Chivas Regal 18 Review: A Regal Blend of 20 Single Malts and an Astonishing 85 Flavor Notes

Say “whisky” and most people immediately think of single malts. But before single malt whisky became the darling of the scene, blends ruled the roost, think Chivas Brothers’ expressions. In this Chivas Regal 18 Year Old review, we explore a blend said to contain 85 distinct tasting notes. Can we really taste them all?

The Chivas story stretches remarkably far back in time. Brothers John and James Chivas grew up in a family of no fewer than eleven children. In their day, it was customary for children to take over the family business, in their case, a farm. But the brothers had little interest in that path. They dreamed bigger, and one day they set off to make it happen.

They embarked on a three-day journey on foot to Aberdeen, where James took a job at a grocery store. There he learned the tricks of the trade, and eventually he and his brother took over the shop. Their motto: they could arrange anything their customers needed. If it wasn’t on the shelf, they’d make sure they could get it. That included whisky.

One day they noticed customers asking for a softer, smoother whisky, something that simply didn’t exist at the time. That became the spark for a new venture. The brothers headed to the cellar and began blending whiskies, becoming pioneers in the art of blending. Their efforts paid off with the release of their first expression, Royal Glen Dee, in 1862, shortly after the Spirits Act, which allowed tax-free blending of spirits from different distilleries.

In the years that followed, Chivas became a hugely beloved brand with customers around the globe. In 1843, they even gained a royal patron: Queen Victoria. She granted multiple Royal Warrants of Appointment, effectively making Chivas a purveyor of whisky to the royal household. You’ll find a nod to this in the second part of the name: Regal.

Chivas no longer blends in the cellar of that old shop, today, the brand calls Strathisla Distillery home. From that distillery comes Chivas Regal “Gold Signature” 18 Year Old blended Scotch whisky. Like other Chivas Brothers expressions, it’s built from a selection of Scottish whiskies. This whisky brings together no fewer than 20 single malts, each aged 18 years or more.

The result is an amber-hued spirit that, according to the brand’s website, boasts a wealth of tasting notes. “Chivas 18 contains an astonishing 85 unique flavors in every drop.”

Before we dive into the whisky, we feast our eyes. The Chivas 18 Years Old comes in a deep blue box. While the sides subtly indicate the whisky’s 18-year age statement, the front leaves no doubt.

Dominating the front is the gold Chivas emblem, clearly identifying the whisky. You’ll also find the signature of Colin Scott, former Master Blender of Chivas Brothers, on the front.

Lift the lid and reveal the bottle, and you’ll see the hallmark emblem again. The neck carries Scott’s signature once more, but the bottle’s shoulder is even more interesting. There you’ll find the Chivas heart, the Luckenbooth, alongside the names of the Chivas brothers. The heart symbolizes friendship and generosity.

It’s a lovely touch that this is embossed into the glass itself, a lasting tribute to the brand’s founders and a nod to the hard work the brothers put in to give their customers what they wanted: a beautiful blended Scotch. The Luckenbooth also hints at what the men gave back to the Aberdeen community, including a hospital ward and the renovation of the church.

As soon as the whisky is poured, you can tell it has a creamy character from the “tears” forming on the inside of the glass. The initial aroma opens with notes of vanilla, caramel, fruit, a hint of gentle spice, and a chocolate scent that evokes a bar of Milka.

Give the whisky a moment to settle in the glass and lighter notes of oak and butterscotch join in, alongside the scent of tobacco leaves and a subtle peppery lift. Every time you nose it, the whisky invites you to take a sip.

On the first sip, Chivas 18 Years Old lays a soft, lightly creamy coating on the tongue. Then mellow flavors of toffee, sweet cherries, and oak emerge. With the next sip, chocolate tones appear, and with another, a different flavor rises to the surface.

As the glass empties, a spicier side unfolds, and at one point even a wisp of smoke shows up. Toward the finish, the spice grows bolder while the other flavors slowly fade.

As you work your way through a glass of Chivas Regal 18 Years Old, you keep discovering new flavors. It’s almost as if the whisky has multiple personalities, with one of the 20 single malts stepping forward with each sip. That not only keeps it engaging right down to the last drop, it also makes it a dram you can enjoy anytime.

+ A very affordable bottle

+ A new flavor with every sip

+ A sweet, easygoing dram for everyday enjoyment

- Not for lovers of smoke and peat