Introduction
I’m sitting at my laptop, trying not to allow my rose-colored glasses to impact the content of this post. You may have noticed the plethora of Chivas 18 blog posts hitting the net over the past couple of weeks. Well, now it’s my turn to pile on.
A PR firm working with Pernod Ricard has been sending out samples of Chivas Regal 18 and Johnnie Walker Blue to bloggers as part of a campaign to raise awareness for Chivas as a premium, gift-worthy blend. I don’t know how I got onto their radar, but don’t you dare clue them in that I’m a second-rate hack. Getting free samples is freaking awesome!
Tasting Notes
Chivas Regal 18 “Gold Signature”; 40% ABV; $50 – $60
This is a Speyside-based blend, with the Strathisla distillery (bought by Chivas Bros. in 1950) reportedly playing a key role. According to World Whiskey (by Charles Maclean), Strathisla 18 is not available commercially, so Chivas 18 is the dram to have if you want some of this rarity.
Nose: Have you ever had Apple & Cinnamon Quaker Instant Oatmeal for breakfast? That’s the combination of scents that hits me with Chivas 18. There is also some honey, bordering on toffee, sweetness. Towards the end of a long whiff, I get additional fresh fruits like apricots and cherries. Palate: The medium body is sweet and lightly fruity. The subtle spices are so light that you’ll likely miss them completely if comparing directly with other whiskies. Finish: Subtle fruit and maltiness, along with a little vanilla. There is a delayed drying on the tongue, and no real alcohol burn to speak of.Comments: Having previously referred to the Chivas 12 as “enjoyable but forgettable”, I was pleasantly surprised by the Chivas 18 year. The nose actually has quite a bit going on. The palate is a bit richer than the 12 year, and the finish lasts longer, but it’s still a blend that favors politeness over impact. I definitely enjoy this more than entry-level Speyside malts such as Glenfiddich 12 and Glenlivet 12, and feel it’s worth a jump in price based on taste alone. I’ll continue to evaluate this, but I’d give it a preliminary rating of B (83-87 points). Right in line with a single malt like Bunnahabhain 12. [Hmm…maybe a head-2-head between these two is in order]
Comparisons
Johnnie Walker Blue; 40% ABV; $175 – $225
I would call JW Blue more of an “Island” blend vs. the Speyside focus of the Chivas 18. I’ve decided that there is little to gain by doing a full side-by-side analysis of tasting notes because of the different profiles. However, there are certain traits that are worth comparing. Both of these blends offer interesting noses, then yield to a more polite, accessible palate and finish. The JW Blue is especially impressive in its ability to melt away in the mouth and leave faint wisps of smoke in a way that won’t scare off the casual whisky drinker.
The Balvenie Founder’s Reserve 10 Year; 43% ABV; $40 – $50
The Balvenie FR 10 is vatted from a mix of bourbon and sherry casks, and offers a profile that is VERY similar to the Chivas 18. The nose is very close to the Apples & Cinnamon oatmeal that I described above. I don’t get the additional cherries/apricots with the FR 10, though. Perhaps not quite as much sherry influence? On the palate and finish, I think there is a little more impact and last with the Balvenie, with more spices on the tongue. I was surprised at how close these are, though.
Longmorn 16 (2009); 48% ABV; $80 – $100
Here’s a Chivas-owned single malt from Speyside that comes in very nice packaging and seems to disappear off of the shelves more quickly during the holiday season. It’s also a key component [the primary one?] in Chivas 18. Aged strictly in bourbon casks, the profile is different than the Chivas 18 and Balvenie FR 10. However, there are some common apple and cereal notes. What I wanted to draw out is the fact that there is much more impact on the palate, and a more aggressive drying on the finish, along with some bitter/sweet interplay. Having been focused primarily on single malts during the past year, I really appreciate these stronger traits in the mouth. However, I don’t think it’s quite as safe as Chivas 18 when it comes to gifting.
Conclusion/Value
Q: Is Chivas Regal 18 worth $55, and would it make a good gift?
A: Yes. I think it fits nicely between some of the entry level Speyside single malts and something like the Longmorn 16. It offers an interesting nose while remaining very accessible to the occasional whisky drinker, and it comes in nice packaging (locally, anyway, it comes in a fancy gift box similar in quality to the Longmorn 16 box). I don’t think it provides much of an improvement over Balvenie 10 FR, which costs less. However, there’s often more to perceived whisky value than taste. You’re paying for the age statement, knowing that you can’t get 18 year Strathisla anyplace else, and 18 year Longmorn is also a treat.
Q: Is Chivas Regal 18 a valid gift substitute for Johnnie Walker Blue?
A: No. If you were planning to impress somebody with a generous gift of Johnnie Walker Blue, do NOT expect to substitute Chivas 18 and get the same results. I’m not saying this is right, or that there is a quantifiable difference in the whisky itself that makes JW Blue worth 3-4 times the price. However, there is a certain mystique associated with JW Blue that a $55 blend cannot match. I’ll touch on that in a separate post.
Mystique aside, I’ll probably be scoring JW Blue a few points higher than Chivas 18 when I cover it in a separate review. There are also plenty of reasonably priced single malts that I have scored higher than either of these very pleasant blends. That doesn’t really have anything to do with the perceived value of the Chivas, though. If somebody gave me a bottle of Chivas Regal 18 for Christmas, I’d be very appreciative, and it would likely be a part of some good times with good friends in the coming months.
Other Opinions
Here are a bunch of links to other blog posts resulting from this Chivas vs. Johnnie Walker campaign. Happy reading!
never had the chivas 18 myself, but the 12 is plain mediocre. i prefer “cheaper” blends such as Teacher’s and Black bottle to this one…
cool that you got free samples. why dont they send some over to whiskyIsrael ? 😉
u are officially “inside”.
anyways, here we dont get much Xmas atmosphere. no presents, no shopping . nada. prices are the same all year long (meaning: people rarely buy scotch at shops).
what did u get as a present (or got yourself) for Xmas?
Merry Xmas. (if u belive in santa)
I’ll let you know what whisky I got for Christmas in 3 more days. 😉
[…] and are writing about it now. Here’s a well-written and entertaining example, if you want a much more technical breakdown. He says essentially what I I do here, only he sounds like he knows what he is talking […]
Nice review/comparison. I hadn’t looked around at any of the write-ups about Chivas 18 prior to my comparison, so I’m really happy you linked them here.
Thanks! No problem on the links. They really hit the blogosphere with this campaign!
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Scotch Hobbyist, scotchhunter. scotchhunter said: #scotch #whisky On the take with Chivas Regal 18 – Introduction I'm sitting at my laptop, trying not to allow my ro… http://ow.ly/16cfwT […]
Thanks for the review, Jeff.
I really like the comparison to the Balvenie. I’ll have to check that out.
I’d love to get somebody elses opinion on that particular comparison. I’m curious to see if others see the similarity or if I’m just oversimplifying the flavors.
[…] Hobbyist takes his turn reviewing the Chivas Regal 18 (vs. the Blue Label). Looks like he’s coming down more in favor of the Blue Label than […]
Nice one. I saw this in the shop the other day and thought it good to try sometime. Lucky you on the score.
It’s a good dram (especially the nose). Just don’t try drinking it side-by-side with that Octomore. 🙂
would a chivas royal salute 21yo be a good substitute gift for blue label??
I can’t comment on the taste (although I’d like to try it sometime). Taking into account the other factors (price, packaging, story, etc.), it’s certainly a lot closer, and definitely a very generous gift. I’d certainly be impressed by such an offering.
However, at least here in America, I feel like any other high-end blend given to the uninitiated whisky drinker would come with a disclaimer: “This is the [Chivas] version of Johnnie Walker Blue.”
The Johnnie Walker/Diageo marketing team has done a great job of making this the case.
Working my way through a bottle of Chivas 18 over the last few weeks and I find it sweet, thin and grainy. Real disappointment. Over rated in my opinion.
Hey Jason,
Thanks for leaving a comment here after trying it yourself! Sorry to hear how disappointed you are. Although, I totally get it. These Chivas blends are so “polite”, it’s hard to imagine any single-malt fanatic getting excited about them.
I think I’ll have to pull my 200ml bottle back out and see if it seems any more “grainy” than the first time around…
This tasting pairing is all over the web. I enjoyed reading your review, but the more obvious matchup in terms of price and presumed quality is CR Royal Salute or even CR 25 versus Big Blue.
One pricelist I have puts the big JW at $230, while the CR’s are $60 for the 18 you chose, $160 for the Royal Salute and $260 for the 25. The CR 25 is only as slight stretch over JW Blue, while the well-regarded Royal Salute is $100 less.
By the way, one top-of-the-line sports car forum — they know how to spend big money I guess — judged Blue the best Scotch of any kind, blend or single-malt. This is kinda silly. After all, there are rare Scotches that go for lots more and one would think, must be fabulous, unless they are to be collected and never opened.
Thanks John. I agree that the Chivas 18 vs JW Blue comparison that Chivas Brothers is pitching is something of a mismatch. However, it does seem to make good business sense for them. I mean, what do they really have to gain if they get a bunch of bloggers and/or journalists to rate Royal Salute a couple of points higher or lower than JW Blue? On the other hand, just getting Chivas 18 to be described as being “competitive” with JW Blue gains them quite a bit of credibility.
As for JW Blue being the best scotch of any kind, there’s no way to get everybody to agree on something like that. I get it, though. There’s likely to be a difference in palate preference between a sports car fanatic who occasionally drinks whisky and a whisky fanatic who spends a lot of time over-analyzing the profiles of dozens of different single malts. JW Blue is a somewhat complex and high quality whisky that’s likely to seem very accessible to the palate of the occasional drinker.
Cheers,
Jeff
Hie there….i m not commenting….but i have question to ask. Is whisky or any liquor out there same as wine? i mean…is it older is better ? and….the quality of raw material of wine effects its quality…same goes to liquor?
generally…i just want to know what factor that determine the quality of liquor, beer and wine, is it age, raw material or process….? i am just curious to know. Please explain if possible…thank you…