At 4 am in the hotel lobby, he could pass off as just another jeans-clad British tourist on his way to the airport. Not so a few hours earlier, when Torquhil Ian Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll, got a tony gathering of 40 to bellow ‘Slainte Mhath’ and down their whisky in under a second at the Taj Falaknuma’s Durbar Hall. Kitted out in his finery, with silver salmon buttons on his dress kilt jacket, the chief of Clan Campbell was introducing the Royal Salute 21 Regent Banquet gift pack. The culinary affair with over a 100 dishes was inspired by the Banquet of 1817, and this direct descendant of the ancient kings of Ireland from the 7th century (which explains the salmon emblem) had a perfect setting in the glittering former residence of the Nizam of Hyderabad.
“Whisky is a good match with spicy food,” begins the duke, when we sit down to chat before dinner. He should know. As a Royal Salute global ambassador, and with the giant Pernod Ricard conglomerate for 21 years now, he has attended hundreds of dinners around the world, spreading the word about the whisky that was created to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1953. “My role as a brand ambassador is to get that glass into someone’s hand. From thereon, something like Royal Salute 21 Year Old sells itself. Many whiskies do not have that power,” he shrugs. While whisky has an older association, he admits to a changing audience around the world. “Ten years ago, many young people would say, ‘that’s what my father or grandfather drinks’ and stay away. But more of them now want it to be part of their lifestyle. The idea is to get them to understand what it is about and push away the boundaries.”
- If you are a whisky fan, the Royal Salute 21 Year Old comes in a special gift pack you will never want to part with.
- Inspired by the Regent’s Banquet 200 years ago, at the former Regency Era seaside residence of George IV, this special edition box features an intricate laser-cut lid, with a royal blue and gold print. The print is courtesy celebrated wallpaper artist, Angela Groundwater. The porcelain flagon, coloured to match the Coronation crown of Queen Elizabeth II, is accompanied by a crystal glass. As for the whisky itself, it celebrates Autumn with its aroma, deep fruity flavours and a lingering finish. ₹15,300 in Delhi.
- Details: royalsalute.com
Among the new Royal Salute initiatives is a collaboration with a French perfumery, exploring whisky aromas and where they come from. He is also involved in creating a Royal Salute Taiwan exclusive, a 23 Year Old. “Personally, more choice for the consumer is also good for the market,” continues the duke, whose personal favourite is the Royal Salute 38 YO as an after dinner drink. “Powerful, rich, full-flavoured, it deserves complete attention.”
A family man, he admits that the Campbell Clan is arguably the biggest. “There are 14 million of us around the world and, as the head of the family, I do have a lot of responsibility.” Time spent with family – his wife and three children – is his luxury. “I give them experiences we never had when we were younger. I’m turning 50 next year and instead of a really big party, I’ll have a smallish party and take my family to Borneo, Vietnam and Cambodia.” Fly fishing and elephant polo are other passions and for the former, he recommends salmon fishing in Scotland (of course) and trout fishing in southern England’s chalk streams.
Later that night, when the dinner guests depart, he hints at returning to India soon. But for now, estate duties and guests await at his ancestral seat, Inveraray Castle, in Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne.
