On Friday, 4 July, HRH Queen Elizabeth launched the Royal Navy’s latest vessel with a little help from Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Her Majesty launched the brand new Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier from Rosyth Naval Dock yard, Scotland, by smashing a bottle of the Bowmore ‘The Taste of Islay’, against the carrier in a traditional launch ceremony.
A bottle of the aptly named Bowmore ‘Surf’ will also be presented to the Lord Mayor of London at a Naval Dinner, in London on Tuesday, July 8th. Both David Raines — Master of the Worshipful Company of Distillers — and Mike Keiller, CEO of Morrison Bowmore Distillers and a ‘Distiller’ himself, will attend the dinner, where they will toast the launch with Bowmore 25 Years Old.
HRH Queen Elizabeth’s special connection to Bowmore goes back to August 9, 1980, when Her Majesty visited the distillery on Islay — the first and only visit The Queen has made to a whisky distillery in an official capacity.
While at the distillery, a special cask of Bowmore Whisky was laid down in HRH Queen Elizabeth’s name. Now bottled, this elegant single malt is handed out by Her Majesty as a gift to visiting royalty and dignitaries.
Mike Keiller, of Morrison Bowmore said: “We wouldn’t generally recommend smashing a bottle of Bowmore, but given our special relationship with Her Majesty, we were delighted to make an exception on this occasion and be a proud part of the launch ceremony.”
