Royal Salute is a premium blended Scotch from Chivas.

It was first launched in 1953 to coincide with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and was presented as a tribute to the British monarchy. Several flagons of their whisky were even presented to the newly crowned Queen.

The brand’s name is inspired by the time-honoured 21 Gun Salute conducted at the Tower of London to mark royal celebrations. Since 2012, the brand also been an official partner with the Historic Royal Palaces, which manages several of the UK’s royal palaces, including the iconic Tower of London.

The creation of Royal Salute can be credited to Samuel Bronfman, a visionary entrepreneur who headed Seagram, the Canadian drinks giant that once owned Chivas. There were inherent challenges to launching a new whisky brand in the mid-20th century, considering the fierce competition from well-established household blended Scotch brands – several of which are still found on shelves.

So Bronfman devised a strategy: Chivas would have to create a luxury Scotch whisky that would so clearly stand out from the crowd with a much higher perceived quality. It should ideally have a significantly more prestigious image than the average blended Scotch – one that could be fit for royalty.

Age served as the most prominent marker of quality in whiskies. So, an unprecedented decision was made that Royal Salute would bottle a whisky aged for at least 21 years. It was a radical move in the 1950s when all other blended Scotches on the market were much younger.

And this was how Royal Salute became the only Scotch whisky ever to continuously offer a minimum age statement of 21 years for over 70 years since its launch. Despite the recent rise of NAS (No Age Statement) whiskies driven by factors like a global whisky shortage, Royal Salute firmly commits to bottling whiskies at least 21 years or older.

But what exactly goes into a bottle of Royal Salute?

Master Blender Sandy Hyslop.

Royal Salute is a blended Scotch made by combining grain whiskies and malt whiskies from several different distilleries across Scotland. Blending allows Master Blender Sandy Hyslop to create a whisky with a consistent house style by expertly marrying the unique characteristics of various malt and grain whiskies. Master Blender Hyslop is a chemist by training, and became a blender in 1994. He has since become a driving force in the world of Scotch, overseeing not only Royal Salute but also other familiar names from Pernod Ricard, like Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s and The Glenlivet.

The beautiful Strathisla Distillery rarely produces stand-alone single malt, and is closely associated with Royal Salute and Chivas' blends.

While the exact recipe for Royal Salute remains a closely guarded secret, we know that it features key components from Strathisla and Longmorn. The picturesque Strathisla Distillery in fact serves as Royal Salute’s and Chivas’ visitor centre, and is the oldest continuously operating distillery in the Highlands region, dating back to 1786. It's also likely that the blend includes malt whiskies from other distilleries under the Pernod Ricard umbrella, such as Aberlour, Glenlivet and Scapa, with some grain whisky provided by Strathclyde. Older limited edition releases of Royal Salute have also included “lost distillery” whiskies from now-closed distilleries such as Caperdonich and Imperial.

We should also note that each Royal Salute expression is blended differently using a distinct range of whiskies tailored to its age statement. A Royal Salute 25 or 30 year old aren’t simply a 21 year old that's been left to slumber longer. They are composed of different spirits and blended by Master Blender Hyslop.

Recently, Pernod unveiled a new Royal Salute 24 Year Old Cognac Cask Finish as an exclusive bottling for the Asian market. This is Royal Salute’s first Cognac cask release. The spirit began its maturation in predominantly American oak casks before being transferred to first-fill French oak ex-Cognac casks selected by Master Blender Hyslop, then bottled at 40% ABV. One look at the bottling and it’s obvious how this is designed with the Asian market in mind.

The whisky is presented in the most auspicious shade of bright red with an ornate box with motifs on the inner side. There are illustrations of Asian gardens, animals like pheasants, cranes, and pandas, alongside symbolic peonies, water lilies, and chrysanthemums, all representing good fortune, prosperity and the cyclical nature of life. The use of ex-Cognac casks is also intended to resonate with the brandy-loving Asian markets.

I had the opportunity to taste it when it was just launched in Singapore. Here’re my thoughts!

Royal Salute 24 Years Old, Cognac Cask Finish, 40% ABV – Review

Tasting Notes

Nose: Fresh and rounded. Lush honeyed tea sweetness takes centre stage, wrapped in notes of ripe orchard fruits; soft Royal Gala red apples and a touch of raspberry adding tartness and vibrancy. Honey leads to an almost white floral tea fragrance lingering in the background.

Palate: Opens with honey and warm cinnamon and cloves; a distinct French oak spice note on a medium bodied palate. Intertwined with some vanilla and light caramel. European oak influence is discernible but the texture is luscious and velvety, and it avoids any dryness or overoaking. As the palate develops we get more red fruit dimensions; subtle hints of frozen crushed strawberries and a touch of overripe raspberries. Oak spice and depth intensifies a little as the palate unfolds.

Finish: Sweetness persists for a short while, woven with subtle spices like cinnamon and ginger to highlight the Cognac cask influence. Gentle smokiness and oak char lingering on the finish with some coffee grounds, mint and indistinct herbal notes. 

My Thoughts:

This whisky is remarkably approachable, with its oak and spice elements expertly balanced. It offers up a smooth, rounded mouthfeel devoid of any tannins and it’s a huge delight to sip neat. The flavour profile is honeyed, fruity and fairly expressive for a 40% ABV whisky. A very respectable blended Scotch.

Given its lusciousness and red fruit character, the whisky also holds up really, really well in a highball. Thanks to the good bartender at this launch event, I also got to enjoy a delicious rose liqueur highball mixed with this whisky.

Given their age, Royal Salute’s expressions are some of the most consistently solid, value-for-money blended Scotches you’d find in the market. It’s worth noting, though, that consumers in the international whisky market are getting increasingly knowledgeable and discerning. Consumers want to know more about the whisky they're drinking, its origins, the intricacies of its production and the stories behind the distilleries involved. It’d be interesting to see if Royal Salute would move towards sharing a little more information about what goes into its secret recipe – if not the full distillery names, perhaps the regions they’re from? This should add another dimension of enjoyment to curious consumers and whisky lovers.

For those keen to purchase, the Royal Salute 24-Year-Old Cognac Cask is now available in Singapore at select retailers, including FairPrice Finest (Clarke Quay and Centrepoint). You can also find it at various dining and drinking establishments like Paradise Group outlets and HighHouse. The bottle is also available for online purchase.

@CharsiuCharlie