1) There’s an exciting pipeline of new Royal Salute whiskies being released this year, how do you begin your creative process when working on a new blend?
Whenever I start to craft a new expression for Royal Salute, I always consider the inspiration behind the release and how best to pay tribute to it. As part of my training as a Master Blender, I learned to recall and discuss aromas in different whisky samples, and therefore develop my own mental library of familiar smells. This means that whenever I’m creating something new, I’m able to recall the senses from different whiskies and draw on this knowledge to curate a blend that is representative of the inspiration behind it.
Once I have selected the flavours that I want to experiment with, I will then meticulously taste different combinations to ensure that I am producing a blend that perfectly represents the inspiration and the brand itself and pushes the boundaries of Scotch whisky innovation further each time.
2) With Royal Salute expanding into so many new locations around the world, do you have any exciting trips planned for 2023?
One of the many things that I love about my job is that I’m able to travel the world to meet other distillers, blenders and figures within the global Scotch whisky trade, but also the end consumer. It is this travel that allows me to develop my palate with new flavours and immerse myself in other cultures, as well as speaking to consumers from around the world to ensure we keep up with the trends and expectations. This year, I’m looking forward to travel to India, South Korea and to countries closer to home too, such as Italy.
