Polo is the sport of Kings, and considering Royal Salute Scotch Whiskey was created by the Chivas Brothers in 1953, in honour of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, it seems only fitting that the two have come together to create a magnificent alliance. Named after the traditional 21 Gun Salute, Royal Salute is the only luxury Whiskey brand, boasting an ageing of 21 years' minimum for every Whiskey edition to the Royal Salute family.
Last week I met with Brand Director Neil Macdonald and Carla Webb, the company's International PR Manager, to learn a little more about Royal Salute and its relationship with Polo.
Neil immediately pointed out the integral role that the rich history of Whiskey has had in helping to shape the way the brand has developed. The House of Schivas, where Chivas Whiskey was first developed and distributed, was built in 1640 in Schivas in Aberdeenshire. In the early part of the 19th Century, the Whiskey was sold locally at a luxury food store, but within half a century the Chivas Brothers were granted a Royal Warrant to supply goods to Queen Victoria.
The company's prime dedication to producing the finest hand-blended Whiskey has not wavered with recent development; the Whiskey is still produced by a master distiller in Scotland in the Strathisla distillery. Founded in 1786, the Strathisla distillery is the oldest working distillery in the Highlands of Scotland, retaining the brand's unique heritage.
Since 1953, only four people have had the 'nose' - and intuitive understanding of Scotch Whiskey - to become Royal Salute Master Blenders. It is these four exceptional masters who have created unique blends from some of the rarest and most aged Whiskies in the world.
During the meeting, I was thrilled to be shown various editions of Royal Salute Whiskey, where I was able not only to marvel at the beauty and craftsmanship of each delicately created bottle but also to feel the intricacies, level of detail and weight each bottle carried.
Paying homage to Scotland's noble and heroic past, the Royal Salute 38 / Stone of Destiny takes its name from the Legendary Stone of Scone, one of Scotland's most powerful symbols. The Stone of Destiny is named after the ancient stone used for centuries for British royal coronation ceremonies, symbolizing approval for the incoming king. Each bottle resembles a deep-red, granite-like, smooth porcelain body, with a gold-plated stopper reminiscent of the hilt of ancient Scottish swords.
The Whiskey Neil and Carla were most excited to show me, however, was the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute which was launched in 2010. This limited edition is a blend made from various Whiskies which are at least 40 years old. It was created to honour Queen Elizabeth II and is named after the '62 Gun Salute' held each year at the Tower of London to mark royal anniversaries.
Encased in a hand-crafted Dartington Crystal bottle, the Whiskey is so exclusive - only 21 bottles have been produced. Neil described the consistency as similar to a liqueur with "A level of depth and richness you have never tasted before", owing to Whiskey's yearly 2% evaporation rate. And the beauty of the bottle befits the splendour of its contents. Forty hours of artisan craftsmanship has gone into each bottle, featuring a Royal Salute crest painted in liquid 24-carat gold, a 24-carat gold plated collar, and a crystal stopper set with a 24-carat gold plated crown.
Other notable editions of the Royal Salute are the Royal Salute 100 Cask and Royal Salute 50 Year Old each of which have their own extraordinary past and justification for being part of this incredible Whiskey family.
In June 2009, the Chivas Brothers partnered with the Maharaja of Jodhpur, India, Gaj Singh II. The Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup takes place from 26-30 December in the foothills of the Royal Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodphur It builds on the success of the Royal Salute Gold Cup, an invitation-only, 10-goal tournament which sees over 80 pure-bred polo ponies and polo players of the highest calibre and is held annually in October at the Nine Dragons Hill Polo Club in Shanghai, China.
Now in its 3rd year, the Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup is the foremost event in the Indian Polo Calendar, both socially and in high goal sport. Neil described the tournament as "One of the most luxurious international polo events in the world. It epitomises the notion of splendour. From the surroundings to the people, it is a magnificent event". VIPs, celebrities and the social elite will gather to witness some of the best play in the world, and the tournament is complemented by the Royal Salute Golden Jubilee Ball and 'New Year at the Merhrangarh Fort', the Maharaja's exclusive New Year's Eve procession and celebration which marks the end of the Jodhpur polo season.
Neil spoke of his huge admiration for the game, exclaiming "It is the ultimate extreme sport. We at Royal Salute love to be part of this exhilarating and noble sport. The pairing of Polo and Royal Salute works perfectly as we share similar values; heritage, prestige and valour".
The Brand is also a key partner of other major events across the globe in Brazil, Dubai and the UK. The Third annual Desert Palm, UEA Nations Cup in Dubai was in full swing earlier this year, involving teams from the UEA, Hungary, Pakistan and the UK; all competing for the lucrative Desert Palm Trophy. UEAs captain Rashid Albwardy secured his team's victory in a winning goal - 60 yard penalty in extra time - and His Grace, The Duke of Argyll Torquhil Ian Campbell presented the Royal Salute Shield. Once again, both Neil and Carla spoke of their admiration for many of the key patrons of the Clubs with whom the Brand is affiliated and the great relationships with polo that have been built over the past few years.
You may have thought that the sport of Kings couldn't be any more regal, but you could be wrong. The jewel in the crown is Royal Salute - the ultimate partner for a sport which commands such respect and approbation. And what a magnificent alliance; with rich heritage to boast on both sides, it seems that Polo and Royal Salute are making history of their own.
