Chivas Regal 21 yo Royal Salute
This is an old blend, Chivas launched this in 1953 in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
The constituent malts are not known, except for the heart malt which is Strathisla. But Pernod Rickard also owns Aberlour, Allt-A-Bhainne, Braval, Glenallachie, Glenburgie, Glen Keith, Glenlivet, Glentauchers, Longmorn, Miltonduff, Scapa, Strathclyde, Tormore.
One thing about Strathisla – it’s beautiful:
A word about the ceramic flagon, time for a refresh? Looking real kitschy. Oh yes there are 3 available colours – blue, red and green, which are the colours of the jewels in HM QEII’s crown.
Nose: Rich and complex, big fresh fruit but also raisins fruitcake and leather. Well integrated. Then oak comes out and puts them all in their place with a dusting of vanilla and fistfuls of wet hay. Something exotic in here, star anise? Noses like a blend of a fruit bomb plus sherry monster held up by a lively bourbon cask.
Palette: Honied and sweet, silky smooth, big and rich as expected. Turns spicy real quick, then some vegetal notes, dry herb cabinet. Red fruit, all the while getting dryer and peppery hotter. What a seamless delivery. Very good.
Finish: Long-ish, that sort of more than medium at any rate. Drying and woody spices.
Could this be the first whisky where the palette impressed more than the nose? I had to give this one a lot of air though, maybe another half hour might have helped the nose.
Overall, very drinkable, very well integrated and ‘put together’. But that ceramic flagon needs some marketing love.
Whiskyrific RSS
- Tamnavulin Moon Import ‘Birds’ 1966 / 1988 45% vs Clynelish 27 yo 1982 / 2010 Berry Bros for Whisky-e #5890 53.4% vs Clynelish 24 yo 1989 / 2013 Adelphi #3846 53.1%
- Caol Ila 1978 / 1992 Gordon & Macphail Cask #5347-5351,11553-11564 63.7% vs Caol Ila 12 yo 1978 / 1990 Cadenhead 65.5%
- Glenugie 1967 / 1989 Sestante 43% vs Glenugie 1967 / 1989 Sestante 59.5%
- Clynelish 25 yo 1993 / 2019 Gordon & MacPhail 19/079 54.3% vs Chollet Lot 1960 bottled 2020 ‘#4 Le bon vivant’ Fin Bois Malternative 46.3%
- Macallan 8 yo FLLI Rinaldi 43% 75cl vs Macallan 18 yo 1973 / 1991 43%
- Caperdonich 1972 / 2011 Malts of Scotland #1144 57.4% vs Caperdonich 1972 / 2008 Gordon & MacPhail #1975 57%
- Glen Garioch 27 yo 1991 / 2018 Carn Mor #20392 51% vs Glen Garioch 21 yo 1965 Full Proof 50%
- Talisker 10 yo ‘map label’ 45.8% ~circa early 90s vs Talisker Gordon & MacPhail 100 proof ~ circa 80s bottling
- Laphroaig 1977 / 1995 43% vs Laphroaig 12 yo 1984 / 1996 Cadenhead 60.3%
- Highland Park 25 yo 1992 / 2017 Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting 59.8% vs Mortlach 30 yo 1989 / 2019 Douglas Laing #DL13722 52.4%
