I’ve always found February to be a somewhat predictable month. It’s far enough away from Christmas that it seems that winter should be subsiding soon, but in my experience it never does. Everyone is ready for the season to change, but it’s just not ready to yet.
So… that’s my reasoning behind this month’s scotch. It’s something that I normally would not consider, which gives me a of a change of pace while the weather stays the same.
I was, at one time, a Crown Royal drinker. The classic Crown and coke was my drink of choice for a period. With Chivas Regal, I think I associate the “Regal” part in the Chivas with the “Royal” part in the Crown. It gives me the impression that this is a Canadian rye whiskey rather than a blended scotch whisky, which are two very different tastes. Maybe it just seems too Regal for me.
Actually, I received a small bottle of this at Christmas and have been saving it for this month’s review. but I’m sure I would have chosen this 12 year old bottle of Chivas Regal as February’s Scotch of the Month anyways.
This blend is a light amber colour. It’s a 12 year which means that each of the scotches used in the blend are aged at least 12 years. The include malt and grain whiskies and the base of all Chivas Regal scotches is Strathisla.
The nose is warm and rich with a buttery honey. Theres a light floral scent as well. It is very gentle and filled with subtle floral scents.
The palate is quite different from the nose. It actually contains a number of sharper, more distinct flavours. It is dominated by a heavy musky wood which seems to overshadow some vanilla and nut. This taste is surprisingly different from the extremely pleasant nose. Hold it on your tongue for a moment and it turns to more of a citrus or acidic feeling that you get just before the finish.
As this whiskey slides to the back of my throat I get an odd warmth and a light scent of burnt caramel in my sinuses which quickly subsides to reveal the finish. The finish is different again. It holds a burnt oak with caramel flavours. Then if you wait a very light honey.
This doesn’t strike me as being a blend that I would call a favourite, but it is by no means the worst. And it certainly does not resemble a Canadian whiskey, like I had envisioned from looking at the label.
“Live with Chivalry” is the interesting marketing campaign that the Chivas distillery is running right now. You can read some stories of modern day chivalry on their website (http://www.chivas.com) or join the movement yourself.
Find out more about this scotch and Chivas’ other whiskies at their company website: http://www.chivas.com.
If you have tried this scotch, please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of it!
I like very much our chivas brand.
Hello. I am looking to get my husband a great bottle of Scotch for Christmas but I am at a loss as to what to buy him.. I have been reading over you posts and I am still not sure what I should get. I know he loves alot of them. so Iam sure I can’t go wrong. so here is my question.. what is your favourite? and then I am sure I won’t go wrong with this gift.. (ps… no preasure here.. just a wife in need of help)