10th November, 2015 by Amy Hopkins

Chivas Brothers-owned Royal Salute is “paying tribute to age” with the launch of a new 10-strong collection of blended Scotch whiskies aged between 21- and 30-years-old.

Costing US$40,000 (£26,400) in total and described as “one of the world’s rarest whisky collections”, Royal Salute’s The Age Collection is comprised of 10 blends, some of which include rare liquid from closed distilleries, while others have been matured exclusively in first fill American oak barrels.

Chivas hired British designers Sally Mackereth and Jack Badger to create a unique presentation for the range.

The whiskies are featured on a wooden plinth carved using 8,000-year-old Neolithic wood taken from ancient riverbeds in Croatia. The dark blue crystal bottles themselves have been created by Dartington using techniques that date back to the first century AD.

“The Age Collection unites Royal Salute’s values – craft, timeless tradition and contemporary understanding to create a celebration of longevity in the year Queen Elizabeth becomes Britain’s longest serving monarch,” said Vadim Grigorian, global brand director of Royal Salute

“This extremely limited selection of whiskies offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to

explore the effects of time on whisky through a collection of very rare blends, so we expect it to delight spirit aficionados and collectors alike seeking a truly special whisky experience.”

Just 21 full sets of The Age Collection have been released at an RRP of US$40,000 (£26,400). However, Royal Salute has created a “one-off” set for DFS Masters of Wines and Spirits 2015, featuring a version of the plinth carved entirely a single morta oak tree.

Earlier this year, Royal Salute launched The Eternal Reserve, a blended Scotch created using a specific technique to create a whisky that is said to “live forever”.