Royal Salute announces The Harris Reed Edition during London Fashion Week

Royal Salute aged Scotch whisky has announced the launch of a new limited edition into its Fashion Collection at this year’s London Fashion Week – the Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Harris Reed Edition will be available exclusively to travel retail customers worldwide through Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail (PR GTR) from October.

The concept for the latest Fashion Collection edition is ‘Reign Free’ led by Reed, the perception-changing British-American fashion designer and creative director for French fashion house, Nina Ricci. This 21-year-old blend was created in partnership with Royal Salute Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop, at the Strathisla Distillery, in Speyside, Scotland.

The Harris Reed Edition offers all the superior characteristics of Royal Salute’s hallmark style, with unique notes brought by sherry-matured Braeval, American oak-matured malts and a twist of grain whisky finished in extra charred and toasted virgin oak barrels. The result is a Scotch that has a rich, complex and warmly spiced finish.

The exclusive blend is housed in Royal Salute’s signature flagon, elevated to collectable status by Reed’s artwork. Taking inspiration from his own signature ‘halo’ headpieces and Royal Salute’s heritage, the bottle and presentation box are decorated with a modern, feathered interpretation of a royal crown. The theatrical, show-stopping global travel retail exclusive design is cast in an electric turquoise blue on a black backdrop.

A multi-faceted travel retail launch and activation strategy allows shoppers to taste the liquid and learn about new innovative serves, as well as explore the demi-couture fashion capsule collection designed especially for this collaboration.

This includes displaying the campaign film produced by British fashion director, Ruth Hogben, starring British supermodel, Erin O’Connor, and encouraging travellers to engage in a photo opportunity, by posing in front of the halo crown headpiece as a memento of their brush with fashion royalty.

Salute Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop and Harris Reed at the Strathisla Distillery

Harris Reed said: “I always strive to focus my creativity on magnifying what’s on the inside, and diving into the depths of Royal Salute’s unique heritage and our shared passion for craft and pushing creative boundaries became a rich source of inspiration throughout our collaboration. Luxury is something to collect and treasure and I am so delighted to share such an exceptional whisky that can be enjoyed and talked about around the globe.”

Master Blender Sandy Hyslop commented: “Working on this expression with Harris was a true meeting of minds. The outcome is an audacious new blend that captures the elegance, boldness and luxury synonymous with both our brand identities. The inclusion of sherry-matured Braeval whisky, which brings notes of raisins and spice, was chosen for its evocation of Harris’ childhood memories, whilst the marriage with malts matured in American oak barrels gives heightened fruit and sweet notes and is a nod to his dual nationality. We wanted to be creative and bold, so it felt like a great occasion to play with the addition of a grain whisky. Finished in charred virgin oak barrels, it intertwines layers of vanilla into a luxuriously creamy and smooth texture.”

Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail VP Global Marketing, Liya Zhang addedd: “We are thrilled and excited to reveal our next creative collaboration with one of the world’s most influential designers. In travel retail we are especially inspired by the response to this whisky in Delhi, Dubai and Sao Paolo where Royal Salute has an amazing following; pushing further into the Americas is a major market focus for Pernod Ricard GTR. Through Harris’ inclusive core message, aesthetic, and cultural importance, we are opening up this prestige contemporary blend and the house of Royal Salute to a whole new generation.”

The electric blue GTR exclusive Royal Salute 21 Year Old Harris Reed Edition will be available on-shelf for purchase globally from October 2024, supported by digital and traveller engagement activities in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport from October, before expanding to Sao Paolo, then Delhi and Dubai from December and into South Korea next spring. It has an RRP of US$285. A covetable matte black stainless steel hip flask featuring the blue feather motif will be offered to the first travellers to make a purchase.