Pernod Ricard-owned Royal Salute has unveiled a 53 Year Old limited-edition expression under the Forces of Nature name. It is a partnership with renowned British sculptor Kate MccGwire, who created an exclusive design to accompany the blend, which carries one of the highest age statements ever released by Royal Salute.
Crafted by Royal Salute Master Blender Sandy Hyslop, the expression released as part of The Art of Wonder collection is a rare 53 Year Old blend, handblown by artisan glassmakers, Dartington Crystal, with only 21 limited-edition decanters available to travellers at selected global travel hubs. Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail said that exclusive sets are available in Hainan offshore duty free, as well as at Sydney, London Heathrow, Dubai International and Singapore Changi airports.
Five of the 21 editions of Royal Salute Forces of Nature by MccGwire are available at these travel retail locations for US$90,000.
The initial reveal for global travel retail will take place at the inaugural World of Wines and Spirits (WOWS) event (14 to 24 October) at Changi Airport being held in association with Lotte Duty Free. Royal Salute, The Art Edition, will take part in a highly anticipated silent auction, held on the WOWs portal (just before The Trinity Forum). The exclusive set will also be displayed from mid-November at the Royal Salute pop-up boutique at Changi Airport Terminal 3.
The 53 Year Old age statement, alludes to the year 1953, in which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was crowned and Royal Salute was established. The expression is rich and fruity on the nose, leading to notes of berries, candied walnuts, and sweet toasted oak with a long, rich, and slightly dry finish.
Hyslop said: “For the first volume from the Art of Wonder collection, I wanted to create an outstanding expression that reflected Royal Salute’s desire to push individual craft beyond expectation. To do that, together with my expert team, we crafted an opulent 53 Year Old blend, one of the highest ages we have ever released. This is a thrilling moment, and it’s been a privilege to blend such rare and precious whiskies at the pinnacle of what is achievable with delicate high-aged stock laid down by my predecessors”.
For the inaugural expression, Royal Salute has drawn inspiration from its own expertise in whisky blending, the distilleries and the blending process, allowing MccGwire, who specialises in the medium of feathers, to combine the two worlds of fine art and whisky.
Each decanter is engraved with intricate feathers and gilded in 24-carat gold leaf, with curves inspired by MccGwire’s sculptures. Furthermore, each decanter is accompanied by one of 21 pieces of art, called Paragon, also created by MccGwire exclusively for Royal Salute, using specially selected and sustainably sourced pheasant feathers, making it a collector’s item.
Together, they are housed in a hand-crafted wooden cabinet, accompanied by an art book detailing the collaboration between Royal Salute and the British sculptor.
MccGwire said: “For this body of work, I was inspired by the unpredictable and ever-changing ‘Forces of Nature’ that influence the forms and energy that embody my sculptures. The three pieces I have created exclusively for Royal Salute celebrate the world of whisky and use regal pheasant feathers which are so beautifully figured with luminous amber in the brown, reminiscent of a well-aged blend. After visiting the Strathisla distillery, I was also inspired by Royal Salute’s copper whisky stills, and have used the material in two of the pieces I’ve created, Protean and Plethora.”
Other releases are expected to be created in collaboration with some of the most critically acclaimed artists of today, taking inspiration from whisky blending, to create a lasting tribute to the transformative power of creativity.
Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail Vice President of Marketing Liya Zhang said: “This special ultra-prestige release is another example of Royal Salute’s continued creativity and exquisite craftsmanship. With collectability and investment important in this segment, we have noticed a thirst for truly luxury items, so I’m confident this unique expression will excite travellers around the world.”
Royal Salute is also partnering with two key art events where it will exhibit the remainder of MccGwire’s Forces of Nature body of work, with a specially designed piece for each event. The two exhibition pieces, Plethora and Protean, marry feathers with copper whisky stills to reflect the Scottish landscape of hills and water, and the effect that nature has on whisky making.
Protean, the largest of the installations, will be revealed at Frieze, London today (12 October), while Plethora will be unveiled for the first time at the Fosun Foundation in Shanghai in November 2022.
