A perfect blend

A P E R F E C T B L E N D

The histories of Royal Salute and the Coronation Cup run in parallel, says Victoria Elsbury-Legg

If polo is the ‘game of kings’, then the recent announcement that Royal Salute will be the new sponsor of the Coronation Cup could not be a more apt pairing. The whisky was launched on 2 June 1953 to honour Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her coronation. Taking its name from the traditional 21-gun salute that marks many royal occasions, even the colours of the porcelain bottles in which the 21-year-old whisky is presented are symbolic: made from Cornish clay burnished to a ruby, emerald or sapphire finish, they represent the jewels on Her Majesty’s coronation crown.

Created by master blender Charles Julian at the oldest working distillery in the Highlands, Royal Salute, like the Coronation Cup, is rich in history. Founded in 1801 in Aberdeen, Chivas Brothers, the makers of Royal Salute, was purchased by Seagram’s in 1949, with the Strathisla Distillery being acquired in 1950. The brand went on to be owned by Pernod Ricard.

Royal Salute has played a hugely significant role in the international polo scene since 2007. With brand ambassadors Facundo Pieres; Torquhil Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll; and Malcolm Borwick on board, and tournaments from China to Argentina, and Britain to the USA sharing their titles with the name, Royal Salute continues to expand its sponsorship of both the sport and its chosen charities, including Prince Harry’s Sentebale.

Now it is the turn of the Coronation Cup to add an association with Royal Salute to its illustrious history. Started in 1911 to honour the coronation of King George V, until 1939, it was played by the winners of the London Open Tournaments. With polo in decline in post-war years, the tournament was played again in 1953 to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, then in 1971, when Michael Butler, Lord Patrick Beresford and Colonel Gerard Leigh put together a 23-goal English team (Hon. Mark Vestey, Howard and Julian Hipwood and Paul Withers) to face team USA (Ronnie Tongg, Billy Linfoot, and Chico and Joe Barry).

Guards polo manager Major Ronald Ferguson then added a BPP award and incorporated a Young England vs Young America match into the day, with the HPA creating the Silver Jubilee Trophy in 1977, and from then until 1993, Prince Charles captained the English team. Sponsored by Wills (1971–1978), Cartier (1984–2011), then Audi (2012–2014), the International Day has featured teams from more than 10 nations.

Perhaps the intertwining of two great British brands is best summed up by Royal Salute global brand director Vadim Grigorian: ‘As a long-standing, passionate supporter of polo, it is fitting to cement Royal Salute’s association with the most prestigious polo event in Britain – the Coronation Cup. We are deeply fascinated with polo – from its origins in noble values to the symbiosis between player and horse; it is firmly planted in tradition, yet played in the modern world. Honouring legacy is in the DNA of Royal Salute, so it is a privilege to extend our patronage to an organisation that encapsulates comparable values.’ The Royal Salute Coronation Cup 2015, England vs South America, will be held on 25 July at Windsor Great Park; royalsalute.com

Royal Salute, the luxury Scotch whisky, has been a strong supporter of polo worldwide since 2007, and now, in a new pairing with the HPA, has agreed to be the title partner for the prestigious Coronation Cup