Life

It’s not every day that a delightfully well-aged whisky gets released and this year Royal Salute has brought The Time Series 52-Year-Old Single Cask Finish, a limited edition blend, into the light of day.

This spectacular blend was crafted by Royal Salute Master Blender Sandy Hyslop and promises decadence with every sip. The amber liquid has a remarkable character that has been ingeniously balanced with a creamy sweet finish.

The whisky is described as intensely fruity on the nose with hints of ripe succulent plum, toffee red apples and even dark chocolate covered hazelnuts. It’s always a wonder that old spirits hold so much depth. Amidst that fruitiness lie traces of sharp ginger as well as spicy scented cloves that intertwine with soft syrupy pears and liquorice.

Out of the 52 years of extremely patient maturation, the last 14 were spent in a single cask, which is how the whisky became creamy and luxuriant in texture. Careful and deliberate supervision of this jewel of a whisky is what makes it special and as such only 106 are available worldwide with a pretty little price tag of US$30,000 a pop.

A true collectable, the scotch comes in a hand-blown Dartington Crystal decanter engraved with the special number it has been bestowed with. All this sits in a beautiful wooden case with five layers that represent the decades it took to achieve this blend.

Tantalising the Senses  

The delightfully decadent bottle was unveiled in Malaysia in October with an Olfactory Studio. In celebration, the night was filled with sniffing both whisky as well as whisky scented perfume was a drinkers dream.

Although whisky has been known to be an older gentleman’s drink the night’s decor was charmingly young. Reminiscent of quirky 1920’s flapper parties there were flowers and cages all around to transport the guests back in time.

With the atmosphere set for the night, it was easy to relax into the olfactory journey guided by their brand ambassador Jasper Epsom. Three perfumes were laid out with three whisky blends of the Royal Salute 21-Year-Old. Founded in the year Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, Royal Salute was a tribute to the young monarch and the 21 gun salute that signified her ascension to the thrown.

Perfumery and whisky are intimately entwined as our olfactory sense provides about 95% of our total sense of flavour. Which is why world-renowned perfumer and Royal Salute Creative Advisor Barnabé Fillion has designed and developed the Royal Salute Olfactory Studio.

The Signature Blend was rich and sweet on the tongue, the citrus coming to the forefront with some smokiness and spice in the background. Matched to it was a sweet perfume that smelled strongly of whisky but also of a strong rose scent that just amplified the fruity scents.

On the other hand, the Malts Blend was overpoweringly spicy, strong and sharp on the palate with apricots, vanilla and clove all mixed together. Its perfume matched it in scent perfectly, almost peppery to the nose.

Finally, the Lost Blend, blends that have been lost to time and hidden in the casks, was the sweetest and most delicate of the three. Juicy pears mingled with charred orange rind and smoky peat combined to create an ambrosial liquid.

But smell and taste are subject to each person and when these blends touch your taste buds, you may find an altogether different experience, which is exactly the beauty of whisky. Spraying perfume onto tester paper and waving it in the air changes the experience just as much as tasting succulent pieces of meat while simultaneously sipping various whisky blends does.

Guests even left the event with a gift box containing the three meticulously created perfumes that pair perfectly with Royal Salute’s whiskies.

Royal Salute is offering another Olfactory Studio event on 15 January 2021 at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur. If you would like to be taken on a whisky journey of scent and sip you can find more details for all upcoming Olfactory Studio events by enquiring with Trisha Kuck from Pernod Ricard Malaysia at [email protected] or +6016-428-4403.