PR GTR hosts Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute tasting at Tower of London

Left: Royal Salute’s exclusive tasting chamber in the Tower of London. Right: The TREX Peated Reserve expression in the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute collection.

ON LOCATION: Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail (PR GTR) hosted an immersive tasting of the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Collection at an exclusive event for travel retail partners yesterday evening (Tuesday 17 December) in the brand’s tasting chamber within the Tower of London.

TRBusiness was in attendance at the stand-out event, which marked the first time that guests from the travel retail industry had been invited into the Royal Salute suite in the historic building for a rare opportunity to taste all three whiskies in the 62 Gun Salute collection: The Original Reserve, The American Oak Reserve and the GTR exclusive Peated Reserve.

TRBusiness was in the company of key members of the PR GTR leadership team, including CEO Laurent Pillet, as well as guests from Everrich and Tasameng.

As part of the experience, the group enjoyed a tour of the Tower grounds led by Beefeater Shaun Huggins, followed by a viewing of the dazzling Crown Jewels.

The Royal Salute tasting chamber, located in the Martin Tower, is the only place on the planet at which guests can access the Royal Salute Treasures Collection – a whisky library that features some of the most exclusive Royal Salute blends released since its creation in 1953, including the 62 Gun Salute collection.

Invited travel retail trade guests gathered at the historic Tower of London, where Henry VIII once lived. From left to right: Charlotte Turner, Communications and S&R Manager, PR GTR; Evan Lee, Key Account Manager, PR GTR; Laurent Pillet, PR GTR CEO; Yeoman Serjeant Shaun Huggins; Gary Chau, GM, Tasameng; Patricia Wang, VP, Everrich; Liya Zhang, VP Global Marketing, PR GTR; The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Director Hannah Tan; Andrew Bardsley, Brand Director, Prestige, PR GTR and TRBuisness Managing Editor Faye Bartle.

“It’s a great pleasure to be here with good friends from Taiwan – one of the leading countries in which we sell the most Royal Salute,” Pillet told TRBusiness.

“For the first time, we are tasting the full collection on one night. It’s a great moment.”

The Royal Salute suite, which opened in July, hosts high net worth (HNW) individuals and global travel retail friends of the brand on a strictly invitation-only basis.

In creating the space, the aged Scotch whisky master worked closely with Historic Royal Palaces (the independent charity that cares for the Tower of London) to support the recent renovation of the 13th century Martin Tower.

Left: The Tower of London is the historic home of the Crown Jewels. Right: TRBusiness’ Faye Bartle in the lap of luxury in the Royal Salute suite.

The chamber walls feature intricate illustrations of the royal menagerie (known as the ‘first zoo in London’), which was formerly housed at the Tower of London.

A central attraction is the duo of cabinets that once kept the famous Crown Jewels safe under lock and key, and which now hold the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute collection.

The immersive tasting experience takes place at the digital and interactive tasting table, which brings to life the story of the collection through striking projections.

Placing the bottles and glasses in designated spots on the table activates visual content, such as illustrations of the tasting notes in the expressions.

The Royal Salute tasting chamber in the Tower of London is home to the Treasures Collection of prized blends, from highly regarded classics to limited-edition collaborations, plus high-aged whiskies usually reserved for its private cask programme.

On the interactive tasting ritual, Liya Zhang, VP Global Marketing at Pernod Ricard GTR said: “This is such a unique ‘money cannot buy’ experience only for eight guests.

“This is what luxury is and also what we all aim to create. We wish one day [that] we can also bring it to travel retail in other destinations. This is the power of travel retail – that we should bring more integrated experiences, rather than just products.”

The Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute collection launched in July to coincide with the opening of the new brand home, and was rolled out in travel retail in a phased approach from the autumn.

Two new expressions crafted by Royal Salute Master Blender Sandy Hyslop – the American Oak Reserve and the GTR exclusive Peated Reserve – joined the Original Reserve to comprise the prestige collection, which is described as being at the pinnacle of Royal Salute’s permanent, prestige offering.

Allthree special reserve blended whiskies are presented in jewel-hued, gold-etched decanters.

Left: The GTR exclusive The Peated Reserve expression in the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute collection. Right: Laurent Pillet, PR GTR CEO with TRBusiness Managing Editor Faye Bartle.

The Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute collection inspired by Royal Salute’s regal heritage and is said to evoke the sensory spectacle of the 62 Gun Salute, one of the British Monarchy’s highest forms of ceremonial honour, fired on important State occasions (such as the coronation or birth of a new monarch) from the Tower of London.

The Peated Reserve GTR exclusive amplifies the complexity of The Original Reserve with a subtle hint of smoke, which is intended to evoke the drifting smoke from the gun salute cannons at the conclusion of the ceremonial firing.

It is a blend of over 50 precious whiskies, including malts from the lost distillery of Caperdonich, delivering dark cherries, ripe pears and sweet green apples on the nose, giving way to blossom honey, milk chocolate honeycomb and homemade orange marmalade.

On the palate, it gives a tangy orange zest and lemon sherbet, layered over notes of ripe peaches, Jamaican ginger cake, toasted oak and hints of sweet peat smoke. The finish is described as ‘long and lively’ with enduring sweet smoke notes.

Global travel retail exclusive Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute The Peated Reserve was made available in travel retail in a phased approach from the autumn.

At the time of the launch, Zhang said: “We are delighted to offer this exquisite new peated expression, exclusively to travellers.

“This is testament to the importance of travel retail as a key channel to elevate both the image and reach of Royal Salute and as an effective brand-builder.

“Global travel retail provides the ideal setting for the brand’s most prestigious collections such as the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute and from our research we know that 54% of global travellers purchase duty free exclusives or unique products.”

The group raise a toast to a memorable experience. The interactive tasting was guided by Nathan Wood, Global Brand Ambassador, Royal Salute (fourth from left).

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