Royal Salute has unveiled the second release in its Art of Wonder collection combining experimental art pieces with its famous blended Scotch whisky.
For the second iteration, Royal Salute partnered with sculptor Conrad Shawcross. He was inspired by the concept of time in both fine art and premium whisky in the creation of his piece, Royal Salute Time Chamber by Conrad Shawcross, which holds a bespoke 53-year-old Royal Salute blend.
It follows the Art of Wonder collection's debut in 2022: Forces of Nature by Kate MccGwire.
Shawcross sayid: “For this body of work, I was inspired following my visit to Strathisla Distillery in Scotland, where the most precious Royal Salute blends are safeguarded. I was struck by the sheer amount of time contained in the age statement of this bespoke blend and wanted to capture this in multiple elements of the art piece. The disc reflects the endless star systems in the night sky, while the spindle and decanter form a sort of spike, like an arrow through a target which represents a vector of time, implying strong directionality.”
The whisky inside is bottled at 53 years old in homage to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was crowned in 1953. The spirit has been matured in a combination of European and American oak casks.
Royal Salute's master blender Sandy Hyslop said: “Just like the theme of time that has inspired Conrad’s piece of art, time is at the core of what we do when blending Royal Salute expressions; it factors into the incredible scarcity of the delicate, high-aged stock that we used in this blend.
“Working with these whiskies infuses a greater sense of appreciation for the time represented by their age. Time is a crucial element in the making of whisky. You can’t rush the slow maturation of these exceptional liquids over decades and generations. Only by allowing the progression of time to take its effect on a whisky are we able to experience the extraordinary richness and depth of character of flavours that develop through time alone.”
Just 21 units of Royal Salute Time Chamber by Conrad Shawcross will be available to purchase at selected retailers, priced at US$120,000 (£97,580).
The full expression of Shawcross' concept, titled 'Beyond The Beginning', will be exhibited at the Royal Salute Gallery Bar from 11–15 October 2023.
