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Photo: Royal Salute & Kenneth SZ Goh
Luxury Scotch whisky-maker Royal Salute has rolled out its exclusive Cask Programme in Singapore, granting whisky connoisseurs the chance to own an entire cask of uniquely blended Scotch from its vault in Strathisla Distillery in the Scottish Highlands.
In keeping with Royal Salute’s proud traditions, each of the casks have been carefully blended in Speyside, Scotland, and aged for a minimum of 21 years – the same number of casks that will be made available at any one time moving forward. A total of eight of the first set of 21 casks have been reserved for buyers from Singapore.
Some of the initial casks have already been spoken for following the programme’s worldwide launch late last year, says the brand’s Global Marketing Director Mathieu Deslandes. “The response to the programme has been brilliant and I’m pleased to say that a number of the casks have already been sold,” he says.
“Each of the 21 Royal Salute single casks available in the programme is completely unique, with varying aged spirits, tasting notes, finishes and estimated number of bottles,” he adds.
Exquisite flavours from rare casks
Photo: Kenneth SZ Goh
For example, Cask No. 40325, which previously housed a heavily peated whisky before it was filled with a 29-year-old blended whisky and left to finish for more than two years, has notes of honey cake and is dangerous on the nose, while its taste profile includes vanilla fudge, milk chocolate and apple turnovers.
A younger cask (Cask No. 59063) takes on a more experimental approach as it is made with American Oak and French Spanish Oak before being filled with a rare blended malt for a three-year finish. Aromas-wise, it has notes of vanilla ice cream, coconut and raspberry jam, while its taste profiles include creme brulee, toasted oak and warm ginger spice.
Royal Salute’s brand ambassador Torquhil Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll. (Photo: Kenneth SZ Goh)
The casks’ estimated capacities range from “under 150 bottles to over 400 bottles”, so it is only natural that their asking prices would vary as well – think upwards of US$150,000 (S$199,600) each, with exact figures available only upon request.
Interested buyers can also sample a flight of cask-strength whiskies before making their decision. As part of the deal, they also get to customise the flagons and boxes for the bottling of their chosen flask, down to the colours, patterns, and embellishments.
All 21 casks are available globally, with new contenders released annually when they are deemed to have “reached their prime” by Royal Salute’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop.
Concludes Deslandes, “I believe each cask within this new programme is a true statement of our expertise in the art of blending.”
