Chivas Regal has a long history, dating back to the 1800’s. Operating out of Strathisla in the Highlands (the oldest such in the Highlands), the brand produces a variety of whiskies ranging from the 12 year aged to 25 year and a No Age Statement (NAS) offering that produced of only the best of the best. While you can blend your own (seriously, they apparently offer that), you’re most likely to reach for a bottle of base offering. So how well does Chivas Regal 12 work for cocktails?
Chivas Regal 12
Sight: A deep golden hue with a tint of orange.
Smell: Honey, heather, and apples come to the forefront with touches of rain soaked rocks. The nose leans toward the perfumed side of the spectrum.
Sip: Mild notes of heather and honey lead off, but bring in a hint of salinity and orchard fruit. The flavors progress toward nuttier notes, before ultimately pull in a slight amount of charred wood. The mouthfeel is moderate to full, if a little rough.
Savor: The finish is laced woodsy notes, pome fruits, and floral characteristics with a lightly tannic nature.
Chivas Regal 12 is a light, easy going scotch with a primarily floral and fruit forward character that picks up some mild wood and smoke notes. It’s a perfectly fine dram on it’s own, although it doesn’t particularly stand out in anyway. It’s not overly smooth, but isn’t quite refined either. The characteristics make it a decent choice for mixing, but it could survive on the rocks.
In Cocktails
In a Bobby Burns No. 2, Chivas Regal 12 added a good amount of caramelized nut notes and a little smokiness. The richness of the mouthfeel carries forward and leaves a very full bodied drink experience. That said, the drink becomes a bit less delicate than with a lighter scotch, and feels more direct in it’s character. In a Highball, the woodsy notes and nuttiness dominate, but the honey and heather aren’t far from flitting it. The weight remains very much, firm and almost oily.
Chivas Regal 12 In Review
Chivas Regal 12 is fine, giving a nice robust touch of scotch flavor while not breaking the bank. At issue, is the price point. Marching toward $40, you’re fringing into Glenlivet 12 territory, which feels to give a little more of everything compared to Chivas. Down $10 are Dewar’s White Label and Johnnie Walker Red, which are arguably not quite as refined, but aren’t going for on the rocks / in a Glencairn glass presentation either. The net result is that Chivas works fine, but might not be the best option to add to yourself depending on the price of competition.