They say that variety is the spice of life. So when it comes to whiskey, it’s a good idea to have options. It’s always exciting when the whisky radar detects new and affordable scotch and Chivas Regal’s new “13 years” offerings are worth the attention.
Chivas Regal has been mighty aggressive in the Philippines the past few years. Not only did they relaunch the classic “12” line to the public, they also showed off a fantastic lineup of blended whisky below the P2,000 price point. Anything that happens below this price is highly competitive space and Chivas has saturated the shelves with an amazingly affordable line of scotch—there’s always something for everyone.
Whisky aficionados always welcome a twist in new offerings. The trend these days aren’t really about longer ageing periods but about adding twists in the form of cask finishes. The two 13 year old “extra” offerings are aged only one more year compared to the flagship Chivas Regal 12 but the payoff is huge. Chivas Extra 13 is aged one year more inside Oloroso Sherry casks while the Extra 13 Rye Finish is, well, you guessed it—aged in rye casks.
The nuances of both editions are quite pronounced whereas the Oloroso Sherry casks give you a fruity and long finish in tasting, while the rye finish gives you that bit of spicy bite towards the end. The classic Chivas blend has been known to be palatable. Through the years the recipe has been used as a base for cocktails but also sipped neat or on ice. Having these two permanent additions to the Chivas line add a little surprise to the already classic recipe without breaking your wallet. Not fond of a pure rye American whiskey because of the bite? The Chivas Rye Finish mellows it down a bit. Don’t want too much fruit on your scotch? The Extra 13 Sherry Finish gives you that same amazingly long finish while still being mellow and palatable to first time whisky drinkers.
The Chivas 13 Editions are available in major supermarkets at a very affordable price of P1,199.