CHIVAS REGAL EXPANDS PORTFOLIO GLOBALLY

 CHIVAS REGAL 25 YO RETURNS ALMOST 100 YEARS AFTER DEBUT IN THE USA

ADDS HOST OF SINGLE AND BLENDED MALTS

Amazingly enough, no Chivas family member is, or was ever connected with the Chivas Regal brand of whiskies. In 1900, the then Master Blender and co-owner of Chivas Brothers, Charles Stewart Howard, decided to create a new blend that would pay tribute to the legacy of the founding brothers, James and John Chivas. Using select malts from the 20 YO Royal Loch Nevis and other aged malts procured from the Highlands and Campbeltown, Howard found a malt-dominated recipe fitting the bill. 

Introducing the term ‘Regal’ for the first time ever, Howard created in 1909, all of 9 years later, what he believed to be the finest whisky ever made, a 25-year-old whisky called Chivas Regal that met all regulatory parameters for bottling and labelling as the oldest Blended Scotch Whisky of its era, establishing it as the world’s first and oldest luxury whisky. The ABV was reduced to 46% to make it an excellent base for a Highball. It made its debut in a specially designed heavy green glass bottle — with gold and silver trimmings as well as a cork made in Portugal — in the USA to a glamorous reception in 1909. It was discontinued in difficult times in 1936.

As the 20th century came to a close, work carried on at a stepped-up pace in the vast Scotch Whisky empire, as more and more millennials came of drinking age. Anticipating the boom, the fifth Master Blender at Chivas Brothers, Colin Scott, with the help of then Deputy Master Blender Sandy Hyslop’s wide expertise in blending, particularly Single and Blended Malts, set about creating new whiskies for the international market, while retaining tight control over the flagship 12 Year Old which was then ranked No 2 globally to Johnnie Walker's Black Label Blended Scotch.

The new blends introduced by the Chivas family to the market were:

• Chivas Regal Mizunara, the world’s first blended Scotch whisky a portion of which is selectively finished in Japanese Mizunara oak casks
• Chivas Regal Extra, selectively matured in Oloroso sherry casks.
• Chivas Regal Ultis, a NAS Blended Malt, with single malts from Allt a'Bhainne, Braeval, Longmorn, Strathisla and Tormore.
• The iconic Chivas Regal 18 YO Gold Signature, launched in 1997 and then repackaged in 2004.
• The Chivas Regal Extra 13 YO honouring the Chivas Bother's 13 King's Street address.
• The Chivas Regal Extra 13 YO honouring Manchester United soccer club's 13th League Title.
• The Chivas Regal 15 YO launched in 2018.
• The iconic Chivas Regal 18 YO Blue Signature, launched in 2018 and reserved for the burgeoning Vietnam market.

Single Malts: Chivas Brothers entered the Single Malt Market too, in 2018, with its usual flourish, as elaborated later.

It was during the period of experiment and research for the launch of the 18 YO that he saw fresh avatars of the old brands that were used to create the original Chivas Regal 25 YO of 1909, the world’s first luxury and oldest Blended Scotch that was first made available in the USA and then the rest of the world. Names had changed over the century, but that was when experience and past knowledge, including that of Hyslop, came to the fore. He then decided on recreating the first Chivas Regal product ever, the 25 YO of 2009.

Only the rarest 25-year-old Scotch whiskies were put together for this legendary blend. Every drop was meticulously blended to rekindle the delicate intensities and subtle textures made famous by the original Chivas 25 YO. Some of the casks available needed a year or two to reach 25 years and Scott utilised the time to study the notes passed down the ages and the closest-to-original single malts. It was paraded with the fanfare of 1909 when reintroduced to the world in 2007. Unfortunately, the component malt whiskies could not wait till 2009, for an exact 100 years of history.

Since then, each batch of Chivas Regal 25 is built up from scratch in the blending room. The blenders bring in cask samples from extensive stocks in warehouses all over Scotland and build up the blend in miniature amounts, then assess the quality before blending all the casks together. Then a double-check is carried out, where every individual cask is nosed again before blending the casks together.

Single Malts: Chivas Brothers have a strong presence in the Single Malt market too.

The Secret  Speyside Collection was launched by Chivas Brothers in June 2019, featuring fifteen rare Single Malts from four highly sought-after distilleries. This is its biggest Single Malt collection release till date, with the launch of fifteen aged Single Malt Scotch whiskies from four seldom-seen, yet definitely sought-after Speyside, Scotland distilleries.

The Collection is a meticulously curated selection of 18-30 year old whiskies from four elusive distilleries. Each has its own rich and unique history for Single Malt fans to discover: the vanished distillery of Caperdonich, the pioneering Longmorn distillery, the landmark Glen Keith distillery, and the remote Braes of Glenlivet distillery.

The Caperdonich Collection: This collection contains the only available Single Malts from this distillery, which was taken down in 2011. 

The Longmorn Collection: Blending unique insights in technology and craft, Longmorn was designed by founder John Duff in 1894 to create a whisky of outstanding quality. One of Scotland’s best kept secrets, Longmorn has long been considered world class by distillers, blenders and connoisseurs, often referred to as ‘every distiller’s favourite apart from their own.’

The Glen Keith Collection: This batch marked the first official age-statement release this century from the landmark distillery.

The Braes of Glenlivet Collection: This series was the first official bottling from one of the highest distilleries in Speyside.

The Chivas Regal Extra 13 YO Scotch Whisky

BOTTLED SEPARATELY FOR TWO CAUSES:

Brand: Chivas Regal Extra 13, Selectively Finished in American Rye Cask

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky 13 YO   40% ABV  70/75 cl

The Chivas Extra 13 Blended Scotch Whisky selectively finished in American Rye Casks (L) is inspired by the Chivas Brothers’ 13 King Street Emporium in Aberdeen, where they imported different spirits, exotic spices, and luxury food items from across the globe. Imparting its own unique combination of characteristics onto the Chivas blend, this finish brings new and contrasting flavour notes to the spirit for the first time.

The Chivas Regal Extra 13 YO (R) was created as a new line of whiskies dedicated to Manchester United and used to support the Beyond Sport Foundation, which promotes the use of sport to address social issues in communities around the world. This particular release was their 13 YO Scotch whisky, which was aged in American Rye Whiskey barrels for 13 years. The number 13, considered unlucky for some, is of significance here because it commemorates the 13 English League titles won by Manchester United.

CHIVAS REGAL THE ICON
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

The pinnacle of the Chivas range. This iconic blend is made up of more than 20 of Scotland’s rarest whiskies, some of which are from ghost distilleries now lost forever. A skilfully balanced blend that moves from irreplaceable casks to a handcrafted crystal decanter, Chivas The Icon takes centre stage in any drink cabinet. Because success is a blend, in life and in Scotch. After all, Chivas Regal The Icon is Scotch whisky crafted to perfection. Coveted by whisky aficionados the world over, these precious rare malts are blended together and matured to craft a timeless icon that’s only released in highly limited qualities every year.

For more than a century, the name Chivas Regal has represented a promise of excellence, setting the standard for luxury Scotch whisky. Chivas The Icon is a blend for contemporary connoisseurs who wish to taste a new era of luxury. A taste of the past, yet an icon for the future. This exclusive whisky is best drunk neat, on the rocks or with a drop of water.

Each decanter used for Chivas The Icon is hand-blown and hand-finished by dedicated master craftsmen at Dartington Crystal. Etched with careful precision and dressed in finely crafted metalwork ensures a sublime finish reminiscent of the iconic green Chivas Regal bottle that captivated high society over a century ago.

Addenda:

Alan Winchester, Master Distiller, The Glenlivet, Pernod-Ricard-owned Chivas Brothers, expands on this special collection:

Q: How did the idea of the Secret Speyside collection come about?

We know the global whisky community is constantly seeking rare and exciting expressions to add to its collection. When our experts unearthed 15 single malt whiskies from four of Speyside's revered, yet seldom-seen, distilleries, we knew we could create a truly remarkable collection. We wanted to give whisky connoisseurs a chance to discover these hidden treasures. With Speyside's rich history and heritage in distilling some of the best whiskies in the world, we saw an opportunity to create a collection that would not only taste impeccable but also inspire the drinkers to discover the fascinating stories behind the bottles.

Q: When you picked these 18-30-year-old whiskies, what were the criteria for selecting the four distilleries that you picked?

Firstly, the liquids had to be of the highest quality, showcasing the flavours from across the region. The four distilleries boast individual characteristics, meaning that while all are from the Speyside region, each produces different-tasting liquids, which gives the collection a great deal of depth - there truly is something for everyone.

Secondly, but of equal importance, was that the distilleries had to encapsulate Speyside's rich heritage and have a story to tell. The four distilleries we chose to serve as a testament to the region because they each tell their own unique tale of Speyside's history. Yet, because they remained relatively undiscovered and hidden from the public, they have become revered and their liquids rare.

Q: What is it that unifies these single malts?

The Secret Speyside collection offers whisky connoisseurs the chance to uncover, sample and collect 15 single malts from the heart of the Speyside region that have rarely been made available in the past. While they are unified by their rarity and how each distillery has a unique story to discover, each single malt is distinct and rich in character, offering unplumbed depths of flavour from smooth and fruity to peated and smoky.

Q: What is it about Speyside that makes it the 'heart' of whiskies the world over?

Each whisky region in Scotland has its own character and taste, but Speyside whiskies are renowned for their incredibly high quality, and that is why this region has the largest concentration of distilleries in Scotland, possibly in the world. Speyside sits in a fertile valley of rivers and glens and the sheer purity of these waters is one of the key elements in making Speyside whiskies so great.

Q: And why are these whiskies deemed a 'secret'- is it because they are rarely sold as single malts?

The bottles in this collection have been sourced from four of the region's seldom-seen, yet highly sought-after, distilleries, making the bottles quite rare. Some are even in finite supply and, once gone, they will be gone forever, so this truly is a remarkable collection.

Q: Have all or some of them been featured in Chivas blends - and if so, which ones?

We don't give away exactly which whiskies we use in all of our blends, but due to the quality of the single malt from these distilleries, we can safely assume that they have appeared in some of the highest-quality blends we've created for Chivas.

Q: What's of particular interest is the six expressions (peated as well as unpeated) from the now-closed distillery Caperdonich. Can you tell us about these six whiskies?

Caperdonich, meaning 'Secret Well' in Gaelic, is an extremely intriguing distillery because it no longer exists. The distillery closed in 2011 and was taken down brick by brick, meaning Caperdonich has earned the nickname of 'The Vanished Distillery'. This collection contains the only available single malts from Caperdonich, giving connoisseurs a rare opportunity to discover these precious liquids, with a finite supply. What's more, people have the unique chance to compare the peated and unpeated expressions of the same age - 21- and 25-year-olds. The unpeated spirit is full of ripe orchard fruits that give Caperdonich's sweet single malt a complex body and long smooth finish. When gently peated, a sophisticated smokiness adds an extra element and depth of flavour.

Q: Can you tell us about the Glen Keith distillery - the single malts from there in this collection, and also their age - since it's rare to find such aged single malts from Glen Keith. What is the distillation there that gives these aged single malts their unique taste?

The first Speyside distillery built in the 20th century, Glen Keith, rose from the ruins of an old mill on the banks of the River Isla, besides a deep pool of crystal-clear water, and this collection marks the first official aged release this century from the landmark distillery.

Each of the three whiskies from Glen Keith in this collection - a 21-year-old, a 25-year-old and a 28-year-old are exceptionally smooth as Glen Keith's pot stills are taller than most, giving an extra 'copper kiss' to the single malt. This results in complex, intensely smooth expressions of the classic fruity Speyside style.

Q: Can you tell us about the new expressions from Longmorn distillery - how old they are, how they were aged and their tasting notes?

The three whiskies in this collection are an 18-year-old, a 23-year-old and a cask-strength 25-year-old, each bringing a more intense take on the soft, creamy toffee and rich flavour profile that is unique to Longmorn whiskies. Longmorn has long been considered world-class by distillers, blenders and connoisseurs alike, often referred to as 'every distillers' favourite apart from their own'.

Q: And the last distillery - Braes of Glenlivet -is very high and has a unique water source. Could you tell us about the distillation and single malts from there that are in the collection - how old they are and their tasting notes?

The three whiskies from Braes of Glenlivet in this collection are a 25-year-old, a 27-year-old and a cask strength that is 30-year-old. Made using the purest water from the Preenie well, two miles deep in the Braes hills, the resulting whisky is smooth, balanced and packed with tropical fruits.

Q: Why are these malts so rare?

These malts are so rare because they have seldom been available prior to this collection but come from some of Speyside's most revered distilleries.

Q: Why are they Collectors’ Items?

This collection allows whisky connoisseurs to discover Speyside's hidden treasures and serves as a testament to the region itself. For some of these, the liquid is so rare that it's the only opportunity to taste the incredible whiskies that these distilleries have produced and would make a fine addition to any collection.

Addenda courtesy Priya Kumari Rana in businesstoday.in/ 2020-10-29