Five Intriguing Watch x Whiskey Pairings

For as long as I can remember - which, admittedly, amounts to a goldfish’s attention span - watch writers have adored drawing a thematic link between the worlds of whiskey and timepiece collecting. The wide conceptual gulf shared between these culturally distinct artforms is something many have had a tendency to overstate, though admittedly: it’s easy to see why, after over a decade, we keep coming back to that same conversation about how legendary whiskey and haute horlogerie are very much alike.

Bearing this in mind, for the latest installment of In Good Company, we’ve enlisted the expertise of Mr. Martin Eber (better known by his online handle @timeforwhisky) for the purposes of unpacking that classic cross-cultural conundrum - namely, what whiskey goes with my watch?

Like a handful of other individuals whose passion for collecting encompasses multiple niches, Eber is ideally placed to tell us all a thing or two about the kind of expressive single malts that are analogous to fine mechanical timepieces. Himself an enthusiast of marques including Tudor and Audemars Piguet, Eber has writing about whiskey and the broader spirits business for well over a decade. In 2022, he was also named to Time Out Hong Kong’s panel of independent judges - collectively responsible for compiling the city mag’s annual Time Out Bar Awards. 

Below, we tasked Eber with curating a shortlist of 5 Scottish whiskies – some rare, others more approachable - to complement some of our favorite recent listings; and (as you’ll see in a moment) the results are clearly the handiwork of somebody who takes the idea of the watch pairing seriously. Cheers to that. 

For Treasure Hunters: Pasha de Cartier Skeleton x Convalmore

Part of Cartier’s recent push to modernize its emblematic Pasha collection, this skeletonized reference flings the eponymous design into the 21st century. Still replete with the various idiosyncratic flourishes that made the original Pasha such an icon of the 1980s - ergo, the chained crown and ‘Vendome’ lugs - it’s a kindred spirit to the now-mothballed Scottish distillery of Convalmore.

As revered as Cartier to devotees of Speyside whiskey, even the most ‘accessible’ of Convalmore malts - say the 1984 ‘Connoisseur’s Choice’ - will set you back hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. In its heyday, this distillery was noted for making a sweet, fruit-laden and moderately spicy single malt style - all characteristics, according to Eber, that appeal to a “select subset” of very picky drinkers. Sound familiar?

“Much like Cartier, which broadly falls under the umbrella of Richemont; the now-closed Convalmore is part of the much larger Diageo firm - famed, among other things, for being behind Johnnie Walker,” says Eber. “As with lovers of the Pasha de Cartier, enthusiasts who possess a strong sense of self tend to appreciate Convalmore - due to the label’s exquisite house style and finite availability.”

When Only The Best Will Do: F.P. Journe Octa Lune Black Label x The Balvenie DCS ‘Chapter 3’ 55 Years

Impressive even by the lofty standards of those who regularly collect the work of François-Paul Journe, this ‘Black Label’ version of the legendary indie watchmaker’s Octa Lune design - consisting of a 38mm platinum case and inventive off-centered time display - is as rare as haute horlogerie gets. Originally 1 of 12 pieces made within a single year, its tuxedo-esque color scheme and lavishly constructed movement demand a whiskey of equally imposing stature - which brings us to The Balvenie.

A family-owned distillery with its own uncompromising (and occasionally divisive) reputation in the world of Scotch, The Balvenie’s answer to these ‘Black Label’ Journes must surely be the ‘DCS’: an extremely mature age statement - from 1961, in this case - that bears the initials of Mr. David C Stewart, legendary Scottish blender and ‘malt master’. “With only 50 sets released worldwide, this 1961 ‘DCS’ bottling is equal in rarity to the Black Label edition of the Octa Lune,” says Eber. “And let’s face it: when wearing a ‘Black Label’ Journe, you can’t very well be drinking just any old whiskey.”

‘Beyond The Sea’: OMEGA Seamaster 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer x Talisker 10

Almost the polar opposite of our Balvenie x Journe pairing, Eber recommends that fans of the classic OMEGA Seamaster Professional (now with METAS certification!) owe it to themselves to crack into a bottle of Talisker 10 - made by the eponymous Scottish distillery located on the Isle of Skye, immortalized in the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson.

You don’t need to be a dramhound to see the obvious parallels between Omega’s flagship dive watch and Talisker’s most popular age-statement whiskey. “Obviously, there’s an easy link here with Talisker’s coastal roots and the whole ‘made by the sea’ philosophy,” observes Eber, “but I see a deeper connection”.

“The Seamaster 300M has always been a robust and well-priced product - one which wears great on the wrist without drawing a whole lot of attention. Likewise, even though it doesn’t elicit lots of obvious fanfare, the Talisker 10 is a solidly made single malt backed by a credible history - it’s not Macallan…and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!”

For Quiet Achievers: H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Perpetual Calendar x Thompson Bros ‘Secret Islay’ (1980s - 1990s)

The epitome of a horological ‘sleeper’, indie brand H. Moser’s rendition of the hallowed perpetual calendar - here, in the guise of the Streamliner sports watch - takes every preconception we have about complicated time displays and subverts them. When read in conjunction with the miniscule red-tipped hand - often obscured in photos by the running seconds - each of the dial’s 12 indexes indicates a different month; obviating the need for cumbersome text or multiple sub-registers.

In line with the Streamliner’s sinuous Art-Deco aesthetic, this execution of the perpetual calendar tends to appeal to those in search of something unconventional - a quality Eber notes is consistent with certain subsets of the whiskey community, particularly those drawn to the so-called ‘Secret Islay’ bottlings.

“Much like Moser’s Streamliner, these ‘secret’ bottlings from the late 1980s and early 1990s are for those in the know,” says Eber. “Almost-but-not-always guaranteed to be from a certain distillery in South Islay (spoiler alert: it’s Laphroaig) these whiskies are overlooked by many, yet sought out by the few thanks to their uniquely briny, medicinal flavor and atypical complexity. If you love ‘Secret Islay’ bottles, there’s a good chance your passion for whiskey runs deeper than most - just so with watch collectors who are ardent fans of Moser’s.”

The Art Of Subtlety: Hermès H08 x Kilkerran 16

Offbeat, well-made and in possession of an impossibly balanced design language, it’s no wonder that Hermès has (slowly, but surely) won a growing contingent of fans to its H08 sports watch. Very much the sort of timepiece we imagine you’d buy if your appreciation for intelligent design transcends the realm of horology, Eber likens the relationship between this (relatively new) collection and Hermès’ broader renown in leather metiers to that of Glengyle - the Campbeltown producer behind Kilkerran 16.

“Even though the H08 generally flies under the radar, it has a solid reputation among those who’ve handled and collected a lot of watches. When I translate such sentiment into the whiskey world, there are a few distilleries - like Benromach and Ben Nevis - that come to mind, but the one that jumps out is Glengyle - sister distillery to the much more renowned Springbank.”

According to Eber, the whiskey produced by Glengyle is “as impressive” as that of Springbank; and the same knife-edge balance you’ll find in the shape and typography of any H08 model is mirrored in the “near-perfect harmony” displayed in the Kilkerran 16. “It’s bottled from a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-sherry casks at a very approachable ABV of 46%,” says Eber, “and like Hermès’ flagship sports watch, it’s also really well-priced”.