Royal Salute to Charles III
On the occasion of the recent coronation of King Charles III, which took place at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6 this year, the whisky market was filled with special editions prepared to commemorate the momentous event. However, one brand definitely stands out in the crowd of "coronation editions," having been associated with the royal court for seven decades, and launched on the occasion of the coronation of the previous monarch in 1953. We are talking about the brand Royal Salute.
The first of these, Royal Salute 21yo Signature Blend, was prepared as a coronation gift for the ascendant young Queen Elizabeth II. This whisky debuted on July 2, 1953, the exact day of the coronation of the. Not coincidentally, it was a 21-year-old whisky. This is because important events at the royal court have for years been accompanied by a 21-fold cannon salute, taking place in the Tower of London fortress. Since then, successive editions of Royal Salute whisky have been prepared to commemorate successive important events. Editions on the market include the Royal Salute Hundred Cask Selection, compiled from the contents of exactly one hundred barrels aged between 22 and 40 years, the unique Royal Salute 52yo Single Cask Finish, or the Royal Salute 38yo Stone of Destiny, referring to the coronation stone of the kings of Scotland and later the kings of England and Great Britain, kept among other regalia in Edinburgh Castle on a daily basis. The same coronation stone rested beneath Charles III's throne on the day of his coronation in Westminster Abbey this May.
Thus, of the many coronation editions of whisky mentioned at the beginning, the most important seems to be the following Royal Salute Coronation of King Charles III Edition. Whisky compiled from 53 malt and grain whiskies by the current Master Buyer of the Royal Salute, Chivas Regal and Ballantine's brands, Sandy Hyslop. Whisky extraordinary both in terms of the beverage itself and its packaging - in a word, whisky worthy of a king. Based on the finest distillates from distilleries owned by Pernod Ricard, the brand's owner, so primarily Strathisla, but also Glenlivet, Aberlour, Glen Keith and several others, offered in an unusual Dartington-branded decanter, sapphire-colored and decorated with elements inspired by jewels from the royal crown. All packaged in a decorative box, whose decorative elements were inspired by the architecture of Westminster Abbey, the site of the coronation of the kings of England and Great Britain since 1066, when William I the Conqueror was first crowned there.
Only 500 copies of such a decanter were made, filled with the most exquisite blend of Scotch whiskies, the Royal Salute Coronation of King Charles III Edition. Of these, only three are in Poland and they are part of the House of Whisky Online's offering as the only Polish whisky store.
A delegation from the House of Whisky was the only one in Poland to receive a personal invitation to the gala launch of this edition, which took place on April 12, 2023, in the gardens of Westminster Abbey, the place where the coronation of the new King took place three weeks later.
As mentioned, the House of Whisky Online offers Royal Salute Coronation of King Charles III Edition, but also several other editions of this remarkable brand. We invite you to visit.
[17.05.2023 / photo: Royal Salute]