A richly indulgent blended Scotch whisky from longtime favourite, Chivas. The Chivas Regal 18 Year Old was personally created by Master Blender Colin Scott, including over 20 single malts from around Scotland. Definitely no stranger to awards, this one. It even took home the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2014 Trophy for Blended Scotch Whisky! A supreme sipper, but also rather good for cocktails if you fancy giving them an upgrade.
The nose offers marmalade and malt, a hint of custard, coconut ice and nutmeg.
Winter spices and malt on the palate with barley, Seville orange marmalade and oak.
The finish is spiced and warming with oak and cinnamon.
superb!perfect balance between orange and wood
Call me names but I take spirit with water or ice allowed to melt a little or as much as it takes for me to feel some of what these professionals are expressing in their tasting notes. This one is rich and spicy and the first blend I've really enjoyed which is to say I'm going now to pour another.
I have always been a Makers Mark drinker (started with Jack), but this is simply amazing. Anyone who mixes this with anything but an ice cube, should be skinned alive. I can only imagine what the 25 year old tastes like, this is just plane superb !!!!!!
This wins head to head against single malts like Aberlour 12 (great woody with some moderate alcoholic burn which i suprisingly like here), Glenfiddich 12 (average fruity malt), Glenfidich solera vat 15 (probably the best nose, but not delivering on the palate as it is on the nose, but still a great one), Glenlivet 12 (good stuff, but I kind of got bored after 5 bottles or so). The triple (2 vs 1) fight against chivas 12 (my everyday drink, but I think it is losing its touch lately, or maybe it was just a rotten batch in a small 0.05 l. bottle) and JWB 12 (better then Chivas 12 lately, almost a little to sweet, but hides that sweetness with some smokiness), was also won super easy. Win against cognacs (Martell, Martell VSOP, Courvoisier, Hennessy and Remy Martin VSOP) was also super easy. A side note just that maybe Hennessy came close, but still very far away. I like Remy Martin also, but just a little to much alcoholic burn to my taste. Which I enjoy sometimes, but not always. The only battle that was really a though one to call a winner, was a head to head to Laphroaig 10, which is a love/hate kinda a thing (but a true masterpiece to my nose and taste), and I was going back and forth, smokiness and superstrong taste from Laphroaig 10 was trying to prevail, but after I was drink water, sniffing coffee, and finally deciding at the end, that Chivas 18 is way better. Chivas 18 gold signature is really like liquid gold. Sweet, super smooth, just the right amount of smokiness and sweetness, and when you "wash" your mouth with it, it leaves that rich long lasting finish...Mmmmm....
The best of Chivas. High standard. Very smooth and classy.
