BEGINNING WHERE OTHERS END

Royal Salute Master Blender Sandy Hyslop discusses the making of Key to the Kingdom

- RICHARD AUGUSTIN

WHEN IT COMES TO exceptionally aged Scotch whisky, the name on everyone's mind has always been Royal Salute.

An expression that is synonymous for its connection to British royalty, Royal Salute has consistently retained its reputation as a skilfully crafted, modern expression of remarkable, high-aged Scotch whisky. Its latest addition to the range is Royal Salute 30-Year-Old Key to the Kingdom, which has been brought to life by Royal Salute Master Blender Sandy Hyslop.

Since its inception, Royal Salute has always celebrated momentous occasions, having been originally crafted to mark Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. Royal Salute's 30-Year-Old Key to the Kingdom also boasts its own unique relationship to the British Monarchy with its linkage to the celebratory spirit and grandeur of the Ceremony of the Keys.

The ceremony, hosted annually at Scotland's Holyrood Palace, is where the keys to the City of Edinburgh are presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Inside each bottle of this luxurious new expression is a blend of hand-selected fine whiskies, each aged for a minimum of 30 years, meticulously sourced from across Scotland, Royal Salute's enchanting home.

According to Hyslop, the new blend captures the celebratory energy and classic refinement of the Ceremony of the Keys. "Each whisky that was selected to create this new expression is of the utmost quality, and from the start of production through to bottling, it was a thorough process that required constant care and attention."

With the arrival of Royal Salute's latest expression, Augustman went into a deep dive with the Royal Salute Master Blender, to discover more about the 30 Year Old Key to the Kingdom.

When was the idea of Key to the Kingdom first conceptualised?