With its inventive limited editions and contemporary design, it’s worth paying attention to Royal Salute these days. Its first blend of aged grain whisky has aromas of peanut, caramel, ground pepper, rye crackers, vanilla pod, fresh oak, and stewed fruits. A rapid turnover of flavors: tangy orange shifts quickly to bitter orange, followed by clove, pepper, chocolate, and honeycomb, then chocolate orange, nougat, and marzipan. It’s an even better dram over ice.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2020)