UAE. Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail (PR GTR) has partnered with Dubai Duty Free to open a dedicated Royal Salute whisky pop-up boutique for a second consecutive year.
The 62sq m experiential space is located in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. It will run for a minimum of three months until February 2026, with the likelihood to extend to the summer.
Inspired by the brand’s heritage and its historic links to the British monarchy, the boutique showcases a curated selection of travel retail-exclusives, special and limited editions from the Royal Salute portfolio.
These include the Royal Salute Art Edition: Forces of Nature by Kate MccGwire which is accompanied by an exclusive MccGwire sculpture; Royal Salute 55 Year Old – Time Series; Royal Salute Coronation of King Charles III Edition; Royal Salute House of Quinn by Richard Quinn; and Royal Salute 25 Year Old – The Treasured Blend, created exclusively for Dubai Duty Free.
The pop-up occupies the same prime location as the inaugural Royal Salute whisky boutique in 2024, in close proximity to high-end fashion, perfumes and cosmetics stores.
Just four months after opening in 2024, the first Royal Salute pop-up boutique achieved a record-breaking US$140,000 single transaction following the sale of the complete Royal Salute Platinum Jubilee collection. The sale marked the highest single wines and spirits transaction in Dubai Duty Free’s history.
The boutique is structured around four distinct zones: The Classics & Inspired, The Pinnacle, The Experience Area and The Exclusives. Brand Ambassadors are on hand to take visitors on a journey of discovery. This embraces an education on the brand’s rich history as well as the story behind each creation on display.
A combination of digital storytelling, OOH and in-store media immerses travellers in the Royal Salute universe, while guided tastings introduce shoppers to stand-out expressions such as the Royal Salute 25 Year Old – The Treasured Blend and Royal Salute 26 Year Old Amarone Cask.
The latter is another Dubai Duty Free travel retail exclusive, originally launched to mark the retailer’s 40th anniversary in 2023.
The relaunch also marks the Dubai debut of Taste Odyssey, a first-of-its-kind tasting application developed by PR GTR’s Retail Excellence team. Designed to support both Brand Ambassadors and consumers, the digital tool encourages a slower, more sensorial tasting experience. It aims to deepen whisky education and enables travellers to take their whisky knowledge home beyond the airport.
The Royal Salute Dubai Duty Free boutique was officially relaunched on 9 December. The event was attended by senior leaders from PR GTR and Dubai Duty Free including PR GTR CEO Laurent Pillet and Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony and a live demonstration of the Taste Odyssey experience, guests received a commemorative gift box containing a pair of Royal Salute tumblers — the same gift offered to travellers with purchases of US$550 or more.
Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi commented: “We are pleased to once again partner with Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail to launch this unique Royal Salute pop-up boutique, showcasing an exceptional selection of ultra-prestige Scotch whisky.
“This is another example of our strong partnership and our ability to create premium, discovery-led retail environments – a key competitive advantage. Through this pop-up, we are offering our customers an outstanding experience that we are confident will be a big a hit with whisky lovers and collectors.”
Pernod Ricard Middle East Chief Executive Officer Pierre-Aymeric Du Cray added: “For brand owner and retailer to invest in a pop-up store of this calibre is a true reflection of the strong partnership we enjoy with Dubai Duty Free; it is also testament to the importance of travel retail as a key channel to elevate both the image and reach of Royal Salute, and as an effective brand builder.
“For such a pop-up to be commissioned for a second consecutive year is just remarkable and we are delighted to have the opportunity to deliver more world-class luxury experiences to travellers in the Gulf region.”
As reported, Dubai Duty Free marked its 42nd anniversary on 20 December in spectacular fashion, posting an impressive AED69.097 million (US$19 million) in sales in just 24 hours. The result was powered by the retailer’s much-anticipated -25% anniversary discount across a wide range of merchandise. The impressive performance represents a +15.18% (or AED9.1 million/US$2.5 million) increase year-on-year. ✈
