Royal Salute recently unveiled an expansion to its 62 Gun Salute collection, this time exploring more flavour-centered expressions, with an American Oak Reserve and a Peated Reserve, which will join the classic Original Reserve. This subtle move should really be given more credit for how blended scotch whisky is increasingly innovating and changing the way it is perceived, whilst upping the ante on what it offers! 

Consider this - the traditional goal for blended Scotch was always centered around achieving harmony across a broad spectrum of flavour profiles pieced and weaved together of different parcels of whiskies with varying flavour profiles. Yet now, that's being shifted to focus on using this library of references to enhance and deliver a particular flavour profile in a more holistic and immersive way. It's again a very subtle yet momentous shift in the way whisky blenders are evolving in their philosophy, and that's something that really deserves far more attention.

The Royal Salute.

So then we have the Royal Salute, the gem of Chivas' stable, which was first created in 1953 to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II's coronation (and was released on 2 June 1953, the very day of the coronation) - it remains the only Scotch brand whose every expression carries a minimum of 21 years of age across all its forms, which means every Royal Salute is at least 21 years or older. That '21' is of course symbolic of the ceremonial 21 Gun Salute that is fired from the Tower of London to mark special royal occasions. And at its core, the Royal Salute blend has always been created around the highly revered Strathisla Speyside single malt. 

The highly revered Strathisla distillery.

Strathisla doesn't get much individual attention, shying away from its own flagship bottlings as its reserved for Chivas' premium blends, and yet the oldest continuously active distillery of the Scottish Highlands has always been a serious cult whisky. It's well known for its dried fruit profile, rich maltiness, fresh tropical fruits and baking spices, that makes Strathisla vibrant, moreish and deeply evocative - and once again, reserved for Chivas' blended whiskies. And that's also what makes the whisky of the Royal Salute so special.

We got first digs at the new 62 Gun Salute collection created by the legendary (and very humorous) Sandy Hyslop, and presented by the wonderful Chivas ambassador Anna Mitchell.

And so getting back at the newly expanded 62 Gun Salute. This range is counted as the most prestigious part of the Royal Salute core portfolio, and pays tribute to the 62 Gun Salute which is the highest ceremonial honour, only conducted for royal births, ascension or coronation. The rite is conducted with 41 shots from the Tower of London to signify the royal occasion and 21 additional shots for the City of London.

Thus to produce this most premium of Royal Salute's whiskies, we have the legendary Master Blender Sandy Hyslop (a true maestro whose work spans iconic brands from Chivas Regal and Ballantine's to even working with the new Chinese distillery to create its inaugural Chuan whisky!) whose put his blending talent to work on this trio.

The still room at The Chuan Malt Distillery at Emeishan in southwestern China.

Component whiskies of the 62 Gun Salute are significantly older than the standard 21 years. The youngest component whisky here is least 40 years old, and rare stocks are drawn from a range of long-closed (silent) distilleries. We don't have the full list of who these silent distilleries are, but we know for a fact that the third in this series, The Peated Reserve, contains some malt from Caperdonich Distillery – Victorian era Speyside distillery that shut down some 23 years ago in 2002.

We were pretty lucky to score first digs at the 62 Gun Salute at the Le Cercle private client space in Pernod Ricard's Singapore office. After being really impressed by the lusciousness of the Royal Salute 24 Cognac Edition last October, it's safe to say we were pretty excited to have a taste of the expanded 62 Guns!

So let's get into it!

Whisky Review: Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute The Original Reserve

The Original Reserve is blended with over 50 malt and grain components, and comes in a decanter that is designed to be reminiscent of the Stuart Sapphire of the Crown Jewels.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Amber

Aroma: Incredibly aromatic, immediately layered with old Sherry, leather, as well as sweet tea. It has this sense of antiquity about it, with this clear quality of being deeply aged, taking on these deeper, more tertiary character - really expressive and vibrant. More on leather polish, floral lilacs, black licorice, backed up stewed fruit compote of persimmons and figs. Really good richness and definitely that impressive aromatic intensity.

Taste: It comes through lively with this burst of bright orchard fruits of golden apples, plums, and more persimmons. It's layered with baking spices of cinnamon and cloves, with a subtle yet firm layer of oak. It keeps that vibrance, with a mintiness that grows with time. Weaved in is this concentrated yet lifted sweetness of stewed prunes, with a dusting of cocoa as well. It's well-saturated, fresh and vibrant, keeping this approachable quality to the body.

Finish: Taking a richer turn here, with more on mocha and clove spices, still with that Sherry sweetness at the core, and a long seamless finish that ends with a touch of dryness holding up against the concentrated sweetness.

My Thoughts

I was quite taken aback by how intensely aromatic this was on the nose, it's incredibly vibrant and with this incredible aged quality that's surfacing all these lovely earthy flavours of black tea, leather and old Sherry. Yet at the same time it keeps that brightness of florals and fruits, all wrapping around this Sherried core. On the palate, it sustains all of that vibrance, really impressive stuff. Here it's all stewed fruits, citrus, this touch of mintiness, and a nice dusting of cocoa and spices. And through the finish still it keeps this really concentrated core of Sherry sweetness that's just pure stewed prunes and plums, which is at different junctures paired with mocha, mint or citrus. The oak too holds really well, it's firm without pushing through any bitterness, and into the finish you see it take on its real role in giving that Sherried sweetness balance and contrast, by gently ushering it to a lightly dry finish.

Whisky Review: Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute The American Oak Reserve

Here we see another blend of over 50 malt and grain components - except there's a higher proportion that's aged only in American Oak casks. This comes in a ruby red decanter that's an homage to the Black Prince's Ruby in the Imperial State Crown of England.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep Amber

Aroma: Opening up more mellow with wafts of those classic caramel and vanilla aromas, here with a waxy quality to it. There's a coating spread of stewed apples, a gentle lift of raspberry jam and a biscuity, almost vanilla sponge cake-like richness. Over time, the aroma blossoms beautifully into stewed orchard fruits—soft pears, baked peaches—before taking on a more floral elegance. Think delicate rose petals and rose-flavoured Turkish Delight. There’s also a soft toasted nuttiness, hinting at some toasted almond flakes.

Palate: Here is where it really shines—an incredibly lush, oily, indulgent mouthfeel. Rich blanket of sweet, creamy flavours follow with vanilla sponge cake, salted caramel, thick vanilla pudding. Then the bright, sunny character of yellow orchard fruits steps in—golden apples, ripe pears,  a splash of honey and apricots. There’s more warmth than the Original, with a gentle kick of candied ginger adding warmth, spice and lift. This expression is incredibly textural, and the richness lingers on the tongue with waves of buttery sweetness.

Finish: Very long and warm. It finishes with a creamy coconut note—like coconut milk custard—more vanillic than oaky, and far more about that sweet, mellow, creamy finish than any drying tannin. It’s a fade-out of vanilla cream and toasted nuts, leaving the palate soft and satisfied.

My Thoughts

This was a little shy on the nose at first, but given some time in the glass, it opens up into something really delicious on the palate. 

It’s the palate that takes the cake—literally. It's velvety, weighty, almost like pouring sponge cake batter over your tongue. While it may not be as complex or multi-layered as the Original Reserve, the American Oak Reserve makes up for it with straightforward decadence—full of creamy, biscuity, cakey notes that make it an absolute crowd-pleaser. It’s warm, sweet, and so satisfying, the kind of whisky no one could say no to.

Whisky Review: Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute The Peated Reserve

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Overall it shares a familiar DNA with the Original Reserve—sweet tangerines, red apples, and a gentle depth of nutty oak. But this time there’s a distinctly elevated honeyed note with a soft veil of smoke. Not aggressive or medicinal, but gentle and aromatic—more like black tea leaves or a whiff of dried heather flowers caught in the breeze. It’s delicate, comforting, with a rather old-world charm.

Palate: Rich and expressive with a hint of old style sherried Scotch profile. The peat is subtle but present, weaving in and out rather than dominating. It opens sweet and luscious—tinned peaches, stewed red apples, figs and raisins—all layered with a sherried richness. There’s also an underlying rancio depth: toasted walnuts, old leather, even the faintest sulphuric flicker like struck flint. Warming spices begin to rise—cloves, cinnamon—and just when you think it’s done, a burst of minty coolness reminiscent of black Hacks candy rolling through.

Finish: Long and layered with dried heather, candied orange peel, and a dry, almost floral tea-like smokiness that persists without ever getting overwhelming. It’s more Highland than Islay in style—graceful, mellow, and aromatic rather than briny or peaty.

My Thoughts

This one surprised me with how beautifully the flavours evolved over time. It starts familiar, then gradually unfolds into something more vintage and evocative. The soft smoke is so well integrated—it never tries to shout, but rather enhances everything around it.

It reminded me of sipping an old bottle of blended Scotch from the ’60s—there’s that same slightly musty leathery depth, rancio complexity, and quiet confidence. The peat here is floral and refined, more Highland than maritime—nowhere near the punchy iodine-laced smoke of Islay, but instead much more perfumed and balanced.

Across these 3 expressions, it was difficult to pick a favourite, but I would say The Peated Reserve is the winner for me. That being said, each whisky clearly has its own distinct voice. The Original Reserve has evocative aromatic complexity with a nose that really steals the show. The American Oak Reserve stuns with its decadence, its lush, creamy and full-on vanilla sponge and pastry richness. But as an old Scotch lover, I like The Peated Reserve as it is has the most traditional feel to it. It captures that classic, old-school spirit of what blended Scotch used to be—layered, nuanced, and quietly powerful.

For those looking to acquire them, The Original Reserve and American Oak Reserve are available in Singapore at Grand Cru, The Whisky Distillery, and Pernod Ricard’s VIP platform, Le Cercle. The Peated Reserve, meanwhile, is a global travel retail exclusive, available at Lotte Duty Free Wines & Spirits—so keep an eye out when you're next passing through!

@CharsiuCharlie