlittlefair.com; studiographite.co.uk
This feature originally appeared in Tempus Magazine; tempusmagazine.co.uk
Material world: Luxurious fittings take cues from the abundance of natural light, including bespoke lighting and unique marble and
Burlingtons Real Estate’s Henry Mills introduces the exciting new growth plans that are starting from within the division
OVER THE LAST two years, we have learned that evolution is not only a natural part of growth, it is also necessary. Evolution can transform a business into a bigger, stronger and more capable company. With that in the forefront of our minds, we are going through an internal evolution within Burlingtons Group’s real estate division.
As part of this evolution, Nicholas Portelli, former managing director of Burlingtons Real
Estate, has left to pursue new career opportunities. Having been a valuable member of the real estate team, we wish him well in his future endeavours.
The role of Head of Real Estate will be taken over by Deborah Mills, who will build on the foundations of the company for its continued success. I will be a director of the division, providing high-level assistance in relation to commercial investments, funding assistance and more. I can be reached at henry.mills@burlingtons.realestate »
In addition to these changes, we are also delighted to announce the new direction for the company.
Burlingtons Real Estate will be acquiring its own commercial investments and developing its own, initially UK-based, portfolio. As Burlingtons Real Estate’s core business evolves, we will continue to offer the same level of professionalism and accountability to our clients on our ongoing matters as we have in the past.
To achieve sustainable, long-term income for our real estate division, we also aim to build our own investment vehicle that sources, evaluates, acquires and maintains our own commercial real estate portfolio in the UK.
This also demonstrates to our clients that we know our market. Our investment strategy is focused on UK single tenanted, long-leased properties with strong yields. We are initially examining the office market.
Despite the attractive nature of industrial assets and the fact that there are some upward pressures on rental values to maintain due to the ongoing supply/demand imbalance, Carter Jonas Commercial Market Outlook states that rental growth rates are likely to slow down. The retail sector is simply too risky now because of consumer spending and uncertainty. According to GfK’s Consumer Confidence Index, UK consumer confidence remained at a historic low of -41 in July. Our search will be focused on offices with strong environmental, social and governance practices in the outer southeast of the UK, where the largest rental growth has occurred.
We are delighted that Burlingtons Real Estate is continuing to work on a pipeline of deals totalling c.£150 million, and we look forward to continuing to work with our partners in this sector. In addition to residential development funding, commercial investment and site acquisition, these collaborations range in nature.
As a firm, we are honoured to work closely and personally with our colleagues to facilitate these types of transactions for our clients and we will maintain the highest level of professionalism we set for ourselves for years to come.
We welcome discussions with our colleagues in collaborating with our activities in our real estate division and exploring larger deals on a joint venture basis with those who see their ethos reflected in ours.
If you would like to find out more about any elements within this article, please contact Henry Mills via email at henry.mills@ burlingtons.realestate
WE ARE NOW past the midpoint of the Formula 1 season and the World Championship title is wrapped up, with the drivers’ championship heading back to Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, giving him his second back-to-back World Championship title. Red Bull have also acquired their first Constructors Championship title since 2013.
However, despite the season preparing for a seemingly foregone conclusion, there are always fascinating dynamics to be explored before its conclusion over the weekend of 18 November, at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi.
Most notable is driver speculation, which only gets more fuelled when the results of a season look sown up and the paddock and fans alike need a new narrative to enjoy.
On the lesser end of the controversy scale is Sebastian Vettel leaving Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant and, in turn, closing the book on a remarkable career. Vettel leaves the sport with four World Championship titles in addition to becoming the youngest ever champion in the sport’s history back in 2010. Vettel leaves memories for every fan thanks to his sheer dominance through that period from 2010. Sebastian Vettel will be replaced by current Alpine Racing driver Fernando Alonso. »
The most bewildering driver story of the season is that of newly announced McLaren racer Oscar Piastri, who is replacing Daniel Ricciardo after an underwhelming performance compared to teammate Lando Norris. This is only the half of it with Piastri, who was forced to deny a move to Alpine F1 after the announcement that Alonso would be moving to Aston Martin for the 2023 season.
Piastri took to Twitter to respond to the racing team’s statement, telling the official F1.com website that it was a “lack of clarity” in his dealings with Alpine that ultimately made him opt for McLaren.
“My decision [to join McLaren] was made well in advance [of Alonso’s departure], which made Alpine’s announcement probably even more confusing and upsetting because we had told the team that I wasn’t going to continue,” he said. “It was quite upsetting as the announcement was false and it also denied me the opportunity to properly say goodbye to everyone at Enstone.”
To add further fuel to the fire, the contract dispute was referred to F1’s Contract Recognition Board (CRB) who, after four days of deliberations, ruled in McLaren’s favour, leaving Alpine in the unenviable position of losing a two-time world champion as well as a racing protégé who they supported through their young drivers racing programme and having to foot legal costs of approximately £530,467 ($609,498).
»
In other significant news, German Manufacturer Audi has announced it will become unit power suppliers from the 2026 season. It comes after new power unit regulations, designed specifically to make it possible and attractive for newcomers to join the sport at a competitive level, were published in August.
Chairman of the board of management at Audi AG, Markus Duesmann, made the announcement at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. He said: “Motorsport is an integral part of Audi’s DNA. Formula 1 is both a global stage for our brand and a highly challenging development laboratory.
“The combination of high performance and competition is always a driver of innovation and technology transfer in our industry. With the new rules, now is the right time for us to get involved. After all, Formula 1 and Audi both pursue clear sustainability goals.”
Audi have recently announced for 2026 they will supply a power unit to Swiss motorsport engineering company Sauber. Sauber will develop and manufacture the race car as well as take responsibility for planning and executing the race operations.
Now we stay on our marks to for any surprise twist and turns in the latter stages of the racing season…
As the James Webb Space Telescope releases the most in-depth and dramatic images of our universe yet, Gabriel Power celebrates a truly epic moment in scientific theatre
SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS aren’t supposed to happen like this. So often the result of a chance laboratory finding or buried as a footnote in an impossibly niche doctoral thesis, events that shape our understanding of our world — and the universe in which it resides — are so often burdened by the weight of the complex scientific method that led to their discovery that their eventual reporting in mainstream news can seem like something of a damp squib.
But, with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the photos it released in July, Nasa has orchestrated one of
the great pieces of scientific theatre. These images are the long-awaited showpiece of the most advanced space telescope ever constructed, borne of decades of work by some of the brightest minds in aeronautical engineering.
With the release on the horizon, the US space agency teased the watching world into a state of frenzy, ratcheting up the media tension as we awaited the file transfer that would change everything. It was a daring manoeuvre, shrouding a project that Nasa was effectively staking its reputation on in a veneer of pop science. »
A new era: The James Webb Telescope (above) captures new images of the Carina Nebula (previous) and Stephan’s Quintet (opposite). Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI
Indeed, by the time the photos came through, the words “James Webb Telescope” were as ubiquitous among the patrons of your local tearoom as they were on the news tickers of Times Square. US President Joe Biden was even called upon by Nasa to be the official publisher of the first photo.
It became clear that Nasa had known they were sitting on something deeply special – on one of those exceptionally rare, once-in-a-generation scientific findings that would ignite the imaginations of not just aeronautical engineers or astronomy enthusiasts, but of everyone who laid eyes on these images.
Remarkably, the first image to be published, dubbed Webb’s First Deep Field, was a simple operational image – meaning its purpose was essentially to test the imaging capabilities of the probe, which has been in orbit around the Sun since December 2021. Rather than being focused on one particular celestial body or nebula, as the images that would follow, it was instead a photo taken through the gaps in the SMACS 0723 galaxy cluster, where gravitational lensing of light allowed for an ultra-wide field of view at the distant galaxies behind it. The image is chaotic, noisy and unfocused. But its beauty is undeniable, with or without the era-defining scientific context behind it.
The JWST is now the largest telescope in space and is effectively a replacement for the legendary Hubble Space Telescope, which has been bringing us glimpses of deep space since the 1990s.
But the JWST’s capabilities are far beyond Hubble’s. For a start, its unparalleled infrared resolution allows it to see considerably further into the cosmic scaffold than even the deepest Hubble images. What’s more, Hubble’s famed UltraDeep Field image took months to capture (between 2003 and
2004). Webb’s First Deep Field took just 12 hours.
And the results are breathtaking. From margin to margin, it is the most intensely bright and detailed rendering of the universe that humans have ever seen, overloaded with information. Galaxies and nebulas that could swallow our Solar System quadrillions of times over are almost lost in the mess of light; data tells us that what we are looking at is a vast expanse of nothing, punctuated almost unfathomably infrequently by objects that eroded into the ether billions of years ago. But here they sit shoulder to shoulder as if close neighbours, cuddled close to each other in the coldest, darkest arena imaginable.
The Deep Field was soon followed by photos of nebulas and star groups that simply added to the incomprehensibility of what Nasa has achieved with the JWST. Swirling masses, some opaque, some translucent, replete with whisps and textured layers one might find in a Renaissance painting. They are warm, serene and beguiling, despite the fact that, deep down, we know that we are looking at images of cosmic forces and processes that can warp spacetime and rip black holes apart, and that capture a span of space and time that defies explanation.
It may be a cliche to express awe at the scale and majesty of the universe, but the fruits of JWST’s labour will no doubt be a seminal moment for a new generation of budding astronomers. In a world where vanity projects and – scientifically dubious – terraforming missions to Mars dominate the field of space exploration, it was going to take an old master to set the record straight – and Nasa has stepped up to the plate in a manner that has exceeded all expectations.
nasa.gov
This feature originally appeared in Tempus Magazine; tempusmagazine.co.uk
The Investor Visa: total abolition or a temporary break to rebrand? Burlingtons Legal consultant Sarah Khawaja tells us more
LAUNCHED IN 2008, the glamorously named Golden Visa (more formally known as the Investor Visa) encouraged wealthy people from abroad to invest in the UK, eventually leading to settlement and – as was often the ultimate goal – British Citizenship. The speed at which settlement could be attained depended, quite simply, on the amount that was invested.
Unsurprisingly, a visa that effectively rewards individuals for their wealthy status attracted some criticism but, ultimately, most visa schemes assess what benefits the applicant brings to the country – and if it be wealth, then few could argue that
this was not a positive contribution. The UK certainly wasn’t the only country to offer such a scheme but with the hot property market, health care system and globally acclaimed education system, it was the most popular and sought-after in the world.
To add to the already attractive package for the overseas elite, it had the fastest processing times in the world and – with just one to three weeks’ clearing time – provided a rapid turnaround time demanded by most High Net Worth Individuals, in contrast to other countries in the developed world that could take up to two years for a decision. »
All in all, a mutually beneficial arrangement had been established; the system worked, and continued working for many years. Applicants could attain swift access the UK for what was, to many of them, a small price to pay – of late, an investment of £2m and the humble Home Office fee of £1,623.
Matters started to get a little more serious in 2019 when various new rules were introduced to tighten the scheme: such as the requirement that there not just be an investment of the requisite funds but also that the Applicant open a bank account, which now had to include significant background checks. The investment also had to be held for two years rather than the previous three months.
Additionally, the definition of what constituted a qualifying investment into an “active and trading UK bank account” was narrowed to weed out any sham set-ups that would effectively have been abusing the system.
The hurdles created by these new regulations in 2019, however, were certainly not insurmountable, and the Golden Visa remained a popular and attractive scheme for many. It was therefore, with huge disappoint that, among the many international shifts of landscape resulting from the Russia-Ukraine War and after much behind-thescenes parliamentary debate around the UK becoming the playground of money launderers, the Golden Visa was scrapped in February 2022.
The concern was that there would be a flow of illicit funds into the UK from Russia and that, further, we would be inviting high risk and politically controversial individuals into the jurisdiction with a potential fast track to becoming a British citizen. The debating forum exploded, with many arguing that the UK had always received floods of illicit funds since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and that London was jokingly known as “Moscow-on-Thames” among the Russian elite.
It was therefore considered an unfair political move to remove the scheme completely. However, the uproar was all academic and the gates were firmly locked.
With the global pandemic subsiding and travel restrictions being lifted, many had been waiting for some time to embark on this route only to discover that when they were finally permitted to move, the Investor Visa was completely removed. This was particularly frustrating for those overseas individuals who were genuine applicants with no intention or desire to engage in any illegal activities.
Immigration advisors attempting to salvage something from the wreckage started to recommend alternative routes, such as the Skilled Worker Visa or the Innovator Visa. However, wealthy and powerful clients whose VIP status and hefty investment were meant to guarantee a warm welcome were bemused at the proposal of having to suddenly demonstrate a “skill”. As a result, solutions have been proving to be very limited.
As the current situation stands, there is no alternative visa offered, and the Golden Visa continues to be spoken about in the past tense. There is no doubt, however, that the scheme was important to the British economy and there will be much debate over how to repackage this visa in a way that encourages clean investment and upholds the international reputation of the UK.
By analogy, previously more relaxed rules allowed for businesses to employ droves of illegal immigrants who were only caught if spontaneously raided. In response, the Home Office introduced compulsory measures in the form of a Sponsor Licence, the stringent rules of which made clear that employers had a duty to ensure that the system wasn’t being abused. This fairly allowed workers to bring their skill to the country in exchange for an employment opportunity that may result in settlement and citizenship.
So, reflecting on these patterns, we await with optimism new developments and trust that the Home Office will restore a package that both encourages investment and creates a threshold to ensure that criminals are not welcome.
For more information, contact Sarah Khawaja via email at sarah.khawaja@burlingtons.legal, or visit burlingtons.group
This hidden oasis incorporates 10 acres of subtropical vegetation including 18,000 species of exotic plants.
This 16th-century former monastery is one of the most impressive architectural buildings in Lisbon. Explore the dramatic cloisters before enjoying the gardens and fountains of the Praça do Império.
National Museum of Ancient Art Lisbon’s answer to the Louvre contains the largest art collection in Europe, including treasure of Portuguese, African and Indian art.
One of the world’s most significant private art collections, explore works from ancient Egypt to present day collected by Turkish-born British financier Calouste Gulbenkian.
Climb the hills of Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood, to visit St George’s Castle. The former royal palace offers hands-on history and unbeatable views.
Tram 28E
Is there a more iconic image of Lisbon than vintage trams rattling through ancient streets? Take the 28E for a perfect tour of Lisbon’s best sights and neighbourhoods.
Located in Commerce Square, this triumphal archway was built to commemorate Lisbon’s reconstruction after the 1755 earthquake. Climb to the top for a unique city view.
SUN, SEA AND GASTRONOMY awaits visitors to Lisbon, Portugal’s vibrant capital city. Not only is this urban hub recognised as a major financial city – it is classed as an alphalevel global city thanks to its significance in the financial, commercial, media, trade and tourism sectors – it is also among Europe’s top ten destinations, welcoming more than 3.5 million tourists each year.
Despite its modern magic, Lisbon is the second oldest city in Europe – bested only by Athens – as its soft coloured, golden-hued architecture and cobbled and mosaic streets would attest. As a cultural centre, it is home to a wide range of galleries and museums including the National Museum of Ancient Art (one of the world’s largest art collections), the National Coach Museum, Gulbenkian Museum, and a number of active theatres and opera houses.
Lisbon is also known for its delicoius cuisine. From the famous Pasteis de Nata to authentic Piri Piri chicken dishes, to more traditional dishes such as Açorda with shrimp and Portuguese national dish bacalhau – and not forgetting the city’s aromatic coffee culture and fun-filled nightlife – this lively destination is a treat for every taste.
Superstar conductor Lorenzo
Viotti talks to Polly Jean Harrison about the world of classical music, and keeping time as a Bulgari ambassador
ONE WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED to find a more definitive model of the next generation of classical music talent than Lorenzo Viotti (right). With an impressive musical resume and handsome collection of prestigious awards, Lorenzo began his musical journey as a percussionist, exploring different genres and styles – even briefly playing in his sister’s metal band in order as a young man.
As a conductor, he went on win the Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition In 2012, at just 22 years of age, and has followed this success with prizes in the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Awards (2015), the MDR Sinfonieorchester (2016) and was named Newcomer of the Year at the International Opera Award in 2017.
In the years since, the 32-year-old maestro has risen to the ranks of music director of the Gulbenkian Orchestra and chief conductor-designate of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and Dutch National Opera.
Another string to his bow – and a testament to his global acclaim – has been a new role with the Bulgari family, as its new global watches ambassador.
Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, to a Franco-Italian family of musicians, Lorenzo is anything but your average conductor – and is just at home on a club dancefloor as he is in front of an orchestra.
“[Lorenzo] embodies the boldness of our identity so perfectly well,” says Bulgari Group CEO Jean-Christophe Babin. “Like our watchmaking craftsmanship, Lorenzo fuses an Italian soul with a Swiss rigor. Time is the rhythm of music, we are proud to mark his talent with our timepieces.” »
Lorenzo, how do you mix tradition and innovation in your role?
“I do a very old job. I constantly repeat pieces of music that were composed 200 years ago and have been played 6,000 times. It’s like trying to reinvent pasta carbonara – the recipe has existed for many years, but there’s still a chef that tries to take the ingredients and give you a new twist. I do the same with sound.”
Is it important to your work to have an understanding of different genres?
“Of course, you can say classical music is a mix of all genres. You have rhythm, you have harmony and melody. Most importantly, we shouldn’t consider ourselves higher than any other genre – take rap as one example.
To be a good rapper, you must have such good timing – it’s more than rhythm and tempo. It’s really the highest art in their field. In jazz, you must have improvisation.
I recently conducted the premiere of [Jules Massene’s opera] Thaïs at Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Three hours later, I was in a techno club [dancing] to a legendary DJ. As classical musicians, we should all be very open and try to learn from others.”
“You never know what might happen. You can rehearse as best as you can… but it’s all in the moment. You can never actually relax, as a conductor; you need to give everything. There’s something new every day, because we deal with people. On Monday I might be in Austria, then the next week is Asia, then America, and those cultures and relationships to emotions – to love, death, sex, money – are all different, so you have to always adapt yourself [and your performances], to give everything to the public. It’s quite exciting as a job.”
“Very important – on stage, you cannot lie. If the audience senses there’s no connection between the orchestra and the conductor you probably will have a very boring concert. But I’ve heard people say they wanted to be in the orchestra because they saw how much fun we were having. It can be very playful. We are not an art to be recorded. Classical music is a moment in time.”
“I’m very lucky to have been introduced to Bulgari. We share a lot of common ideas of excellence, and ways of rethinking what has been done already by mixing tradition and innovation. We meet on a lot of points in terms of respect for that tradition, as well as the vision of the future, elegance. We are just starting to develop something that will be a very exciting relationship.”
“If I can escape cities and be in silence, surrounded by raw nature or under the water, this is where I feel happiest. In the middle of nature, this is where I can actually centre myself again, and relax my ears. You can’t really have that in the city, and it’s terrible for our frequencies. We’re not meant to listen to those noises – cars, honks, metal – and it’s not natural for the human ears.”
“I’m currently listening to Snoop Dogg’s new album BODR. It’s amazing – an album of 21 songs where he plays with old and new styles with West Coast and California deep hardcore beats.”
“I have particular emotions toward some concert halls because of the memories they hold, or even just because the acoustics there were just out of this world. Wiener Musikverein in Vienna, the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, and Teattro alla Scala in Milan are just a few examples of special venues.”
This feature originally appeared in Tempus; tempusmagazine.co.uk
Keeping time: Superstar conductor Lorenzo Viotti visits the Bulgari watch manufactory (below)
“You can rehearse as best as you can, but it’s all in the moment. You can never actually relax, as a conductor; you need to give everything”
Burlingtons Legal’s Paramjit Sehmi discusses the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022, a new law which was recently introduced to lift the veil behind offshore companies that hold property in the UK
THE REGISTER OF OVERSEAS entities is a new public register kept by Companies House, with information about the beneficial owners of overseas entities that own land in the UK.
The requirements for the register were introduced under the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 for transparency behind the screen of offshore structures, as a measure to combat financial crime. This new regime came into force on 1 August 2022. »
Who needs to register as an overseas entity?
Any corporate body or other legal entity that is governed by the laws of a country outside the UK must generally apply to Companies House for registration as an overseas entity if the entity:
• purchases a relevant interest in UK property; or
• is (or was at any time after 28 February 2022) registered as the proprietor of a relevant interest in UK property.
For the above purposes, a “relevant interest” in relation to property in England and Wales means a freehold interest or a long leasehold (for a term of more than seven years) interest.
What steps do overseas entities need to take to comply with the new legislation?
An overseas entity must take reasonable steps to identify and notify anyone who it knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a registerable beneficial owner of the entity. Any person who receives such a notice must confirm to the entity whether the information contained in the notice is correct, as well as provide any further information that may be required.
If an overseas entity does not have any registerable beneficial owners, then it must provide details of its directors, managers, and company secretary.
Who is a registrable beneficial owner of an overseas entity?
The definition of a “registrable beneficial owner” in relation to an overseas entity is broadly similar to a person with significant control in relation to an English company, and means any non-exempt individual, company subject to its own disclosure requirements, or government or public authority, that directly or indirectly meets any of the following ownership conditions in relation to the overseas entity:
• they hold more than 25% of the shares or voting rights;
• they have the right to appoint or remove a majority of the board of directors;
• they otherwise exercise significant control or influence; or
• they exercise significant control or influence over the activities of a trust, partnership or other non-legal entity whose trustees or members meet any of the above conditions.
What happens after an entity has identified its registrable beneficial owners and/or managing officers?
The entity must submit an application to Companies House for registration as an overseas entity, containing each of the following:
• confirmation that the entity has taken reasonable steps to identify any registrable beneficial owners and to obtain all required information for any that it identifies;
• if the entity has identified all its registrable beneficial owners – a statement to that effect together with the requisite information for the entity and its beneficial owners; or
• if the entity believes there is any registrable beneficial owner it has not identified – a statement to that effect together with the requisite information for the entity, its managing officers and (as far as possible) its beneficial owners; or
• if the entity is satisfied does not have any registrable beneficial owners – a statement to that effect together with the requisite information about the entity and its managing officers; and
• verification statement – the information collated by the entity in respect of its registrable beneficial owners and/or managing officers (as applicable) must be independently verified by a “relevant person” such as an auditor, insolvency practitioner, external accountant, independent legal professional, trust or company service provider, or estate agent.
What are the ongoing reporting requirements for overseas entities?
Following initial registration, a registered overseas entity will need to file an annual statement at Companies House confirming whether anyone has become or ceased to be a registrable beneficial owner of the entity during the relevant year and (if so) provide the relevant required information if any changes have taken place.
If a registered overseas entity ceases at any point to hold a relevant interest in UK land then an application can be made to remove the entity from the register of overseas entities.
What are the time limits for registering as an overseas entity and what are the sanctions for non-compliance?
Overseas entities that hold a relevant interest in property in the UK (or which did so at any time after 28 February 2022) must submit an application to register as an overseas entity before 1 February 2023. Failure to do so represents a criminal offence by the entity and each of its officers who is in default. Furthermore, after expiry of the transitional provisions, the entity will be prohibited from making any registrable disposition (meaning a sale, grant of a long lease, or the grant of a legal charge) of its UK property until it has completed the registration requirements, and any attempted to do so is a criminal offence by the entity and its officers in default.
Any overseas entity which proposes to acquire a relevant interest in UK property must register in the register of overseas entities before completing such acquisition. Without registering, an overseas entity will not be registered as the owner of UK property.
What happens if you provide false information?
It is a criminal offence to deliver or make any false, misleading or deceptive document or statement in a material particular, punishable by a fine and/or (in aggravated cases) by imprisonment.
Gathering the required information on beneficial ownership and obtaining independent verification are likely to take time. Overseas entities are therefore encouraged take steps as soon as possible to comply with these requirements.
Any lender providing a mortgage or otherwise taking security over UK property held by an overseas entity should also be concerned to ensure the entity has registered in the register of overseas entities before advancing funds to avoid potential difficulties in registering or enforcing its security for lack of registration.
This article is provided for general information only. It is not intended to be and cannot be relied upon as legal advice, or otherwise. If you would like to discuss any of the matters covered in this article, please contact Paramjit Sehmi (paramjit. sehmi@bulringtons.legal) or Lydia Mills (lydia. mills@burlingtons.legal). Visit bulringtons.group
Founded in 1893, Holland & Holland is a gunmaker that truly prides itself on the finest details, employing ancient and artisanal skills in each of its hand-engraved guns. From the instantly recognisable ‘Royal’ engraving to personalised designs and inlays of precious metals, these guns and rifles are meticulously finished. Best known for its ‘Royal’ model side-lock, Holland & Holland is equally well versed in the art of big rifles. Its double rifles, designed for big game, have been used by famous hunters, film stars, and even US President Roosevelt. Since 2021, Holland & Holland has been part of Italian industrial group, Beretta Holding. Pictured here, the Royal Rook Rifle 1903.
Prestigious London gunmaker James Purdey & Sons has been making extraordinary personalised guns and rifles since 1814. Always at the forefront of technical innovations, the company’s accomplishments include creating the 1880 Beesley self-opening mechanism, and developing the first Over-and-Under action in 1923. More recently, the first Purdey Trigger Plate Game Gun was released in 2018 and, a year later, the Purdey Trigger Plate Sporting Clays Gun. Purdey’s royal credentials are also second-to-none –Queen Victoria owned a pair of Purdey pistols as early as 1838, while in modern times the gunmaker has held a Royal Warrant from King Charles, as well as from his parents, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, until their deaths.
purdey.com
Based in Birmingham for two centuries, Westley Richards is known as one of the most significant gunmakers in the UK, credited with historic designs for military and sporting firearms alike. The introduction of the company’s hand-detachable lock for its Droplock double rifles was said to offer one of the only reliable alternatives to the London sidelock, while its Anson & Deeley boxlock action became the basis for thousands of side-by-sides through the late 19th century. Westley Richards is famed for its personal touch, guiding you from concept to finish and, for collectors of vintage firearms, it offers historical authentication and detailed records of the lifecycle of each of its guns.
westleyrichards.com
Aiming higher: Boss & Co’s ambidextrous 1812 Rising Third Bite is produced in a trio (pictured)
Boss & Co is London’s oldest gunmaker, but its fame was cemented in 1909 with the introduction of a hallow-framed over-and-under that became the standard for all London ‘Best’ guns. Today, Boss is owned by American businessman Arthur DeMoulas who, as a left-handed shooter, encouraged the development of the gunmaker’s most impressive modern invention: the 1812 Edition, the world’s first ambidextrous over-and-under gun. This has been followed by a side-lever side-by-side that is also ambidextrous, ensuring that multiple generations – and shooters – can enjoy these works of art. Boss & Co’s latest gun, produced in a trio, is the 1812 Rising Third Bite: combining the ambidextrous 1812 with a rising third bite action paired with a side-lever over-and-under format – the most challenging possible configuration.
bossguns.com
Established in Dublin in around 1775 – and moving later to London – Rigby’s history is filled with fascinating anecdotes and artefacts. One of the most significant and oldest firearms in Rigby’s museum collection is a flintlock magazine pistol engraved ‘Rigby & Son’ dating from about 1816, while in 1851 the company was among gunmakers showcasing their inventions at the Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace. Its military history includes a collaboration with Mauser –and Winston Churchill became a known customer after he was armed with a Rigby-Mauser pistol while serving in the Sudan under Lord Kitchener in 1898. Today, Rigby enjoys a reputation for excellent big game rifles and rising bite action, unveiling the first Highland Stalker rifle in 2017 and, in 2019, completing its first pair of 12-bore Rising Bite shotguns in 100 years.
johnrigbyandco.comSINCE THE START of the year, financial markets have presented several
challenges to investors, with both fixed income and equities suffering from significant declines in value. Sterling is trading at an all-time low against the US Dollar, and the Federal Reserve Bank recently signalled it was ready to accept higher unemployment and a recession in order to tame inflation.
With this in mind, our most recent Burlingtons Group webinar, Identifying Opportunity in a Volatile World , took place on Monday 3 October at 11am. The webinar was hosted by Alistair Muscat, CEO of Integra Private Wealth, a member of Burlingtons Group.
During the webinar Alistair presented the global scenarios that have caused inflationary pressure while examining the effects this has had on financial markets, along with the
effects on traditional “safe assets”, such as gold and 10-year US treasury bonds.
To close the webinar Alistair fielded a number of varied questions ranging from the current state of the UK economy to the pros and cons of switching from value to growth, and what is the current best investment to take advantage of the current economic state.
To discuss investment options further or receive a copy of the presentation, please contact Alistair Muscat via email at am@integra-pw.com
The next Burlingtons Group webinar will take place on Thursday 17 November at 14:00 and will be hosted by Burlingtons Legal’s Head of Corporate, Paramjit Sehmi. Further information on the title and topic will be provided in due course.
To register for Burlingtons Webinars, please contact jacob.kett@burlingtons.pro
Located in London’s National Gallery, new restaurant Ochre is a work of modern art for for London’s gastronomes. Michelle Johnson reviews this exciting new destination
THE NATIONAL GALLERY looms large over Trafalgar Square, delighting more than 1.5 million visitors each year as they roam the hallowed halls of art history. But it is an art of a more gastronomic variety that has people talking when it comes to the stylish new Ochre Restaurant, located in the Gallery.
Upon entering the restaurant, diners are immediately struck by the warm and inviting interior. A gold-accented marble bar
dominates one side of the restaurant, exuding Art Deco New York cool, while tables are surrounded by waves of sumptuous olive sofas and dining chairs. There is no traditional art on the walls, due to exhibitions in the adjacent rooms, but sculptural mirrors and lights adorn the walls to add that sense of panache and polish.
There is an immediate sense of relaxation as we settle into our seats – only added to by a glass of chilled rosé recommended »
by co-owner Sam Miller, who runs the restaurant with his wife Charlotte. It is in fact Charlotte’s talented eye that is responsible for the lush décor.
As lovely as Ochre’s ambience is, it is the food, of course, that is the real draw – every menu is full of indulgent dishes that burst with colour and flavour. Ingredients are locally sourced and each of the contemporary European menus are seasonal, from lunch and afternoon tea to pre-theatre and full à la carte.
Ready for dinner, we are struck by how each ingredient is showcased on the menu – dishes include Isle of Wight tomatoes, West Country lamb rump and Scottish oysters. With so many irresistible options to choose from, we opt to start with sharing plates, in order to tour the menu (and the UK) through fresh burrata with grilled courgette, broad beans, pea shoots and pumpkin seeds; saddleback pork and
Westcombe cheddar croquette (oozing with foamy melted cheese – a personal favourite); soused Cornish mackerel tacos and courgette flowers stuffed with feta, black olive and tomato.
This delicious medley is followed by a 28-day aged Hereford rib-eye steak, complimented with chimichurri and braised shallot. A melt in the mouth steak, it is perfectly paired with side dishes including dauphinoise potatoes, grilled asparagus and a fresh garden salad.
Sweet treats, teas and coffees round up the meal, while Sam describes plans for the restaurant’s cocktail bar, exclusive private dining room and late-night events complete with DJ. With special offers for National Gallery Members as well, this restaurant is truly a work of modern art.
ochre.london
IT’S NO SECRET that the 1980s was a brutal stretch for the Scotch industry, with several distilleries forced to shutter their doors, rugged buildings abandoned to weather the Scottish elements, and their unique nectars confined to the memories of those lucky enough to sample them. But a number of these lost whiskies enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in the 2000s as ghost distillieries, when expressions once thought lost to history were re-bottled and re-sold, having been aged for upwards of three decades.
One such establishment has turned more heads than most; the legendary Brora, thought to have filled its last-ever cask in 1983, having built a significant and loyal following over its previous 202 years of operation. Brora’s single malt was key to the finest of Scotch blends and, enjoyed on its own, defined the ‘age of peat’. The prestige of its malt became clear when, in 2019, a bottle of Brora 1972 Limited Edition 40-Year-Old sold at Sotheby’s for a distillery record of £54,450.
By this point, the titanic hands of Diageo had already pledged to restore Brora it to its former glory and, in 2021, Stewart Bowman, son of the last exciseman at Brora, reopened the gates to fill the first casks in more than 38 years. The first release from the distillery, unveiled in April of that year, was the Brora Triptych – a three-piece collection of extremely rare single malt whiskies each representing a distinct style of Brora’s heritage. Furthermore, Diageo’s £35m funding of the site has also involved a major investment in sustainable operations — Brora is a fully carbon neutral distillery, making it a rarity in the industry and helping Diageo achieve its lofty sustainability goals.
One year on, we speak exclusively to some of the key figures behind the distillery’s revival and find out what makes Brora so special. »
JACKIE ROBERTSON
Brora’s first ever female Master Distiller shares her passion for her craft
I’ve always been inspired by the windswept coastlines of [Scotland’s] east coast and when the opportunity presented itself to work with a distillery such as Brora I knew that this would be a journey of a lifetime. The local community has always been integral to Brora, from the team that works at the distillery to the local businesses that support what we do. When the news broke that the distillery will be reopening, the local community was thrilled.
Every part of the process is important, from the selection of the barley in the field to the malting process, mashing, fermentation and distillation and maturation, but the stills are particularly special as they are the same copper stills that were in place in 1983 when the distillery closed. They were refurbished and reinstated for the distillery’s revival. The stills play a large part in the final spirit of Brora. We only have two stills, one wash and one spirit, which means that the distillation process is slow and therefore the vapour interactions within the stills add to the complexity of Brora spirit.
We are using all of our skill and knowledge to create
fermentation, distillation and maturation regimes that meticulously produce a whisky that will match the character and quality of the illustrious Brora predecessors. We are at the very early stage of recreating the Brora spirit to match the quality and character of earlier releases. This means there is fine tuning to be carried out at each stage of the process. Distilleries have character and it takes time for them to allow you, as a distiller, to influence them.
Rare revival: Brora’s rugged landscape is key to the whisky’s iconic taste; right, sunset on the distillery’s famous wildcat gates
Brora’s Master Blender describes the distillery’s mystique and the flavours it became famous for
Closed back in 1983, the quality and rarity of Brora’s whisky has driven its collectability. The value of bottles of Brora has increased significantly during this time, including when it was featured for the first time as part of the annual Special Releases Collection – and demand now exceeds the supply of this precious stock.
To know you’re working with such an important part of whisky history is incredible. These casks have lain untouched for decades so it is great to be able to introduce them to the world. It’s always daunting working with such a revered whisky as Brora, there’s a great deal of pressure to do justice to the incredible craftsmanship at the distillery, and indeed the influence of time, which has shaped the individual whiskies into such spectacular examples [of Brora’s style].
Brora is very unique for a Highland whisky, in that not only does it have that classic smokiness, but it also possesses a waxy character that is rarely found in modern whiskies. This not only adds a lovely tropical fruit note to the nose, but also gives a wonderful smooth, luxurious mouthfeel.
We’ve spent considerable time and effort studying our archives and optimising the processes at the distillery, and as such we’re confident that the new Brora whiskies will sit amongst the best in the world, however we’ll have to wait two or three decades before we know for sure. »
The decision to restore Brora and Port Ellen was made in October 2017, partly as a response to the demands from whisky enthusiasts but also as a result of the strong growth in Single Malt Scotch and the opportunity to create a new generation of whisky consumers.
Brora is now a carbon neutral distillery after the installation of a biomass boiler to provide energy for the original stills. The biomass boiler is fuelled by woodchip from sustainable sources in the North of Scotland. This forms part of our ‘Society 2030: Spirit of Progress’ plan which will see Diageo achieve net zero carbon emissions across our direct operations and use 30% less water in every drink we make by 2030.
In many decades time as the first new make whiskies from Brora are introduced to the world, I hope that this time in Scotch Malt Whisky history will be looked upon favourably. We are in an exciting period for the whisky industry with records being broken, ghosts reawakened and new distilleries opening and look forward to reflecting on it in years to come.
The reopening demonstrates that while Scotch whisky remains first and foremost a wonderful drink that everyone enjoys, it can also be something elusive and timeless; a priceless treasure on par with the world’s greatest wines and champagne. Furthermore, it shows that the Scotch whisky industry now has the level of confidence to make such investments in its long-term future.
Diageo’s Global Brand Director for Malt Whiskies on the allure of Brora and its sustainable ethos
The Scotch whisky community has long been passionate about the revival of Brora with many of them holding longharboured ambitions to one day see it back in production. Brora is known across the world for its exquisite whisky, so the news of its revival was received well. Not only does it produce outstanding whisky but it is an archive to a time gone by – so people were thrilled to hear that it was to be restored to its former glory.
This distillery has been resurrected, brick by brick. It shows the confidence we have in its unique spirit and offering, and invokes a feeling of pride as we welcome future generations to the distillery to experience Brora in all its glory.
Some of the most recent expressions that have come from Brora include bottlings within the Prima and Ultima collection, particularly the Brora 1981 from the third release, which is available to purchase as an individual bottle for the first time this year.
This Brora 1981 is considered the rarest publicly available whisky from the distillery; a single malt that shows a more fragrant, less peated side to the classic style. Those who have also been lucky enough to visit the distillery have had the opportunity to purchase the distillery exclusive, the Brora 1982 39-Year-Old. A big, bold and waxy expression from this critically acclaimed distillery.
It will be a number of years before Brora will release its first whiskies following its restoration but we do know that the restored spirit will honour the historic flavour profile from the distillery. I eagerly await our first tastings.
This feature originally appeared in Tempus Magazine; tempusmagazine.co.uk
Question: Is Scotch whisky a good investment?
When it comes to alternative investments, premium Scotch whisky is similar to fine wine in terms of its potential, as long as you’re fully aware of the risks. We only need to look at recent auctions to see the possibilities – earlier this year, a cask of 1975 Ardbeg Islay single malt Scotch whisky was bought by a private collector in Asia for a record £16 million, while in 2019, a Macallan Fine and Rare 60 Year Old became the most expensive bottle ever sold at auction when it was purchased for £1.5m at Sotheby’s London.
To be classified as a Scotch whisky, the whisky must be distilled from malted barley made in Scotland. Scotch must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years, with a minimum bottling strength of 40% alcohol by volume.
There are approximately 22 million casks currently maturing in Scotland.
Scotch represents 70% of all Scottish food and drink exports, with an export value of £4.9bn a year, but premium whiskies are an uncommon asset with great potential. According to the 2020 Knight Frank Wealth Report, rare whisky has become one of the best performing collectible assets of the decade, growing by 586% since 2010, and investment company Whisky Investment Partners says that Scottish cask whisky ownership has delivered average returns of between 8% and 12% per year in the last decade. This success is undoubtedly boosted by collectors and buying groups based in China, Japan and India, where
there is growing interest in single malts.
Whisky investment is a specialist area with two main routes of entry – buying by the bottle, or by the cask.
If buying by the bottle, it’s wise to look for producers with a successful track record, such as Macallan, Ardberg, Bowmore or Laphroaig, who may release rare or one-off bottles at auction. Some investors, particularly whisky lovers, may prefer to seek out certain flavours or qualities that can affect the ultimate price. For example, darker whiskies and those aged in sherry barrels are both popular.
Cask whisky investment, in contrast, is a way to buy whiskies of a limited run during maturation, and allowing the investment to age as the liquid does. This is usually arranged with distilleries through a broker and, once the spirit is matured, the investor can choose to sell their holding back to the distillery, bottle it privately, keep it or sell it on as a collectible.
As with all investments, there are many risks involved –from drop in value, to breakages and even market scams – and so it’s important to seek professional advice before venturing into the world of rare whiskies. But, whether you’re buying for investment or to experience rare flavours, there are many reasons to raise a glass to this exceptional asset.
For expert investment tips or advice about the questions that have been hounding you, contact Boris by emailing: info@burlingtons.group
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