Why Royal Salute’s ‘exceptional whisky’ costs US$30,000 a bottle
Master blender Sandy Hyslop sampled the limited-edition blend every 18 months, but only released it once he was satisfied it had reached its prime – after it had been aged for 52 years
British whisky-maker Royal Salute is known for its long ageing times – the collection begins where many others end, at 21 years and up. But its latest release makes its youngest “entry-level” expression seem like child’s play: the limited-edition blend, of which only 106 bottles are available, has been aged for 52 years.
The Time Series 52 Year Old Single Cask Finish, which comes with a price tag of US$30,000 a bottle, has been crafted by Royal Salute master blender Sandy Hyslop.
“Fourteen years ago, we blended together some of the oldest and most valuable whiskies in the Royal Salute collection – all at least 38 years old – and put them in one second-fill American oak barrel,” says Hyslop. “Every 18 months, I sampled the liquid, waiting until it reached its prime. Now, we have released it, a truly exceptional whisky.”
The whisky has an intensely fruity nose, with scents of ripe plum, toffee, red apples and dark chocolate-covered hazelnuts. Beautifully balanced, with a soft and creamy mouth feel, it is rich with flavours of ripe pears in syrup, sweet orange marmalade, and hints of ginger, cloves and licorice.
The whisky comes in a handblown Dartington Crystal decanter engraved with a number, presented inside a box made of five layers of wood, each representing a decade of the blend.
It has been a big year for Royal Salute. The company, created in 1953 to mark Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, has suffered since Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 2012 crackdown on corruption, which aimed to curb the giving of lavish watches and whisky, by government officials.
The brand reinvented itself this year, and at a glittering event in Seoul in July, released two new whiskies – The Malts Blend and The Lost Blend. It also unveiled vibrant and quirky packaging aimed at younger, more sophisticated Asian and international drinkers.
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