Chivas Regal 12 Year Old

The blend Chivas Regal 12 Year Old has never been much on my radar, to be honest. I’ve tried a few from different era’s but have never founds one that I truly like, I’m sorry to have to say. But when my whiskybuddy Benny was able to score to bottles – one from 1987 and one from 2006 – and asked me if I was interested in a head-to-head, I jumped at the chance. I’ll end with the one from 2006, bottled at today’s minimum strength of 40%.

The nose starts very closed and at first does not offer any fruit, but merely soft notes of grass, liquorice root and flowery honey. Even with patience and hand warmth, I can hardly get this one to talk. Some vanilla appears, a single wood shaving and a slice of apple. C’est tout!

It is a lot less oily than its older brother. Not watery, but coming close. Some peaches now, as well as barley sugars, toffee apples and a truckload of honey. But also a tad of chemical sweetness – no doubt from the grain in the mix – which makes me pull a bit of a face. Pity.

The finish is very short and only offers sugars and liquorice.

Chivas 12 does not score very high in my book, but this one certainly goes to the bottom of the list. Thanks Benny, that was a nice experiment.

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