Blended Scotch Whisky - Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal is globally recognized as the best of the premium blended Scotch whiskies, setting a standard of excellence for all distilled spirits. With its complex yet smooth aroma and smoky taste balanced by a mellow flavour, Chivas Regal has become a favorite of connoisseurs, moving around 3 million cases worldwide annually. That translates as over 30 million bottles a year - approximately one every second, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
History
The founders of Chivas Brothers, James and John Chivas, strongly believed that the power of a whisky was in its ability to be of a consistently high standard,
and in the early 19th century they began to create always smooth, high quality blended whiskies. They were thus true pioneers of the art of blending. The Chivas brothers also had the foresight to invest in a precious inventory of fine maturing whiskies to ensure the consistent quality of their blends over time.
James Chivas established a template for his whiskies which was founded on two fundamental principles: old, mature stocks and a distinct Speyside accent. The exceptional standards established by the founders of the company were carried on from generation to generation. Near the turn of the 20th century, Chivas Brothers rewrote blending history by creating a premium blend called Chivas Regal.
Today the unique style of Chivas Regal is maintained to the same 200-year-old standards by the Chivas Brothers master blender.
Elaboration
Chivas Regal is a premium blended Scotch whisky, made from the finest malt and grain whiskies matured for at least 12 years.
Each whisky selected for Chivas Regal has its own individual character and flavour. Malt whiskies from the Highlands have fruity, spicy characters; Lowlands whiskies have light, gentle, floral notes; and whiskies from Islay have powerful smoky, pungent qualities. However, it is Speyside's famous malt whiskies that provide the gentle smoothness and richness that forms the true character of Chivas Regal.
Before blending, all of the component malt and grain whiskies are aged for 12 years or more in oak casks, either European oak butts and hogsheads that are first used in the sherry bodegas of Spain, or American white oak barrels used to mature bourbon.
When the time is right, the individual malt whiskies are taken from their casks and blended together in a process called vatting. The individual grain whiskies are blended together separately. Then, when the master blender is happy with the balance and character of both vattings, the malts are blended with the grains to produce Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old.
This 'triple blending' of the whiskies ensures that wherever Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old is consumed around the world, it will have the same smooth, rich and balanced taste every time. The individual malt and grain whiskies that make up Chivas Regal 18-Year-Old are rarer, older and even more valuable. To allow the full palette of Chivas Regal flavours to develop for Chivas Regal 18-Year-Old, the triple blending process is repeated, except once the malt and grain whiskies are vatted, they are then put back seperately into oak casks for a further period of maturation called marrying. This allows the malt and grain whiskies to blend harmoniously over time, before finally being blended together ready to be bottled as Chivas Regal 18-Year-Old.