December 11, 2015
The first thing any whisky lover would do, after they hear about the launch of a good whisky, is to savor it and share the experience with fellow whisky lovers. That’s exactly what we will be doing here!
While we are mostly a single malt fan, we do appreciate a good blend and in its category we’ve always considered Chivas 12 or 18 as good blends. The good people at Chivas Brothers have put together a new expression in their Chivas Regal range, going by the simple name of ‘Extra’ which is designed to sit between the 12 and 18. Apart from being a sherried whisky, it also happens to have no age statement (NAS).
Colin Scott, Master Blender at Chivas Regal quotes:
“This is our first new expression in almost 10 years. Chivas Regal Extra is an exceptional blend of specially selected Whiskies built on a rich foundation of Malts that have been matured in a higher proportion of sherry casks. This process delivers a profound depth of flavor and a Whisky that showcases the character of this unique blend, taking it to a whole new level.’’
Chivas Regal Extra is a smooth, malty, sugared scotch with slight peat finish. It has lot more fruit here than the standard 12-year-old Chivas Regal. Every component of the flavor profile is in balance, almost like it was blended by a computer program for people who were looking for something that is very easy to drink.
What we really love about this blend is that the sherry influence is apparent, without ever becoming dominant or overshadowing the whisky. It definitely is the bolder, richer Chivas with tasting notes describing it as:
“…additional layers of subtle spice. Fruity and sweet on the nose, its enchanting aroma of ripe pears and melon, creamy toffee and milk chocolate, balanced with cinnamon and a hint of ginger is crafted to truly excite the senses. The resulting taste is an alluring combination of sweet ripe pears in syrup and vanilla caramel, well balanced with the subtle warmth of cinnamon sweets and almonds in the background. “
We’ve got to give a hand to Chivas Regal, they’ve put together a really nice NAS blend here. The extra sherry casks breathe some life into the signature Chivas flavor profile.
Vishawatch team surely recommends this whisky. Cheers to all our readers.