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Review: Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute The Peated Reserve

In the last installment of my Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute reviews, I sample The Peated Reserve. How does it compare to the other reserves in the collection?

OVERALL RATING

7
3300.00
  • Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant with over a decade of experience in whisky retail and online whisky education. Best known for hosting Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, he is dedicated to making whisky accessible and enjoyable by cutting through jargon and complexity.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Stored in a rather standout emerald green decanter, this liquid has a focus on peat – which for any Chivas product us a little unusual. But between all of the whiskies that are within this blend, the lost distillery of Caperdonich is a key role in this blend of liquids that cover all of Scotland. Whether or not the peated stock has been sourced from the silent Caperdonich distillery is unknown, but this is a different adventure for 62 Gun Salute fans.
Appearance:
Ruby Sherry
Nose:
Starts in an unexpected way – you want a little bit of smoke upfront and you do get it. But the dominant notes are loads of red fruits. Strawberry and raspberry really making themselves known amongst everything else.

That’s all included with some milk chocolate, and strawberry fondant cream, but if you let this linger in the glass for a while, the smoke does show up. But it is an older, more fragrant, delicate smoke that come across as cured meats.
Palate:
The smoke is so much more present on the palate. It’s a solid combination of sweet, smoky apples, slightly more industrial notes of rubber and burnt herbs – like thyme and rosemary.

A gentle salty note starts to push through, that just amplifies the big apple sweetness, as well as those smokier notes.
Finish:
The salty notes in this are delicious! An amazing contrast to the sweet fruit notes, and the industrial, and somewhat delicate smokiness that is lingering around. As far as peated whisky goes, this isn’t going to pull all the dryness out of your mouth, or make you think you’re rubbing iodine all over your mouth. But it is nice to see an older blend put focus on some smokier stuff.
Comments:
A nice move away from the traditional style in the Chivas blending house. I would personally want more in the mix, but for the regular drinker and buyer of 62 Gun Salute bottles, this is more than enough smoke to get by.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Phil Dwyer

Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant. With a decade of experience in whisky retail and nearly as long running Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, Phil is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow whisky lovers. His goal is to make whisky accessible and enjoyable, dispelling the jargon and complexity that can sometimes surround the spirit. In addition to his online presence, Phil managed The Whisky Shop Manchester, where he curated an impressive selection of some of the finest drams available.

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