As its name implies, Royal Salute has been rooted in nobility since the brand’s inception. Created in 1958 by the Chivas brothers, the luxury Scotch whisky was first released to mark the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the 21-gun salute.
Building on that regal heritage, Royal Salute has unveiled the 30-Year-Old Key to the Kingdom, a masterful blend of high-aged Scotch whisky. To welcome its arrival in Malaysia, BURO was recently invited to join an intimate whisky pairing dinner at Nadodi, one of KL’s top Indian fine dining restaurants, to unlock the bold flavours of this new expression.
The royal craft and heritage
The Royal Salute 30-Year-Old Key to the Kingdom draws inspiration from the Ceremony of the Keys, an ancient ritual held annually at Scotland’s Holyrood Palace where the keys to the City of Edinburgh are presented to the reigning Monarch. It consists of a blend of the finest whiskies, each aged for a minimum of 30 years and hand-selected from across Scotland—the home of Royal Salute. Crafted by Royal Salute Master Blender Sandy Hyslop, the resulting sweet and fruity blend presents notes of ripe, juicy pears, blood orange, and thick-set honey, with a long, smoky finish.
Reflecting the brand’s artistry, the exquisite blend is housed in a handcrafted granite-effect flagon with a stopper design reminiscent of the hilt of ancient Scottish swords. The vessel is packaged in an intricately illustrated box that honours the emblems of the Ceremony of the Keys, such as the ceremonial horns, royal roses, noble swords, and regal crests.
The exquisite pairing dinner
It takes finesse to complement the complexity of any whisky, what more a well-aged scotch like the 30-Year-Old Key to the Kingdom. But Nadodi rose to the challenge with an exceptional menu made to pair with a range of Royal Salute whiskies including the Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Signature Blend, Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Malts Blend, and of course, the star of the evening.
Among the standout pairings include Cut The Crab—a delicious medley of crab meat, crab salad, fermented steamed rice cake, spiced sea crab curry which paired brilliantly with the Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Malts Blend.
Then there was Wag-You!!!, marrying the buttery, melt-in-your-mouth flavours of A5 Miyazaki Beef and spiced foie gras with the sweet, smoky aromas of the Royal Salute 30-Year-Old blend.
For dessert, we had an artfully Deconstructed Black Forest Gateaux, featuring rich chocolate and cherry flavours that complemented the sweet, dry, and oaky notes of the Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Signature Blend.
The Royal Salute 30-Year-Old Key To The Kingdom is priced from RM2,398 and is available in limited quantities at selected premium retail and liquor stores, e-commerce platforms, as well as via direct purchase through Trisha Kuck, Prestige PR Manager ([email protected], +6016 4284403).
The surprise finale
That’s not all—guests were treated to two surprises to round off the evening in royal fashion. First, the brand unveiled the limited-edition Royal Salute 51-Year-Old 2021 Release, the second expression from the Time Series collection. Matured for a remarkable 51 years, this distinguished blend is characterised by rich, opulent flavours.
Not only is it one of the oldest blends Royal Salute has ever crafted, but it is also one of the most exclusive with only 101 decanters of it available for purchase. Only two bottles of this rare release are available in Malaysia, priced at RM139,999 each. Buyers will receive an exclusive, tailor-made Royal Salute experience to complement their purchase.
Finally, the cherry on top came in the form of the Royal Salute 24-Year-Old Cognac Cask Finish. This new expression is exclusive to select markets around Asia, encased in a striking red flagon that pays respect to the culture and prosperity of Asian markets. It is a sweet and fruity blend with notes of dark cherries and toasted oak, followed by marzipan, rich caramelised figs, lemon curd, and peaches in syrup.
Following the event, specially crafted Royal Salute vaults have been placed in select partner outlets for the public to either safekeep their bottles or unlock unique experiences. These vaults can be found at:
- Grand Imperial at The Club Bukit Utama
- Macalister Mansion, Georgetown Penang
- Mansion 9
- The Library at The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur
- Whisky House Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru
- W Wine & Liquor Warehouse
For more information on the world of Royal Salute, follow @RoyalSalute on social media or visit www.royalsalute.com.
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