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.
Chivas Regal 12 was my introduction to Scotch Whisky. It was the late 90’s and we would go out to discos in Tijuana, and the only way to get a table was to order a bottle. Something you might appreciate knowing is that in for some reason in Mexico, Buchanans is the preferred Scotch. McCallan is way too pricey and not even offered.
My buddies who were a couple of years older would drink their Scotch with water and ice, but that was too strong for me so I went with seven up and ice with my scotch for the first month or so. A few years after I started drinking Scotch, my dad passed on a bottle of 18 year old that was given to him. At the time that was the best Scotch I had ever had – that was 10 years ago.
After drinking quite a few whiskies, I figured that I am not the kind of a person who can tell the difference between whiskies. And I am not talking about comparable whiskies, I am talking about a wide range of it. I can tell the difference between a good whisky and trash but not beyond that. SO what do I do, well save myself money by buying cheaper whiskies and Rum.