The Chivas 18 Ultimate Cask Collection First Fill Oak Finish – all you need to know:

What: This is a series of ultra-premium Scotch whiskies finished in a variety of first fill wooden casks. It’s bottled at a special strength of 48% abv to further concentrate the flavour notes, and is non-chill filtered to preserve the essence of its rich taste. The nose is a welcome scent of rich sweet notes of ripe plums, caramel, toffee and creamy vanilla. Then you get rich and fruity flavours of orange marmalade, milk chocolate, raisins and delicate smoke flavours. The finish is long, sweet and smooth.

Why: Colin Scott, Master Blender, Chivas Regal comments: “For this new Scotch whisky collection we wanted to create unique blends that accentuate the most iconic notes of our original creation Chivas Regal 18 Year Old. Chivas 18 Ultimate Cask Collection First Fill American Oak Finish has been finished in hand-selected American Oak casks to highlight the distinctive notes of caramel and vanilla. The resulting blend is rewarding in character.”

How: Chivas Regal enlisted the expertise of experimental chef Jozef Youssef (above) – the creative mastermind behind the gastronomic project Kitchen Theory – to create a set of guiding sensory principles that encourages whisky enthusiasts to embark on their own experimental tasting exploration. Chef Jozef Youssef has discovered that when our senses become magnified, different flavour notes and levels of sweetness and bitterness are revealed. For instance, you could:

1. Set the desired atmosphere via special lighting. Green hues have been proven to bring out whisky’s freshest notes, while warm amber light will bring oaky notes to life. Soft white light is best for inducing a peace of mind from which to fully appreciate the whisky.

2. Experiment with weight and temperature by tasting from smooth versus coarse, heavy versus light and tall versus short glasses. Be playful too with glasses chilled at -2° to 13° while serving the Chivas 18 Ultimate Cask Collection First Fill American Oak Finish.

Who: Launched in 1909, Chivas Regal is the world’s first luxury whisky and is considered to be a timeless classic, renowned for its benchmark quality and taste, style, substance and exclusivity. A truly global brand, Chivas Regal has been integral to the growth of the Scotch whisky category worldwide and today sells 4.5 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across the globe.

When: Out now.

Where: It’s created exclusively for global travel retail and yes, it’s limited edition. Retails at Changi Airport DFS store at US$126 (1 litre).

Like this? The Chivas 12 has undergone a handsome restaging of its looks, see for yourself

3