Royal Salute honours British Monarchy with 32yo

Pernod Ricard-owned Royal Salute has launched a 32-year-old blended whisky to honour the creation of the modern British Monarchy in 1603 – known as the Union of the Crowns.

Royal Salute 32 Year Old Union of the Crowns is a permanent addition to the brand’s travel retail line

Royal Salute 32 Year Old Union of the Crowns is a blend of single malt and grain whiskies aged for a minimum of 32 years.

Union of the Crowns pays tribute to the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the thrones of England and Ireland in 1603 – which saw three realms united under a single monarch for the first time.

The new expression features more than six Scotch whiskies, including Longmorn, Glen Keith, Tormore and Braeval as well as long-since closed distilleries Lochside and Caperdonich.

The final expression is said to offer a “rich and fruity nose with flavours of soft caramel toffee, dark chocolate and orange with a touch of ginger cake.”

Union of the Crowns is presented in a porcelain flagon embossed with a distinguished hand-hammered silver plaque, while a black stone set on a silver crown tops the bottle.

Each bottle is unique, with the glaze giving every flagon an individual patina – the result of a secret firing process.

To bring the story to life, the flagon’s long neck is decorated with a rose, a thistle and a shamrock.

Peter Moore, prestige brand director at Chivas Brothers, said: “We are very pleased to present Royal Salute 32 Year Old Union of the Crowns, a truly precious blend of aged whiskies. This unique Scotch unites the timeless tradition of our skills and history with a contemporary understanding of the whisky experience preferred by today’s discerning spirits drinkers.

“The British Monarchy has been at the heart of the brand since its foundation in 1953 and, as a true representation of the exquisite craft of the Royal Salute blending team, we expect this new expression to become a sought-after collector’s item for international travellers.”

Royal Salute 32 Year Old Union of the Crowns is available in global travel retail at an RRP of US$380.

In March this year, Royal Salute unveiled an activation for The Eternal Reserve blended Scotch whisky at London Heathrow Airport (LHR).