Originally created as a range to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (and the 21 gun salute that honoured her) whisky brand Royal Salute are fast gaining a reputation for being one of the most forward thinking whiskies in their segment. Towards the back end of 2015, they launched Royal Salute The Eternal Reserve, which pioneered a process called circular blending; technique reinventing the way we perceive time and age when it comes to whisky. Under the creative stewardship of Vadim Grigorian, this year Royal Salute are once again challenging the category of whisky by expanding its remit into new arenas, namely fragrance and artistry.
To begin with Royal Salute have appointed renowned perfume industry ‘nose’, Barnabé Fillion as the brand’s first Product Creative Advisor. First he transferred skills and knowledge gleaned from his modeling and photography careers into the world of scent design, and now he intends to do the same for the world of whisky, by shaping Royal Salute’s new brand vision.
“An awareness of our sense of smell’s dominant role in how flavours are perceived will help Royal Salute think differently about the design of their blends. It’s about thinking how best to ensure that as much of the olfactory complexity of a blend reaches the nose as possible.”
~ Barnabé Fillion, Product Creative Advisor, Royal Salute
Barnabé’s appointment was announced at an exclusive dinner held at the Arts Club in London, where he immediately showed his impact on the creative vision for the brand, by introducing guests to the to concept of a companion drink, which he demonstrated with clever pairings.
The Lady’s Companion
The guests were welcomed with The Lady’s Companion; a drink encompassing the flavours of Royal Salute chestnut liquor, toasted barley water with lapsang souchong syrup and smoked sage.
- Lapsang Souchong Tea Syrup (1cl)
- Homemade Chestnut Liqueur (2cl)
- Toasted Barley Water (3cl)
- Inocente Fino Sherry (5cl)
- 0.1% Bourbon Geranium Solution (3 drops)
The Garsington Companion
Served in conjunction with the meal, The Garsington Companion was named in honour of Garsington Manor where the aristocratic Lady Ottoline Morrell lived during the early 20th century. A warm and aromatic libation served with a sprig of rosemary, this experience is as important to smell as well as taste; the rosemary was lit allowing smoke to rise, complimenting the warm consommé poured over the rosemary. The concoction was finished off with a sliver of fresh ginger and a bergamot lemon twist.
- 15cl per guest with 2cl of Olorosso Sherry
- Oxtail or beef shin
- Roasted bone marrow
- White Onion, Carrots, Leak, Celery, Shiitake Mushrooms
- Garlic, Ginger, White Ginseng, Kombu Seaweed, Herbs
- Chicken Stock, Grey Salt
- White Peppercorn, Toasted Barley, Fresh Rosemary
- Valdespino Don Gonzalo
- 20 year old Olorosso Sherry
The formation of this new artistic ‘creative circle’, for the Royal Salute brand, including Barnabé Fillion and Rob McHardy (Bar Manager of Parisian cultural hub, Silencio) was brought to life in a video with fashion and art photographer Michelangelo Di Battista, one again inspired by the new work’s muse: Lady Ottoline Morrell1.
“For me a vision of luxury related to the magic of the crown means there is no limit. You can create the most amazing product. The British crown is a mixture of the conservative with the very extravagant and dynamic. It’s a contrast which gives a strong inspiration for creatives.”
~ Barnabé Fillion, Product Creative Advisor, Royal Salute
RoyalSalute.com
- Morrell’s patronage and legendary salons supported and shaped the careers of artists and writers. She backed Bertrand Russell, Aldous Huxley, T. S. Eliot, D. H. Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, Lytton Strachey, Siegfried Sassoon and W. B. Yeats, inviting them to parties and events at Garsington Manor in Oxfordshire, where she took careful, avant-garde portraits of the era’s creative and cultural elite in her house and grounds. ↩
