In whisky, ageing, maturing, and finishing are all different things. Ageing is the process of a whisky getting older, while maturing is the development of its flavour and colour. As for finishing, it is a relatively recent phenomenon in which whisky is transferred from one type of cask to another for a second maturation process. Sherry casks are commonly used, but red wine, port, and rum casks are also popular.
In terms of duration, there is a notable difference between maturing and finishing whisky. “Generally, maturing takes years while finishing takes months,” explains Nathan Wood, Royal Salute’s Global Brand Manager. We are at Strathisla Distillery, the oldest operational distillery in the Scottish Highlands and the home of Royal Salute. Several factors led to this choice, Wood explains.
As the mother distillery, Strathisla is central to the Chivas story, deeply rooted in Scottish whiskymaking traditions and its local communities. Speyside is also known for producing some of the best whiskeys in the world because of its distinctive terroir. In addition, mild winters and cool summers provide ideal maturation conditions, resulting in complex flavours that are not affected by temperature changes.
Wood has just poured us the Royal Salute Scotch Whisky 24 Year Old Cognac Cask Finish, its first cognac cask blend. Finishing in a cognac cask, Wood explains, adds fruitiness to the flavour. Although I am not a connoisseur, the consensus is that the 24 Year Old Cognac Cask Finish boasts notes of summer berry compote, creamy caramel, and cinnamon.
Intriguingly, it was developed for Asian palates, hence the bottle’s mysteriously auspicious colour and the pagodas and giant pandas on the packaging. The first release was limited to a few bottles in Singapore and the remaining bottles were exported to China. “If you like it, drink it,” Wood urges me as I sip from my dram.
But that’s just the appetiser. I’ve made my way to Aberdeen to learn about Royal Salute’s latest releases from the luxury 62 Gun Salute collection. Named after the highest ceremonial honour in British royal tradition, it is a series of three whiskies blended with over 50 of Scotland’s oldest and rarest whiskies, earning impressive accolades.
In light of this, we fly from Aberdeen to London and then arrive at the Tower of London, where Royal Salute set up a residency last year and offers us a guided tasting of the 62 Gun Salute in its specially appointed tasting room. It houses some of the brand’s most exclusive bottles, some of which have been around since its foundation. Tastings are only available by invitation.
The 62 Gun Salute Original Reserve was the first to debut in 2018. Nutty, oaky, and sweet with flavours of ripe plums and sherry, it leaves a long, lingering finish on the palate.
In addition to being a spectacle, the sapphire blue decanter brings to mind the Stuart Sapphire in the crown jewels. It won the ISC (International Spirits Challenge) Gold Outstanding award with 98 points in 2021 and 2023. The other two are new. The first, 62 Gun Salute The American Oak Reserve, is made with whiskies exclusively aged in American Oak casks.
A nose of vanilla fudge, shortbread, and genoise sponge is followed by fruity features of blueberry muffins, sweet red apples, and homemade strawberry jam. On the palate, one can taste tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, and papaya. In a ruby-red flagon representing the Black Prince’s Ruby in the Imperial State Crown of England, it won a gold medal at the 2024 ISC (International Spirits Challenge).
Then there is the 62 Gun Salute The Peated Reserve, a travel retail exclusive that amplifies the Original Reserve. Aromatic fruity notes of dark cherries, ripe pears, and sweet green apples blend with blossom honey, milk chocolate honeycomb, and homemade orange marmalade. On the palate, there are flavours of orange zest and lemon sherbet layered upon notes of ripe peaches and Jamaican ginger cake.
To “capture” the smoke that lingers after the 62 Gun Salute, Master Blender Sandy Hyslop incorporated malts from the famously lost distillery of Caperdonich. With an emerald green decanter, it represents the emeralds in England’s Imperial State Crown and received a double gold medal from the 2024 ISC (International Spirits Challenge).
Essentially, Royal Salute pays the greatest attention to detail in its commitment to giving its consumers a remarkable experience. Though it has a unique connection to the British Monarchy, the 62 Gun Salute collection doesn’t shy away from sharing its heritage. A cheeky dram never hurt anybody, and Royal Salute’s ‘pinnacle’ certainly won’t.
The Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Collection is available in Singapore at select retailers, including Grand Cru and The Whisky Distillery. You can also purchase the Original Reserve and the American Oak Reserve through Pernod Ricard’s VIP Platform Le Cercle. Peated Reserve will be exclusively available in duty-free airports.
Photos: Royal Salute
