Royal Salute’s 62 Gun Salute collection is a spirited tribute to a grand royal tradition

It is a long-standing monarchical tradition that marks the most prestigious of regal celebrations. Like the birth, ascension or coronation of a sovereign. The 62 Gun Salute that is fired specifically from the Tower of London – 41 to signify a royal occasion from the Tower, and a further 21 for the city of London – is a spectacle of grandeur and ceremonial display of distinction. It is also the namesake and inspiration behind the exclusive Royal Salute’s 62 Gun Salute Collection, a trio of exceptional whiskies crafted as the ultimate expression of honour and celebration.

The heritage distillery from Speyside, Scotland, has a deeply intertwined regal history. It was birthed in 1953, as a tribute to a young queen (the late Queen Elizabeth II) on her coronation. Its inimitable distinction: It is the only distillery in the world to exclusively produce Scotch whiskies that are aged for a minimum of 21-years old, beginning where others peak.

ROYAL PEDIGREE

History and heritage influence every dram produced by Royal Salute. No wonder then that a significant occasion like a young queen’s ascension to the throne in 1953, so boldly proclaimed by a 62 Gun Salute, should have its own remarkable spirit.

It took a while, but in June of 2010, Royal Salute launched the 62 Gun Salute, in time for the Queen’s birthday celebrations that year. Four generations of master blenders worked on developing this ultimate drink of distinction, that tapped on over 50 of Scotland’s most exceptional malt and grain whiskies of a minimum vintage of 40 years. The resulting heady and sticky sip had sumptuous fruity notes to give it sherried sweetness; while fine dark chocolate married with hints of nuts and warm cinnamon contributed to its rich and deep complex taste profile. Presented in a handcrafted Dartington crystal decanter decorated in 24-carat gold, and crowned with a crystal cut stopper, it was indeed a gift befitting royalty.

The 62 Gun Salute became the jewel in the crown of Royal Salute’s permanent range of whiskies. Not only, it became a winner of multiple awards for the distillery, the first of which was the “Best Premium No Age Statement Blended Scotch of the Year” at the 2012 Whisky Bible Awards. Over the years, it has won several gold and silver medals from various wine and spirits competitions and notably bagged the “Blended Scotch Whisky Trophy” at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in 2023. The IWSC is one of the most prestigious awards in the world of whisky and spirits, and the best of the best are awarded Trophy medals.

POWER OF THREE

Fast forward to present times. To usher in a new chapter of reign, the prestige distillery’s jewel in the crown has been reimagined as an anthology of three ultra-premium whiskies. In the third quarter of 2024, Royal Salute introduced its 62 Gun Salute Collection, a spirit magnum opus that evokes the sensations of witnessing the majestic gun salute.

It comprises the award-winning cornerstone, 62 Gun Salute Original Reserve, and two new complements – The American Oak Reserve and The Peated Reserve – by the distillery’s Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop. Each whisky represents a unique sensorial aspect of the ceremony, from the time-honoured tradition to the drifting smoke of cannons, to the immense power of the occasion.

Hyslop shared that the crafting process was lengthy and meticulous, until he was confident that they had blends that could authentically represent the ceremony. He said: “The collection’s flavour profile is beautifully complex and rounded, connecting all the sense to create a lasting taste experience that reflects the significance of the occasion.”

Every element of the 62 Gun Salute Collection has been designed cohesively, from the exacting palate complexities to how these premium whiskies are presented, to bring equal parts of enchantment and wonder. For instance, the bottles are housed in lacquered piano boxes detailed with illustrations, while the decanter rests atop a wooden serving tray to make a beautiful opening statement.

THE OG

While the 62 Gun Salute Original Reserve retains its characteristic blends from over 50 of Scotland’s most distinctive malt and grain whiskies, what’s immediately striking is its fresh outlook that is inspired by the crown jewels kept at the Tower of London.

The award-winning liquid is now housed in a beautiful contemporary decanter in sapphire blue that is reminiscent of the Stuart Sapphire. A gold neck collar and bejewelled stopper (again referencing the Crown Jewels) both add to its luxe factor.

The drink echoes the time-honoured tradition of the 62 Gun Salute in its resplendent glory. To reflect the explosion of power from the cannons, there is that burst of intense sweet orange intermingled with nutty, oaky flavours, that is slightly smoky and ever so detectable by the nose. The palate is pleasantly teased by the marriage of ripe fruit and boiled sweets, rounded off with notes of vanilla, creme brulee and cinnamon. The whisky has an impressively long finish that lingers in the mouth.

You can see why the Original Reserve has impressed consistently over the years, most recently winning a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2024 for Scotch Blends 21 years old and over – Distillers; and clinching a near perfect score (98 points) to win a gold outstanding medal in the IWSC 2023.

AMPLIFIED FLAVOUR

Reflecting the intensity of the gun salute ceremony is The American Oak Reserve, a vibrant whisky with a higher proportion of whisky aged exclusively in the finest American Oak casks to amplify its powerful flavour. This is not a shy drink, since it is intended to match the explosive intensity when the cannons are discharged. With a long, sweet and complex finish, this borders on that gourmand whisky line, with a good balance and complexity of sweet, spicy and warm, but with that zesty tang of ripe tropical fruit like pineapple, mango and papaya.

The American Oak Reserve comes in a striking ruby-red bottle that reflects the Black Prince’s Ruby set in the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom. While it has only recently made its debut, it has already scored a gold win at the International Whisky Competition (IWSC) 2024.

A WISP OF SMOKE

The coda in the 62 Gun Salute magnum opus is The Peated Reserve, which is housed in an emerald-green decanter that mirrors the 11 emeralds found in the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom. A whisky crafted as a complex amplification of the Original Reserve, it is inspired by the subtle smokiness that drifts and lingers over the city of London after the conclusion of the ceremonial salute.

Hyslop composed this peaty blend with over 50 precious whiskies, including malts from the lost distillery of Caperdonich.

While the smokiness is more subtle on the nose – there is a stronger presence of fruits (think dark cherries and ripe pears) – it is more robust on the palate, which is an intricate layered mix of fruit, warm spice, toasted woodiness and slightly burnt herbs. The distinct sweet and smoky notes are enduring however, lingering long on the palate – supposedly for at least 10 minutes or as long as the duration of a 62 Gun Salute.

Echoing the success of The American Oak Reserve, The 62 Gun Salute Peated Reserve also received a Trophy at IWSC 2024.

Unlike the other two whiskies, The Peated Reserve is a global travel retail exclusive and only available at duty-free airports. It retails for US$3,300 (S$4,464).  

The Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Collection is now available in Singapore for purchase at select retailers that include Grand Cru and The Whisky Distillery. You can also place orders via Pernod Ricard’s VIP Platform Le Cercle. The Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Original Reserve retails at S$4,000, while The American Oak Reserve is S$4,400.