Chivas Regal 12 Year

Rating: 17/23 I recently inherited this old bottle of Chivas 12. It's one of those ones that someone bought and forgot about frequently, leaving it a bit over half full 13 years after bottling. So this is sort of Chivas 25. But not actually. N: A bit of sharp, alcohol, waxy bite. Hints of caramel malt, but not a lot. This has a nice waxy layer, but there isn't much else there. I'm surprised. The alcohol is a bit overwhelming on the nose. P: OK, this is surprisingly complex and balanced. It's sweet with malty toffee richness balanced with smoke, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, clove, robust vanilla, and faint woody undertones. It's quite complex and mellow, while also being surprisingly full. I wouldn't expect this of a 12 year old scotch, but I think that the extra years interacting with the air in the bottle really helped this. There is some charred wood as well, but it isn't overwhelming. And there certainly isn't any sulphur. F: Clean with remnants of the malty caramel. Mild woody notes with woody spices and some vanilla. A thin layer of clean water with light minerals. This is a totally fine, but fairly boring, finish. - Conclusion - This is just very approachable and easy to sip. It's quite good. The Sexton (9/23) is nowhere near this. There's a bit of a more mature, decadent vibe going on in McIvor 17 (16/23), but this is more complex while being similarly balanced. Between the two, I think I like this better. The malt really shows more here as well. There's a little more burn to the McIvor (which really doesn't burn much), but there's a little more ethanol flavor here. They're close. I don't think that this is going to be higher than a 17, but when I opened this bottle, I though that it wasn't going to be higher than a 12. Bladnoch 17 California Red Wine Cask Finish (17/23) is more interesting and out there than this, but it's less balanced and complex. This is another case where the two aren't too far apart, but I honestly think that this is better. I'm now thinking at least a 17 for this, but it could be an 18. Maybe even a 19 Glen Grant 18 (17/23) is fresher with more floral, woody, vanilla, and bourbon character. Those flavors are more overt, but also carry more life. This has a more full, oily decadence, but it's a bit muted (not quite muddled) in comparison. Honestly, these two are the closest that I've found so far. It's a tough call. I might be able to be convinced that this is slightly better, pushing it up to an 18, but I'm not there right now. So it's a 17, which is frankly amazing for the likes of Chivas 12. I guess that extended air did a lot of good. I sure would have expected it to get bitter and watery over this time period.

My Internet crashed today which is a terrible thing to do to a tech head. No fishing because the weather is weird. What's a guy to do? A Scotch whisky tasting, of course! Three interesting and inexpensive 12 year blends are my focus today. Let's examine each in turn. The nose on the Old Parr is earthy with notes of rich wildflower honey, loam, ripe apples and pears with top notes of oxidized sherry. Buchanan's is lighter with prominent notes of Worther's Original, apple skins, strawberries, and slight lemon. The Chivas is the lightest of the three. Granny Smith apple, dry autumn fields, fresh berries and dry grain are all in play. On the taste buds these are fierce competitors. I haven't had Chivas since maybe the last century. Let's say this is new to me. Light apple skins, honey and barley grain make for a delicate sip. Sherry fruits come in mid palate. The finish is short. This is easy. Buchanan's is in my regular rotation. It lies between Dewar's 12 (a very close friend) and Johnnie Walker Black, which are also in my regular rotation. These are my "Rob Roy" stalwarts. Dependable and satisfying. The Buchanans has a richer mouth feel than the Chivas, and a little more intense flavor. Both seem to be cut from similar cloth and it would be hard to tell one from the other if they weren't tasted side by side. Old Parr is richer still. Creamier mouth feel accompanies a waft of smoke, raw honey and echoes of Spanish sherry. Simply lovely. The take-away? These are all more than acceptable whiskies and all are competitively priced. I can't imagine anyone tasting these three and finding any one of them objectionable. They are all pretty darn good! If I had to pick, my favorite today would be the Old Parr. That's just where my taste buds lead me right now. Tomorrow it could easily be one of the others. I'm happy they're all in my cabinet. Slaite!

Sitting in the first class lounge at Perth airport, about to depart on a six week epic. Had hoped to have a wider range of whisky options for pre flight sampling. The choices: Jameson and Chivas 12. Oh dear. Oh well, about time I made an entry for such a classic staple. N: Surprisingly soft and delicate. Vanilla and creamy toffee are the big bold canvas, upon which there are light strokes of gentle oak, banana and malt and a tiny herbal aniseed and spice. P: Slightly thin and a bit of obtrusive spirit. Very banana driven but balanced by a fairly hefty barely presence. A lightly oaky-spiced caramel with some weak willed nutty-oily emergent texture. Pretty bland though. F: Medium. Peppery heat, coconut-banana laden barely sugar. For what is basically a bottom shelf whisky there are no negative surprises. You get what you pay for on the palate and finish, a barely present and generic hit of mass produced malt with simple barrel influence. What is pleasantly surprising though is the nose; which has a little subtlety and immersive presence that is beyond the low price point. Distiller whisky taste #207 [No rock in this picture. My wife tells me no one at airport security would appreciate a “travel rock” in my carry on].

Lille - Décembre 2024 - Casino - Table de blackjack Robe dorée claire Nez miel et alcool des whiskys Bad game Première bouche de miel industriel sans arômes particuliers Deuxième bouche alcoolisé Troisième bouche légèrement pimentée Whisky très moyen , pas d'arômes primaires, pas de goûts pour attiser mes papilles gourmandes qui ne demandent qu'à être régénéré après la bouteille de Cognac et la frénésie nocturne d'hier... Un whisky moyen game sans aucun intérêt Grosse gueule de bois ... Voilà de longues années que je n'ai pas joué au blackjack, que les dieux antiques soient avec moi et bénissent mes cartes ... Après deux heures de jeu, j'ai doublé ma mise et rencontré des jeunes joueurs complètement kamikazes qui m'ont fait beaucoup rire... A l'image du vieux singe qui regarde les jeunes ouistitis sauter frénétiquement d'une branche à l'autre au lieu de grimper calmement avec l'agilité d'un singe en hiver, j'ai regardé la fougue de la jeunesse se cramer les ailes sur la réalité froide des statistiques. Beaucoup de rire, de jetons et d'argent ... La vie est douce, dommage que ce whisky soit de médiocre qualité

Review #22 - Whisk(e)y #14 Nose - sweet, honey, vanilla, grain and some malt, oak, a touch of spice...and maybe some underlying orchard fruit (red apples). Palate - more grain than malt, dominant spice, some underlying sweetness, honey, vanilla, woody, oaky. The second sip seemed to have more malt. Finish - short-medium, dry and oaky (maybe also gives the idea of a touch of smoke), some fresh green note, with some bitter note on the end. Compared to the Chivas Regal 18, this one is less balanced, with the spice being too dominant overall and definitely not as rich, not as heavy, with less malt influence I would say and fewer distinct notes on the palate. The Chivas 18 is definitely a big step-up. Rating System: 5.0 - Perfect 4.5 - Exceptional 4.0 - Very Good 3.5 - Good 3.0 - Decent 2.5 - Average 2.0 - Below Average 1.5 - Barely Drinkable 1.0 - Undrinkable 0.5 - JB

Chivas Regal 12-year-old whisky has a rich and inviting aroma, with notes of caramel, milk chocolate, and honeycomb. However, while the initial taste is smooth and pleasant, it lacks the complexity and depth that some whisky enthusiasts crave. The finish is short, with a mild sweetness of caramel and milk chocolate. It is best consumed neat, allowing the flavors to fully develop without being diluted by other drinks or cocktails. If you're interested in trying this whisky, I suggest waiting for a sale or for the price to drop to around $20. Alternatively, you may want to consider Johnnie Walker Black, Haig Dimple 15-year-old, or Naked Grouse, which are all excellent options that offer more value at the same price point.