Royal Salute

ScotlandBlended21yo+

Launched1953

MakerChivas Brothers

OwnerPernod Ricard

StyleBlended · min 21yo

CasksBourbon · sherry, etc.

Core21 · 24 · 38yo

Born for a coronation — a royal blend aged a minimum of 21 years.

Royal Salute is easier to understand from its starting point than its spec sheet. The name comes from the 21-gun royal salute, the highest honour, and so every component is aged a minimum of 21 years. Where an ordinary blend begins at 12, Royal Salute begins at 21 — which is exactly why it sits in a different price band.

It was born for ceremony. Chivas Brothers created it in 1953 to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, conceived from the start as a blend for royalty and occasion. Bottling it in sapphire, ruby and emerald porcelain flagons rather than glass is an extension of that character: the vessel itself becomes an object to give and to keep.

So Royal Salute is a whisky to drink and to give. Aged stock, showy packaging and a royal narrative combine to make it a formal bottle, especially in Asian gift markets, and it carries weight as a holiday or celebration gift. The taste itself runs to soft, weighty sweetness — dried fruit, sherry and honey woven together.

What to sort out before buying is the spread of the range. The flagship 21yo and the aged limited releases like the 38yo or 62 Gun Salute are the same brand but differ in price by orders of magnitude. For everyday drinking or gifting, the 21yo Signature Blend is the benchmark; above it lies the territory of collectors and special occasions.

Flavourofficial / critical

Dried fruitSherryHoneyDark chocolatePlumSpice

Glossaryfor beginners

BlendedWhisky made by combining malt and grain whiskies from several distilleries.

21-gun saluteThe highest royal honour. The source of both the name and the 21-year minimum age.

FlagonThe porcelain bottle Royal Salute comes in — most famously in sapphire, ruby and emerald.

Prestige blendA high-priced blended whisky built mainly from well-aged stock.

Range & Collections

21yo Signature BlendThe flagship, minimum 21 years old, in the sapphire flagon — the benchmark line.

24yoLonger maturation; sherry and sweetness deepen into a premium.

38yo Stone of DestinyAged limited release, named for Scotland's coronation stone.

62 Gun Salute · LimitedUltra-aged, ultra-premium collector line — luxury in fixed numbers.

Value by AgeData-based2026.6 as of

21yoFlagship · entry~£130

24yoPremium~£280

38yo+Aged limited£2,000+

★ 62 Gun SaluteUltra-aged luxury · Limited collector line£15,000+

Royal Salute starts at 21 years, so it sits in a different price band from the usual 12-year-old blends. Aged limited releases like the 38yo and 62 Gun Salute run into collector-level thousands. The brand's centre, though, is the 21yo Signature Blend, with strong gift and celebration demand.

Prices are approximate retail / duty-free · Aged / limited vary widely — not a personal tasting score

How It’s Made

Royal Salute is blended from well-aged stock across the distilleries Chivas Brothers holds. With every component at least 21 years old, it carries more weight and sweetness than an ordinary blend. Dried fruit, sherry, honey and dark chocolate weave into a soft, concentrated style that aims for smooth balance over impact.

Minimum 21 yearsNamed for the 21-gun royal salute, every component is aged at least 21 years from the start — the entry point itself is well-aged.

A coronation whiskyCreated by Chivas Brothers in 1953 for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation — conceived from the outset as a blend for royalty and ceremony.

The porcelain flagonBottled not in glass but in sapphire, ruby and emerald porcelain flagons, so the vessel itself carries gift and collector value.

The grammar of giftingAged stock, showy packaging and a royal story combine to make it a formal bottle, especially in Asian gift markets.

History

Launched by Chivas Brothers in 1953 to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The name comes from the 21-gun royal salute, which set the 21-year minimum age. The range later grew with the 24yo, 38yo and 62 Gun Salute, holding its place as Chivas's top prestige blend.

How It’s Drunk

Royal Salute is a whisky to drink and to give. Aged stock, a porcelain flagon and a royal story make it a bottle for formal occasions, and it is especially strong in Asian gift markets. Its rich sherry sweetness and smooth texture suit drinkers who enjoy soft, weighty sweetness more than those after heavy peat or sharp character.

◆The Right GlassSignature

Heavy and densely sherried on the nose, it suits a glass that gathers the aroma — a copita or Glencairn. At around 40% it needs little water, opened by a single drop if shy. The delicate aromas of an aged blend close down easily over a big lump of ice, so skip the ice to follow them. This is a dram to set down on its base and savour slowly.

→ Copita vs Glencairn → Whisky Glass Etiquette