Handmade cocktail hamper costs more than a BMW
Feeling parched? Want to whip up a quick cocktail? This hand-built hamper has everything you'll need to mix up your own drink, but it will cost you more than a BMW.
That's because this is the Rolls-Royce of cocktail hampers, created by the luxury car maker themselves.
And if you're thinking about getting someone a last-minute stocking filler, you better move fast — only 15 will be made. The price: $59,632.
According to Rolls-Royce, the hamper itself takes eight weeks to make and is meticulously hand-crafted from American walnut wood and the same leather with which the manufacturer adorns its car interiors.
And that's not just any leather; Rolls-Royce won't use female cowhides because of stretchmarks from pregnancy. and all the bulls have to be sourced from high altitude locations so the skin hasn't been pierced by mosquito bites.
Before piecing together the set, the Goodwood-based brand consulted with experts from Dorchester Collection's London Hotels to ensure the hamper was kitted out with everything you'd need to stir-up your own cocktail.
The price tag is the equivalent of 1,300 $59-cocktails at the Ritz.
As you might expect from a drinks-making set that costs the same as a deposit on a house, no corners have been cut. Each utensil and implement is bespoke and built by hand and there's even an automatic light that creates a warm glow designed to replicate that of a luxurious cocktail bar.
Gavin Hartley, head of bespoke design at Rolls-Royce, said: 'Each motor car that we craft represents a deeply personal expression of individual customer tastes and lifestyles. This extraordinary scope for personalisation extends far beyond the car itself through an Accessories Collection, featuring exceptional objects designed to augment the lifestyles of the marque's customers.
'This beautifully executed Cocktail Hamper illustrates the marque's intimate understanding of the desires of the most discerning patrons of luxury in the world; Rolls-Royce customers.'
And it sounds like Rolls-Royce has thought of everything.
Should the owner wish to present their guests with canapés, two dishes find their place in the lower portion of the Hamper, either side of an ice bucket, whilst discreet drawers hold recipe cards and fine cotton napkins.
The upper tier of the Hamper contains tumblers, decanters and a shaker, and smaller utensils — including a muddler finished in American Walnut and a strainer engraved with the 'RR' markings — are securely stored on a specially developed moveable rack that can be locked when not in use.
Every item of glassware is made by Theresienthal, Europe's most revered glassmaker and supplier of many of the Continent's Royal Courts, and have platinum rims.
Finally, it comes with a glass tray that's discreetly housed beneath the integrated wooden chopping board, ensuring drinks are presented to guests in consummate Rolls-Royce luxury.
As a finishing touch, a book containing a series of cocktail recipes inspired by the marque's extraordinary heritage completes the set.
If you want one, you'll be able to place an order at one of the 130 Rolls-Royce dealers around the world. That's if it hasn't sold out, of course.
-Daily Mail