Did you even know that there was such a thing as National Daiquiri Day? I suppose having a national “anything” day is cause for celebration and just finding an excuse to imbibe… not that I’m complaining! By definition, a daiquiri is a family of mixed beverages that include rum, lime juice, and a sweetener like sugar. So it doesn’t have any scotch, or any whisky, but it’s still well loved all the same. As for the origins of the Daiquiri, it’s named after a beach near Santiago, Cuba where the drink was invented. Cool, huh?

The fine folks at Brugal rum sent along this recipe if you want to celebrate it in style:

Daikiri Brugal

1½ oz. Brugal Añejo Rum
1 oz. Triple Sec
½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
½ tsp. Sugar
In a shaker with ice, combine ingredients, shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime slice. (or blend it!)

A nice cool beverage to help drop the temps during this hot summer, enjoy!

Chivas Regal is a blended Scotch whisky that calls the Strathisla Distillery, at Keith, Moray in Speyside, it’s home distillery. It is produced by the Chivas Brothers, which is now owned by Pernod Ricard, a spirits conglomerate that owns The Glenlivet (and Kahlua, Malibu, Beefeater, and many other famous brands); and was first established in 1801 in Aberdeen, Scotland. Chivas Regal has three major expressions – 12 Year, 18 Year, and 25 Year.

I’ve only ever tried Chivas Regal once, at a Scotch Night several years ago, and my memory of the 18 year was positive. It is described, by Chivas, with these tasting notes:

• Colour: Intense, dark amber.
• Nose: Rich, indulgent, multi-layered aromas with hints of dried fruits, buttery toffee and dark chocolate.
• Taste: A velvety, dark chocolate palate yields to elevant floral notes, and a wisp of sweet, mellow smokiness.
• Finish: Extremely warm long finish.

Chivas Regal Effect

One interesting note from popeconomics/marketing culture is the term “Chivas Regal effect,” which is when a product sells more because the price of it has been increased. Since people often equate price with quality, consumers, who otherwise wouldn’t have purchased a product, might choose it because it’s slightly more expensive (and thus “better” quality). It’s most often used in conjunction with higher education, a higher priced education is thought to be better.