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Dubai's tryst with a Duke

SITTING ASTRIDE an elephant and whacking a ball along ground in Nepal for the world championship of Elephant Polo is a far cry from the dinner event at the Burj Al Arab last night, but for the host, His Grace Torquhil Ian Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll it is all part of the job as brand ambassador for Chivas Brothers.

The Duke, a Scotsman, was in Dubai to launch a product for Chivas Brothers alongside Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO Christian Porta and Chivas Brothers master blender Colin Scott. It follows the Chivas Brothers launch in New York, attended by more than 400 celebrities and guests including Oscar-nominated Julianne Moore and Lucy Liu.

The Duke said that Dubai was chosen as the second place to launch the product because of the city’s signature as a luxury destination and consumers of high end products. The global brand of Chivas Brothers is present in 160 countries world wide and as brand ambassador the Duke has visited many of them spreading the esteem of Chivas Brothers and in many ways he also acts as ambassador for Scotland.

“It’s important it is in all the best hotels,” the Duke said. “Scotland is a small country but we take what is most important to us, what we hold most dear to our heart, to the world to allow people to experience it.” It was during his travels that he came across elephant polo, and yes, it really does exist there is even a World Elephant Polo Association.

Tourism is important to the Duke, particularly in promoting Scotland as a destination. “I’m an ambassador for Chivas Brothers but also a business man for Scotland,” he said of his role as a Duke in today’s society. “People come for the culture, the beauty and the climate is interesting,” he said. “We had good weather in Scotland although so much of England there were rains and floods. It’s also a dramatic place.”

But other than Scotland becoming world champions in elephant polo for the second time, one of the country’s few sporting titles he conceded, the Duke has gained some memorable moments during his work with Chivas Brothers. “It was going to Kathmandu to present the Royal Salute 50 year limited edition to Sir Edmund Hillary on the 50 year anniversary of his climb of Mount Everest,” he said. “There were more than 1000 people in Kathmandu including the sherpas.”

A gentleman’s dinner at the Shangri-La hotel in Abu Dhabi tonight.