Notes:  A venerable brand which dates to the early 1800’s and is a purveyor to the Royal Household. Chivas is a Blended Scotch producer which offers a range of ages. The full history of Chivas is covered in a excellent book by Paul Pacult titled “A Double Scotch”  (also reviewed on Booze Books our sister website) for those wishing to get into a lot of entertaining detail to regale their fellow malt enthusiasts.

Appearance: Golden bronze in th bottle, light yellow straw in the glass

First Impression: Nicely flowery with fruit,heather, and slightly sweetish darker fruit notes also

Taste: Nicely weighty in some ways with a broad and mellow taste but the smoke somewhat overwhelms the flowers and fruit of the bouquet

Drinks: Works well in most classic blended scotch drinks. Rather smokier than most so you may wish to factor that in your cocktail making

Bottle: A Chivas bottle has not changed much over the years, and in some sense of the word could be considered iconic or certainly a bottle almost anyone serious about spirits can spot at a distance.
Clear glass, bell shaped with a slightly bulging neck, with the heraldic style  label the 12 year old version sport a deep red plum color in its background colors and neck wrap. Screwcap closure is a bit jarring ( was expecting a cork ) but this is a blend.

Other: A blend of Strathisla ( one of the oldest Scotch distilleries still operating), Longmorn, and unspecified Islay and a aged grain  whisky

Final Thoughts: A very nice blended scotch if a bit pricey for what it is. Upside is you can find it almost anywhere and it is a safe bet as a decent if not spectacular buy that is much better than many of the other well known blends – some of which cost even more. Very smooth, approachable, yet complex, it is a good starter blended scotch for either those who stated with cheaper blends to try some good stuff, or for single malt enthusiasts who want to see what a blended scotch can be. Recommended ! Although for a few dollars more you can get the 18 year old which I much prefer.

Website: http://www.chivas.com

An interesting website with some information and lots of amusing ads/videos that are at least somewhat engaging.