Drink like a king

Hi, Sarah in London here. Only a few more weeks till coronation and we've got some high-class drinking to do [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hello, it’s [Sarah Rapp](, luxury reporter here in London. My name’s on the list. I received an exclusive invite to Westminster Abbey, England’s coronation church since 1066. No, I haven’t made the cut for King Charles III’s actual big day (shockingly, American correspondents in London aren’t high enough on Buckingham Palace’s invite list). But I did head to a black-tie event at the very space Charles will be crowned on May 6 to sample a $25,000 whisky being released in his honor. The things we do at Pursuits, for you, dear reader. Hello, it’s me. Not one of the over 850 community and charity representatives invited to the King’s coronation. Source: Sarah Rappaport The Royal Salute brand of Scotch was first created as a gift for Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation back in 1953, and it has maintained its upper-crust vibe ever since. Its signature 21-year-old blend is distilled at Speyside’s Strathisla—also home to Chivas Regal—and retails for about $200 in hefty porcelain and glass flagons. The [King Charles III edition](of Royal Salute whisky, though, will cost more than 10 times that with an ultra-limited supply on the [hot whisky collecting market](. For instance, just 56 bottles of the $25,000 Scotch are allocated to the US for any (minted) fans of the royals and a fine dram. The blend of 53 malt and grain whiskies comes bottled in a sapphire blue crystal decanter as well as a hefty protective box. The Darlington Crystal decanter nods to the Imperial Crown while the box holding the KCIII edition has a decorative motif similar to the [official royal invitation](. Source: Pernod Ricard Torquhil Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll and Grand Master and Patron of [the Keepers of the Quaich]( (a whisky industry knighthood of sorts), led a toast of Slà inte mhath and made a speech referencing his relatives buried at the Abbey. The last time he was here, he says, was for [the Queen’s funeral](. The whisky itself is wonderful—[master blender Sandy Hyslop]( guided us through its notes of red currants, dark chocolate pralines and ginger, all with a delightfully long finish—but it’s really the aura and hoopla surrounding the royal event that’s contributing to the five-figure price. And that sums up quite nicely the coronation fever that’s gripping London. In case you scoffed: A single-malt whisky expert makes the case for blended Scotch. Photographer: Vincent20044/iStockphoto Just before I got to the Abbey, the news broke that [Prince Harry would be attending the King’s coronation](, but without his wife Meghan and children, and it was the talk of the night in the hallowed halls. A royal correspondent I was chatting to thinks that Meghan should rejoin Instagram and enjoy herself, as people will find a reason to criticize whatever happens. Even outside the Abbey, London is abuzz. Lovers of the 1950s should head to the Dorchester, where the luxury hotel is re-creating the decorations used to celebrate the late Queen’s coronation in 1953, both inside and outside the grand building. While there, hit up [Vesper Bar](, one of my favorite new spots. This commemorative plate isn’t actually for sale, but it should be. Photo Illustration by Justin Metz [Dinner by Heston Blumentha](l at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is having a Royal Cooking Menu with options like veal sweetbread inspired by King James II (1685), Filet of Beef Royale for King George IV (1821) and a dessert course called Fflampayne (strawberries, vanilla cream, lemon verbena and strawberry sorbet) inspired by King Henry V (1413). And, of course, there are more coronation-themed teas than can be dumped into the entire Boston Harbor. [We rounded up some of the best](. A stylish take on the afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel Source: Brown’s Hotel If you’re looking to own a piece of history instead of merely witnessing it, auction house [Sotheby’s has a coronation sale on May 4](. Items hitting the block include a copy of the signed agreement that gave Charles II back his throne in 1660; “The Declaration of Breda” is estimated between £400,000 and £600,000 ($496,500 to $744,700). A piece of monarchy-related history on auction May 4. Source: Sotheby's [The manuscript]( will be on display at Sotheby’s New Bond Street location from April 21 along other highlights like a [diamond brooch]( depicting the letters ER (est. £50,000) that the Queen gave her to maids of honor as a thanks for participating in her own crowning day. There’s also signed letters from Henry VIII and Katherine Parr (his last wife, the one that ‘survived,’ if you like me can only remember the order via the schoolyard rhyme). It’s not all historical treasures and $25,000 whisky bottles, though, there is even an absurd Coronation Chicken dish with the all-necessary apricots created by Hug Pet Food. Yes, that’s right, a commemorative meal for dogs, just in case canines want to join in on the big day. It’s ridiculous. And it’s definitely going to sell. Source: Hug Pet Food Co. Getting to witness and report on all this history has been fun, and it’s only going to get wilder and stranger—stay tuned. London hasn’t seen a coronation in 70 years. Until then check out [our guide to eating, drinking and sightseeing]( should you find yourself in the city before the big day. Connect with Sarah on [Twitter]( or [Instagram]( Not interested in the UK? Here’s some other travel inspiration. [There’s No Such Thing as Low Season in the Caribbean Anymore]( Summer has become increasingly popular with tourists seeking a beach getaway to smaller island paradises. [Google Wants You to Never Overpay for a Flight Again]( It’s the latest from a little-known list of tech tools that make it easy to get the best possible airfare—every time. [Seven Money-Saving Tips to Beat Travel Inflation This Summer and Beyond]( High costs are already putting a damper on summer travel plans. These money-saving strategies can help. [Visiting Denmark Promises an Alternative to Bucket List Europe]( This small Nordic nation is betting that this year, tourists will go for its quirky sights, wild beaches, thick forests, rich waterways and slow living. [Can You use ChatGPT to Plan Travel? It’s Hilarious and Can Actually Work]( We put the AI chatbot to the test using three very different scenarios, and its performance varied widely. Still, its successes showed surprising promise. Other UK news. OK, I may have been hyperbolic saying it’s all coronation all the time right now. There’s been plenty of other lifestyle news in the UK over the past few weeks. Especially if you’re interested in posh real estate, restaurants and functions fit for a spy. [You Can Go on the Ultimate James Bond Vacation for $74,000]( [Village Mansion With Hamilton Connection Listed for £3.2 Million]( [The Best Restaurants in the UK and Ireland, According to Michelin]( [In the Cotswolds, a New £15,000-a-Year Club for the Fitness-Obsessed]( [A Scottish Castle Can Be Yours. But You’ll Never Stop Paying for It]( [The Best Bars in Edinburgh for Beer, Wine and (of Course) Whisky]( What else I’ve been reading and watching. - Vanity Fair has a long, great read on the [Murdochs and Jerry Hall and Rupert’s TV-worthy divorce drama](. It’s almost as compelling as the show on HBO on Sunday nights, [now in its final season](. The article says one of the terms of the divorce was that Hall couldn’t give story ideas to the writers on Succession! - Bloomberg Equality writer and Pursuits contributor [Ella Ceron](’s debut novel mixes magical realism with a Pride and Prejudice-esque romance, all set in Mexico City. [It’s a glorious page-turner so far](. - With a pair of Michael Jordan’s sneakers selling for [a record $2.2 million](, the new film [AIR](, about Nike’s game-changing partnership with the greatest basketball player of all time, hits even harder. Ben Affleck directs and plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight alongside a stellar cast of Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Matt Damon as executive Sonny Vaccaro, and Chris Messina as the scene-stealing, foul-mouthed, hilarious sports agent David Falk. So you had questions... Keep the curiosity coming via our question line (AskPursuits@bloomberg.net) or shoot us a [DM on Instagram](. Do you have a favorite cocktail recipe? I drink more at [London’s incredible cocktail bars]( than at home, but I do have a favorite to make while blood oranges are in season—and yes, I’ll probably drink it while watching the coronation. Blood Orange Paloma: Fill a glass with ice, add a little tequila (1.5 oz or more depending on your mood) and equal parts fresh blood orange juice and Sanpellegrino Aranciata Rossa. Top it off with a bit of club soda and mix. Garnish with a slice of blood orange. If you don’t like that tequila “bite,” consider a cristalino. Photographer: Joyce Lee for Bloomberg Businessweek Will the coronation be live-streamed? Where? Yes, on the BBC for a British audience, and on BBC America and Sky TV’s YouTube channel internationally. It’ll also be on BritBox, and it’s likely that networks like CNN will send correspondents over for the event. Will Charles III be the last king considering the monarchy is a symbol of oppression? There’s nothing fair about a monarchy, I agree with that. And British newspaper the Guardian has a [fascinating series of articles]( about the historical links between the crown and slavery that are worth reading. But the concept of the British monarchy is still more popular than not here in the UK. According to recent [polling by Yougov](, 58% of Brits have a positive view of the institution. “What's important to a lot of Brits is that the monarchy keeps going,” says royal expert Jonathan Spangler, senior lecturer in History at Manchester Metropolitan University. “A lot of people love the institution,” he continues, even if they don’t care about the person on the throne. So, it’s pretty likely that Prince William will be the next person after Charles to get a crown placed on his head at Westminster Abbey. New for subscribers: Free article gifting. Bloomberg.com subscribers can now gift up to five free articles a month to anyone you want. Just look for the "Gift this article" button on stories. (Not a subscriber? Unlock limited access and [sign up here](.) Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? 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