Whisky fit for the royals – yes, the English monarchy. Meet Royal Salute, a Scotch-blended whisky produced by Chivas. It was created in 1953 as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and since then, each expression made pays homage to significant moments in the monarch’s history.
Royal Salute is made in Strathisla, the oldest working distillery in the Scottish Highlands; and presented in a porcelain flagon – not something you typically see in whiskies. The brand’s tagline is “We being where others end“, as the youngest whisky produced is aged at least 21 years, which is usually when most distillers stop ageing their whisky.
However, Royal Salute takes it further with a much longer ageing process, thus being able to bring more complex, developed notes otherwise rare in most whiskies. Undoubtedly, it takes immense effort and quality control to ensure each whisky is aged correctly, and this is a further testament to their dedication to perfecting each whisky.
Royal Salute 21-year-old Signature Blend
Royal Salute’s number 21 derives meaning from not only the minimum ageing period of their whiskies but also the traditional 21-gun Salute – the highest honour one could receive; coincidentally, the Queen’s birthday is on the 21st of April.
You’ll get notes of sweet pears and citrus on the nose and a hint of florals as well. Expect some vanilla and dry oak notes, spices, and a lingering smoky finish. A fine introduction to Royal Salute’s range of blended whiskies.
38-year-old: Stone of Destiny
The 38-year-old expression was named after the bedrock of the British monarchy – the Stone of Destiny, the coronation seat of Kings and Queens for centuries.
When tasting it, you can tell right off the bat how the longer ageing duration has matured the whisky compared to the 21-year expression. The 38 has a more mature, sophisticated nose and more complex flavours. You get notes of dried fruits and honey, almost a little like a dessert whisky, but not overly sweet. It’s definitely silkier on the palate, more delicate and elegant. No doubt, this was our favourite!
62 Gun Salute
This expression was inspired by the 62-gun salute, the highest ceremonial honour usually reserved for the most important royal occasions. This unique expression is presented in a midnight blue hand-crafted Dartington Crystal decanter; adorned with 24-carat gold and crowned with a cut crystal stopper – they really pulled out all the stops for this one!
This whisky is aged for roughly 40 years, and has a vibrant nose with an almost sherry-like sweetness with hints of dark chocolate and pronounced notes of warm cinnamon. Expect a powerful body with an intense, oaky flavour and faint smokiness and a luxurious finish.
26-year-old: Kingdom Edition Scottish Oak Cask Finish
Surprise, surprise, we even got to try the soon-to-be-released 26-year-old blend! This beautifully soft expression pays homage to Scotland and celebrates Kingdoms from all over the world.
As a tribute to the homeland of Royal Salute, Scotland; a portion of this incredible blend is finished in virgin Scottish oak casks. A first for Royal Salute and an uncommon practice because of its scarcity.
The Scottish oaks are rare and distinct toasted flavours to the characteristically sweet Royal Salute blend… Which you’ll taste especially on its long, rich finish. On the nose, you’ll get a whiff of sweetness, nuttiness and soft spices; with notes of plums and red apples on the palate.
Royal Salute Cocktails
We also tried a refreshing cocktail made with the 21-year-old Signature Blend of Royal Salute, honey and lemon. Light, refreshing and a thirst quencher in this heat! Click here for the full list of Royal Salute cocktails, with different recipes to suit the flavour profiles of each expression.
If you’d like to purchase any Royal Salute whisky expressions, you may email hello@le-cercle.sg!
Disclaimer: We were guests of Royal Salute, but all opinions remain our own.
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