HIGH WATER

A luxury vodka brand arises from an alchemical adventure with aquifers, amethysts and art

- HARRIET LLOYD-SMITH

The story of X Muse begins in an ancient aquifer, an underground layer of rock that holds groundwater, beneath the Jupiter Artland sculpture park near Edinburgh. This water source had already inspired American cultural theorist and landscape designer Charles Jencks (see page 252) to create Cells of Life, eight site-specific, otherworldly landforms that form the park’s utopian centrepiece.

In 2016, Robert Wilson – who had cofounded Jupiter Artland with his wife Nicky in 2009 – was looking for another use for this precious water. It took synchronicity and serendipity. Both arrived in the form of a dinner invitation from Vadim Grigoryan, an alcohol industry expert and former global director of creativity and luxury at Pernod Ricard. In his career, Grigoryan witnessed the most exciting and frustrating sides of the alcohol industry. ‘Things were frequently driven by financial aspects rather than an honest desire to bring something new,’ he says. ‘One thing that always surprised me was the emphasis on yield, rather than the quality of the ingredients, such as water and grains for distillation.’ Grigoryan wanted to transcend consumer trends and transactional value to create a brand that would be culturally enriching and respectful of its ingredients.

Synchronicity was served over dinner. Ideas began to germinate when Wilson and Grigoryan found common ground in philosophy, creative spirit and actual spirits, which often comprise 60 per cent water. Cue serendipity: ‘Bingo,’ says Wilson. ‘I had a use for my precious, energetic water, and the idea of creating a luxury vodka brand with art and art practice at its centre.’