The Sport of Kings and a Duke Leading the Toast: How Royal Salute Launched its New Collection in Singapore
The Singapore Polo Club is located not too far from the center of the city state. Flanked by stately private homes, it is one of the oldest existing polo clubs in the world, and the venue for a one-of-a-kind polo clinic organized by premium Scotch whisky brand Royal Salute. After a light lunch at the elegant Coriander Leaf, with sweeping views of the polo field that had been drenched in an unexpected summer rain, my party of regional journalists and representatives of Royal Salute and spirits company Pernod Ricard were ushered into a covered arena, where we listened to a condensed polo lesson then made to wear a protective helmet before casually mounting a horse.
Polo clinic for Royal Salute's guests at the historic Singapore Polo Club
For many in the group, it was their first time riding a horse, and for everybody, including myself, our first time learning the basics of polo, the so-called sport of kings. It was an unexpected but ultimately enjoyable start to a whisky journey. Then again, Royal Salute doesn’t do anything by half measures.
In town for the regional unveiling of Royal Salute’s latest collection, I soon learned that this whisky brand—born to mark the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II—remains as ceremonious today as it was then. At the heart of this new chapter is the 62 Gun Salute Collection, a trio of rarefied expressions that pay tribute to the most resounding of royal honors: the thunderous firing of guns or cannons to mark the most significant of royal occasions.
Guests were served a special polo edition of Royal Salute after the clinic
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“It was produced in a time after the Second World War, when whisky distilleries hadn't been producing because everyone had gone off to fight in the war,” said Torquhil Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll and Royal Salute brand ambassador, during an intimate one-on-one interview earlier in the day. “The warehouses were emptied because people carried on drinking. They just didn't fill up the warehouses because they were all busy. So, to be able to produce a 21-year-old blended Scotch whiskey in 1953 was incredibly special, and very, very unique. It was the first time that anybody had really promoted and aged blended Scotch whiskey.”
Guests learned how to ride a horse and swing a mallet to hit the ball like in an actual polo match
The Duke spoke candidly of his journey from commercial executive in Hong Kong to become a global ambassador of Royal Salute, talking to people who are passionate about it, particularly to high net worth individuals and collectors during events and functions.
“Royal Salute has this incredible story, and incredible history,” he said. “And it is, in my opinion, the very pinnacle of blended Scotch whiskey. It is showcasing what Scotland does at its very, very best.”
The dinner setup inside Caroline's Mansion at St. Regis Hotel Singapore
Thankfully, the horses were cooperative and there were no untoward incidents at the polo arena. Later in the evening, we motored back to the hotel, the St. Regis, where Caroline’s Mansion was transformed into an opulent pavilion for the main event—a dinner to highlight the launch of the 62 Gun Salute Collection. More than a celebration of history, the event was an olfactory and gustatory reimagining of each of the expressions in the collection, as well as the regular, well-loved variants of Royal Salute, each of which is designed to evoke a distinct phase of the grand salute ceremony that unfolds in the Tower of London.
Guests were served the three expressions in the special 62 Gun Salute Collection
After the first two courses, the collection’s Original Reserve—deep, luxurious, and commanding—was poured during the third course. It greeted the palate with a richness of stewed fruits, thick ribbons of toffee and a regal undercurrent of creamy vanilla. The finish lingered like a velvet curtain slowly descending at the close of a royal performance. Clearly it was a whisky that doesn’t so much whisper elegance as it declares it.
Then came the American Oak Reserve—bold, exuberant, and bright. Ripe tropical fruits—pineapple, guava, and mango—danced with a lively oak spice. It felt younger in spirit, a kind of firework show for the tongue. This was the whisky that mirrored the intensity of ceremony’s onset, where spectacle meets spectacle. It was also, as I would later discover, become my favorite in the collection.
Guests were composed of Singapore and regional media, content creators, friends of the brand and VIPs
Each of the dishes in the special five-course dinner was accompanied by a Royal Salute variant
Finally, the Peated Reserve, a duty-free exclusive that’s worth flying for, was poured. Subtle smoke curled around the glass like cannon haze hanging over the Thames. But it wasn’t the harsh peat of Islay; this was something more elegant, almost ghostlike. Underneath, dark berries, charred oak, and a hint of leather emerged. If the ceremony has a final echo, a last salute—this was it, bottled.
Royal Salute's 62 Gun Salute Collection
Together, the trio felt like a symphony in three movements: bold, bright, and contemplative. Each whisky is an interpretation and a sensory rendition of ritual and tradition, blended with the meticulous artistry of Royal Salute's Master Blender Sandy Hyslop. The Duke himself spoke at the beginning of each course, acting like a docent that led guests through the specific flavor notes and profiles of each expression.
“We start where others finish,” I remember the Duke telling me during our conversation earlier that day, referencing the brand’s standard 21-year age minimum. “And we’ll never sell a drop younger than that.”
But in an era when younger consumers are increasingly eschewing alcohol or seeking more sustainable, ethical drink choices, I couldn’t resist asking how he thinks a regal Scotch whisky stays relevant.
“Today’s drinkers want meaning,” he told me. “They want craftsmanship, heritage, and responsibility. Royal Salute ticks all those boxes—organic ingredients, recyclable packaging, and above all, authenticity. This isn’t a brand invented in a marketing office. It has a real story.”
Hi Grace, Torquhil Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll and Royal Salute brand ambassador led the toast
He also spoke to the ongoing mission of demystifying whisky and making it more approachable. “Whether you’re sipping it neat at a private dinner or mixing it into a cocktail while watching polo on a summer afternoon, there’s no wrong way to enjoy Royal Salute.”
As the final gong reverberated throughout the venue, our glasses caught the glimmer of candlelight, and the Peated Reserve cast a gentle haze over hushed conversations. It became clear, then, that the 62 Gun Salute Collection is more than just liquid luxury. It’s a tribute to time, ceremony, and the enduring power of storytelling through taste. The salute, after all, isn’t just for kings and queens; it's for anyone who appreciates a masterwork, aged to perfection, and served with a flourish. Because when the last shots of the guns fade and the smoke hovers above and slowly dissipates, we remember that it’s not just about history itself, but how it lingers. Just like a great whisky.
