Royal Salute launches The Eternal Reserve

Pernod Ricard Chivas Brothers has launched Royal Salute The Eternal Reserve, a marriage of whiskies blended from 88 casks using a unique process called Circular Blending, which allows Royal Salute to use the original blend in each subsequent The Eternal Reserve release for decades to come.

Each time a new batch is unveiled, half of the blend will be re-casked in the Royal Salute Vault to conserve the liquid created in 2015. Thus, the original blend is forever preserved by this perpetual re-circulation.

The new porcelain flagon for Royal Salute The Eternal Reserve has been created to combine age-old techniques with a contemporary signature icon, which reflects the Circular Blending process.

The porcelain flagons are handcrafted by Wade Ceramics using traditional techniques. Each individual flagon takes up to 5-6 days to make before being checked to make sure it completely free from any imperfections. To ensure this, each flagon must produce a perfect F sharp note. The flagon is then glazed using traditional artisan techniques with Royal Salute The Eternal Reserve glaze taking a shiny lustrous aubergine hue.

The brand logo, name and unique Circular Blending symbol are then hand applied onto the flagon using water slide transfer and the bottle neck is wrapped in a cream parchment label with the signature of the master blender and the Eternal Reserve stamp as a seal of approval.

The flagon is housed within a rigid box that also features the unique Circular Blending symbol. The rigid box continues the aubergine colour of the flagon and combines it with gold accents for striking premium on-shelf impact.

The first batch of 88 casks will be released in 2015 and sold exclusively in global travel retail from this month (September 2015), with a RRP of US$180 per 70cl bottle, and supported by a digital and experiential promotional and merchandising.

The Circular Blending™ process

The first creation of Royal Salute The Eternal Reserve began with the preparation of 88 casks of incredibly rare and precious matured malt and grain whiskies, all aged in their casks for over 21 years. These whiskies were carefully selected using two criteria: firstly, that each whisky possessed an exceptionally long finish that could be further extended through blending and marrying process and secondly, that the whiskies chosen could be beautifully harmonised in each new batch, while keeping the original signature style.

Once selected, the precious whiskies were blended together and further married in 88 casks in the Royal Salute Vault for a period of six months. This original blend is then blended with other 88 casks worth of precious whisky of exceptionally aged whiskies to complete the first batch.

Before bottling this first batch, the expert Royal Salute blending team holds some of the blend back, returning it to the original 88 casks, so they can form the basis of the next batch. These 88 casks are always safeguarded in the Royal Salute Vault at Strathisla distillery. Each time a new batch is blended, the same process - circulation of 88 casks - is repeated; the whiskies of the 88 casks from the previous batch are added to the new blend of the next batch.

Royal Salute was first created to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the 21 gun salute that honoured her.

10 September 2015 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor