The Angels' Share (149 Guardians)
A luminous fine‑art tartan — inspired by Scotch whisky and the quiet light of angels in the weave.
LIMITED EDITION FRAMED PRINT
LARGE A1 SIZE
LIGHT OAK WOOD FRAME AND BLACK MOUNT
ONLY 149 COPIES — FREE WORLDWIDE DELIVERY
Created in Arbroath, Scotland by Steven Patrick Sim (The Tartan Artisan®), The Angels’ Share® honours Scotch whisky and the quiet 2% that rises unseen from oak casks — long known as “the angels’ share.”
It also celebrates the recorded origins of Scotch whisky in 1494, when the Scottish Exchequer Rolls first noted the spirit: “To Friar John Cor, by order of the King, VIII bolls of malt to make aquavitae.” In this ethereal tartan artwork, that moment in history is not only remembered — it’s woven into cloth and light, held as a quiet angelic presence in the weave.
The poem that appears on the fine-art print —
"The Angels' Share"
by Steven Patrick Sim
The Tartan Artisan
By royal word to Friar Cor,
eight bolls were cast to fire and lore;
Through oak rose Water, pure and rare,
the angels took their golden share.
Now in the tartan's threads they stay,
woven spirits Light our way.
A choir of guardians divine —
— one hundred and forty-nine.
A1 Edition – The Accompanying Poem Sheet
Each A1 edition of The Angel’s Share® includes a dedicated poem sheet on textured 135gsm “Diamond White Fine Linen” paper, supplied alongside your numbered print and certificate of authenticity. The poem expands the single verse on the artwork into a fuller narrative, tracing the spirit’s journey from malt and flame, through oak and time, to the quiet presence in the tartan’s weave.
The sheet also highlights:
- The complete poem, beginning with the opening verse and continuing its exploration
- An angelic symbol that emerged unintentionally in the tartan design during weaving
- The original 1494 Exchequer Rolls entry in Latin, with English translation, documenting Friar John Cor’s order for aqua vitae
At a glance:
- A1 fine-art giclée print on Hahnemühle Bamboo paper (warm, natural tone, archival 290gsm)
- The Angels’ Share Tartan — inspired by whisky’s glow, oak and the mystery of evaporation (40% ABV, 2% lost)
- Limited A1 “Guardians Edition” — limited to 149 large framed prints worldwide, each numbered and certified
- Framed in light oak wood with a black museum mount — understated and elegant
- Created in Arbroath, Scotland, (the 'home of tartan'), and fulfilled locally in the UK, EU or US
- Made to order, securely packaged and shipped worldwide
Print size
A1 – 594 × 841 mm (23.4 × 33.1 in)
This premium framed A1 Guardians Edition is offered at £494.10 (with FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING) — in homage to 1494, the year whisky first entered the record books.
...or read on to learn more
The meaning behind The Angels’ Share
The Angels’ Share Tartan was designed to carry the warmth of the spirit — amber, gold, and the deep tones of oak — but also to hold a presence: the “angels’ share” itself, the 2% of whisky that quietly evaporates through the cask as it matures.
Whisky folk have long spoken of that loss with reverence. In this tartan, that reverence is not just told — it’s woven into the cloth. The angels appear in the geometry of the sett: twin ochre lines through oak brown trace the flow of vapour; white and golden threads hint at wings; and angelic patterns come to life when the weave meets shifting light. Each framed work holds its own “guardian” in the weave.
The original image was captured by the tartan’s designer, Steven Patrick Sim, from a hand‑fringed length of authentic Lochcarron 16oz Strome tartan — pure‑wool cloth woven in Scotland. Drawn almost irresistibly to a single quiet pivot in the weave, he photographed and enlarged that point as an exploded view, so the original fabric — and the unseen force behind that moment — live on in every framed print in the edition.
On each limited-edition print, the bold “Guardian Angel” number at the foot of the piece invites you to see a single presence in the weave — one guardian among the 149.
“The Angels’ Share is not only measured in vapour; in this design, it is also measured in threads.”
Seven colours — one story
Seven colours carry Scotch’s complete narrative: from water and fire to oak and angels — all captured in woven light.
- Blue: pure Scottish water — the beginning of every dram
- Indigo: heat, flame, and coal-fired tradition — the still at work
- Brown: oak casks and aged depth — time, containment, maturation
- Amber: the whisky itself — 40 threads for 40% ABV
- Ochre: yeast and fermentation — plus twin lines echoing the Angels’ Share
- Yellow: golden barley harvest — ripened grain, sunlit earth that starts the journey
- White: the angelic light in the weave
Smoke & earth tones between the colours: peat, malt, and the grounded character of Scotland
A1 fine art on Bamboo paper
The Angels’ Share A1 Guardians Edition derives from the artist's original design, and is a high‑resolution photographic fine‑art print of authentic Lochcarron heavyweight Strome tartan, captured on the bias to reveal striking depth in every thread. An exploded view at A1 scale, the tartan becomes an impressive framed work where geometry, colour, and light converge to suggest a quiet angelic presence.
- Warm tone: Hahnemühle Bamboo paper, with a subtle pale yellow tint to enhance its whisky-like ethereal warmth, carries a natural off-white that makes the tartan's whites pop against amber, oak, and golden light.
- Archival quality: Crafted for longevity and faithful colour reproduction.
- Organic character: A subtle heritage feel, ideal for a whisky‑inspired piece.
Delivered framed and ready to hang
This large A1 print is finished in light-oak with a black museum mount — a striking art piece for a study, tasting room, or dedicated whisky space.
- Premium Nielsen frame: Nielsen Quadrum® gallery-standard oak frame (FSC®-certified wood), with 3mm shatter-resistant acrylic glazing for safe worldwide shipping. Acrylic can be swapped for glass by your local framer if preferred.
- Secure backing: Durable hardboard with central sawtooth hanger for level wall mounting, plus extra rotating metal clips along top, bottom, and sides that lock artwork firmly into the frame's groove — ready to hang straight out of the box.
Limited edition & certification
Only 149 framed prints will exist in this edition. Each honours 1494, when whisky was first recorded in Scotland, and each carries its guardian angel in the cloth.
- Edition: A1 “Guardians Edition” — 149 worldwide
- Certification: Numbered print and matching Signed Certificate of Authenticity
- Symbolism: Certificate includes the angelic geometry drawn from the tartan
- Creator: Steven Patrick Sim (The Tartan Artisan®), Arbroath, Scotland — the home of tartan
The certificate bears the edition number, the angelic motif, and the artist’s printed signature. It is accompanied by a supporting poem sheet that completes the four-verse poem (with the first verse appearing on the limited-edition print itself) and features the full 1494 Exchequer Rolls quote, offering complete provenance for collectors.
Local fulfilment — faster, duty-free delivery
- Made closer to home: Printed, framed and shipped from the USA, UK or EU depending on your address
- Protective shipping: Packed for safe transit to arrive in pristine condition
-
Production time:
Framed Prints Delivery Times
(Production: 10 working days + shipping)
UK: 11–12 working days
US: 13–17 working days
EU: 11–14 working days
Holidays add 2–3 days
- NOTE – FREE WORLDWIDE DELIVERY IS OFFERED FOR THIS LARGE FINE ART A1 FRAMED PRINT.
Why collectors choose this edition
- Whisky heritage, woven: A Scottish story told in light, thread and pattern — from water and grain to cask and angelic vapour
- A presence in the sett: A design that suggests wings, glowing ether, and a watchful, quiet mystery in the weave
- Statement scale: A1 is a true wall piece — bold, warm, and luminous, with the tartan captured on the bias for depth in every thread
- Guardians Edition: Scarcity by design — only 149 framed A1 prints worldwide, tied to whisky’s 1494 written origin
- Complete provenance: Artwork, certificate with angelic symbol, and a supporting poem/provenance sheet with the Exchequer Rolls quotation
There be angels in the weave
Every large A1 print carries the same hidden geometry — and the same invitation to look a little longer. The more time you give it, the more it gives back.
For customers seeking a smaller framed art piece — also available as an A2 edition:
A smaller, more accessible edition of The Angels’ Share is also available in A2 format, published as 1494 Angels worldwide — ideal for more intimate spaces while retaining the same design and story. Framed in light-oak with a black museum grade mount. Priced at £149.40 plus P+P.
View The Angels’ Share — A2 Edition (1494 prints)
Discover the story in the threads
Size, Pricing & How to Order
This premium framed edition is offered in one A1 format. Choose your quantity and click Add to cart. Your print will be produced to order and shipped securely, with free worldwide delivery.
| Print size | Approx. dimensions | Price |
|---|---|---|
| A1 – Guardians Edition (Framed) | Approx. 59 × 84 cm (23.4" × 33.1") | £494.10 |
Visible image area:
~47 × 71 cm within the mount. Final framed size: ~62 × 87 cm (includes 16mm frame face, 25mm depth).
To purchase, choose your quantity and click Add to cart. Your artwork will be produced to order and shipped securely.
If you have a discount code, please enter it at checkout before completing your order.
Choose options