Scottish Whisky

Chivas Regal 18 Blended Scotch Whisky

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Chivas Regal 18 Years Old
Blended Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$80-$120
Website
Chivas Regal 18 Blended Scotch Whisky

What the Producer Says

NEW LOOK, SAME PRECIOUS LIQUID
Chivas Regal 18 has a bold new look. Sitting taller and prouder, our elevated bottle features carved jewel-like details to match the 18-year-old brilliance inside. The golden luckenbooth sits proudly as the beating heart of Chivas Regal. Finished with a jewel-like cork stopper and embossed spears and flag in homage to our heritage, the new bottle stands out among any collection.

This award-winning whisky holds coveted titles such as ‘Best Blended Scotch Whisky’ from the International Wine and Spirits Competition – and with over 85 luxurious tasting notes, it’s not hard to see why.

Chivas Regal 18 is an iconic whisky that elevates the senses with every sip. An 18-year-old Scotch that develops intense flavours within only the finest casks, this elevated blend is the embodiment of mastering our craft.

OVER 85 FLAVOUR NOTES
From butterscotch and caramel to pear drops and apple, Chivas Regal 18 with its over 85 flavour notes is a never-ending taste exploration.

Nose: Rich, indulgent & multi-layered, with dried fruits, buttery toffee & dark chocolate
Palate: Velvety dark chocolate, floral notes and sweet, mellow smokiness
Finish: Extremely warm and long

What Gary Says

Nose: Dried fruit, floral with heather, malt, hints of tobacco and dark chocolate.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with milk chocolate, toffee, oak spices and a bit of smoke.
Finish: Long with chocolate, fruit and a hint of smoke.
Comments: I’m not sure that I’d ever had Chivas 18 before, but this is a lovely example of why folks should not look down on blended Scotch whisky. I love a fine single malt as much as the next person, but for < $100 – this is a lovely Scotch whisky. Layered, gentle, balanced – and while not the hard-hitting intensity that I gravitate towards, this is a really nice gentle sipper that I enjoyed discovering and pondering.

Rating: Must Try

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The Glenlivet 12 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

The Glenlivet 12 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$28-32
Website
The Glenlivet 12 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

One of the world’s most popular malts, the double-oak-matured 12 Year Old whisky embodies The Glenlivet’s signature fruity style.

Fruity, Smooth & Balanced
Representing the heart of The Glenlivet’s signature fruity style, this 12 year old single malt is double oak matured, intertwining tropical fruit and sweet vanilla flavours notes. The result is an irresistibly smooth whisky, crafted to be savoured slowly.

The mineral-rich water that comes from Josie’s Well helps form the flavours during mashing and fermentation, whilst the specific height and width of the copper stills add a delicate yet complex character.

Nose: An elegant combination of banana and pineapple, vibrant aromas of summer meadows
Palate: Sweet fruit notes of peaches and pears complemented by vanilla and toffee.
Finish: Smooth, gentle and long.
Cask: European and American Oak.

What Gary Says

Nose: Soft, floral with fruit notes (apples & pears), honey, vanilla, malt and a hint of peaches.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, vanilla, peaches, light caramel, honey, shortbread cookies, canned mixed fruit and a hint of anise.
Finish: Short and smooth with a bit of vanilla, oak, and poached apple.
Comments: Richard and Matt reviewed this back in the early days of 2009, as it’s one of the more popular single malts out there. I honestly had forgotten they had reviewed it before I ventured out to do so myself, but had similar conclusions with Matt on it being pretty average (although it is noteworthy that the price today is similar to what it was 15+ years ago). Nothing objectionable in the glass or on the news, but also nothing that really stands out.

Rating: Average

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GlenAllachie 15 Year Old

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

The GlenAllachie 15 Year Old
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$100-125
Website
The GlenAllachie 15 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

This spectacular Scotch whisky embodies our unwavering dedication to obtaining Sherry wood of the highest standard. A watchful eye throughout the maturation journey ensures the whisky is bottled at its optimum.

With an intense mahogany hue, this single malt exudes sheer indulgence with layers of cinnamon, orange zest, vanilla toffee and dark chocolate.

We proudly present The GlenAllachie 15-year-old with integrity; at a high strength of 46%, without added colouring or chill filtration, enabling its true charm to shine through.

What Gary Says

Nose: Dried fruit, raisins, figs, cherries, orange marmalade, oak spices and brown sugar.
Palate: Honey and vanilla with cherries, raisins, orange zest, baked apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper.
Finish: Moderate in length, drying with cocoa, oak, brown sugar and spices.
Comments: A nice sipping dram. Sherried for sure but not a ‘bomb’. Fairly well balanced, a bit on the dry side – almost sharp with the spice notes. This is the first GlenAllachie I’ve reviewed, although have some single casks I’ll get to at some point.

Rating: Stands Out

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Benriach The Thirty Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

/ / Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Benriach The Thirty
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Four Cask Matured

46% ABV
$800-$900
Website
Benriach The Thirty Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

This exquisite single malt has been crafted from peated spirit and four cask matured for at least thirty years in sherry casks, bourbon barrels, virgin oak casks and port casks from the Douro Valley. During long maturation Benriach’s sweet Speyside smoke mellows and integrates with the fruit, malt and oak. After thirty years, rich layering develops into sublime honeyed smoke, further enhanced through multi-layered cask maturation. The whisky from each cask type, imbued with particular flavour characteristics, is then expertly married together to create an exquisitely harmonious single malt, layered with dark fruits, rich walnut and velvety oak spice with a long, complex, smoked honey finish. All in perfect balance.

TASTING NOTES
COLOUR: Mahogany
NOSE: Stewed plum, baked orange, smoked walnut and cinnamon cocoa
PALATE: Dark fruit, manuka honey and chocolate raisin, with a long and complex smoked honey finish
SMOKE LEVEL: Complex

RACHEL BARRIE – MASTER BLENDER: “The Thirty has an incredible intensity of flavour but also exceptional refinement. The deepest, richest expression of Benriach on every level.”

What Gary Says

Nose: Fruit notes with figs, raisins, currants, orange, leather, hint of smoke with a nuttiness.
Palate: Dark fruit notes of raisins and plums, honey, chocolate, peaches, cinnamon and a bit of peat smoke.
Finish: Long and damp with fruity floral notes, faint spice and just a wisp of smoke.
Comments: This is a quite nice, mature, and elegant single malt. With this kind of age, you expect depth and nuance which this delivers. With a few drops of water, the nose brings forward more orange notes and a bit of cedar, while on the palate the mouthfeel thickens and becomes creamier. All that said, it isn’t intense with the flavor – and the price point is ridiculous. But if someone is offering a pour, nothing objectionable in the glass – this is a nice dram to sit and ponder with.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Glengoyne 25 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Glengoyne 25 Year Old Sherry Oak
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

48% ABV
$500-600
Website
Glengoyne 25 Year Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

Matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry casks for a quarter of a century, this unique malt is an important addition to the Glengoyne collection. This bright amber beauty has red fruits, leather and brown sugar on the nose and soft oak, cinnamon, stewed fruits and a Seville marmalade tang on the palate. The finish is very long with spicy liquorice. The malt is presented in a new heavy bespoke bottle and outer box. The bottle features a fine metal stopper, crafted cartouche and delicately branded neck tag and is attractively displayed in an oak box interior which includes an engraved plinth. The elegant exterior has a refined feather pattern subtly varnished on the pack.

What Gary Says

Nose: Rich and thick, deep fruit notes with figs, dates, apricots and raisins; soft worn leather with old books and a hint of cigar smoke.
Palate: Thick and syrupy mouthfeel, mincemeat pie with apples, figs and mandarin oranges; cinnamon, clove and a bit of anise.
Finish: Long and damp with cloves, anise, oak and a sour fruit note.
Comments: An absolute sherry bomb in all the right ways. All of the things you’d expect and hope for with 25 years in a sherried cask – that intense dark fruit flavors along with layers of complexity (not to mention a very respectable ABV). I hadn’t had a lot of Glengoyne (and in fact this is the first one I’ve reviewed on our site), but this is just a delightful and decadent offering.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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