🥃 Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal is a blended Scotch whisky from Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard); per the company archive it was created in 1909 by Charles Howard as a blend with 25-year-old whisky.
Chivas Regal is a brand of blended Scotch whisky from Chivas Brothers, which belongs to the French group Pernod Ricard; according to Pernod Ricard, it acquired Chivas Regal in 2001 as part of the purchase of Seagram. According to the Chivas Brothers archive, the company was established in 1857 by James and John Chivas, and Chivas Regal was created in 1909 by Charles Howard as a blend containing 25-year-old whisky.
According to the same archive, Seagram, led by Sam Bronfman, bought Chivas Brothers in 1949, and in 1950 the Strathisla distillery was bought for Chivas Brothers at a public auction. The archive timeline lists Strathisla (1786) as the oldest working distillery in the Scottish Highlands.
Under the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, Scotch whisky is matured for at least three years in oak casks in Scotland and is at least 40% ABV. Blended Scotch whisky is a blend of one or more single malt Scotch whiskies with one or more single grain Scotch whiskies. If an age is stated on a label, it must refer to the youngest whisky in the blend and be given in years.
Why it matters to you. The word “Regal” is part of the brand name, so look for the age statement on the label: it refers to the youngest whisky in the blend. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1909 (Chivas Regal, Charles Howard); Chivas Brothers: 1857 (company archive) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, reg. 3 (Blended Scotch Whisky) |
| Raw material | single malt and single grain Scotch whiskies (a blend of one or more of each) |
| Cask type | oak casks |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in Scotland; an age statement refers to the youngest whisky |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Chivas Regal → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Pernod Ricard
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Single Grain Scotch Whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Blended Scotch Whisky
- Related to
- 🥃 Speyside whisky, 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Ballantine's, 🥃 Johnnie Walker, 🥃 Johnnie Walker, 🥃 Ballantine's, 🥃 Cutty Sark, 🥃 The Famous Grouse, 🥃 Vat 69, 🥃 Aberfeldy, 🥃 Black & White
and 21 more
🥃 J&B, 🥃 Teacher's, 🥃 Dewar's, 🥃 Scapa, 🥃 Strathisla, 🥃 Grant's, 🥃 Aberlour, 🥃 Royal Stag, 🥃 100 Pipers, 🥃 Bell's, 🥃 Haig, 🥃 Ballantine's 17 Year Old, 🥃 Cutty Sark 12 Year Old, 🥃 Dewar's 12 Year Old, 🥃 Dewar's 15 Year Old, 🥃 Dewar's 18 Year Old, 🥃 Royal Salute, 🥃 Blenders Pride, 🥃 Blenders Pride Reserve Collection, 🥃 Longmorn, 🥃 Allt-a-Bhainne - In other topics
- 🍷 Blend
Frequently asked questions
Is Chivas Regal a single malt whisky?
No. It is a blended Scotch whisky; under the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 that is a blend of single malt and single grain Scotch whiskies.
What do 12, 18 or 25 on a Chivas Regal bottle mean?
An age statement. Under the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 it must be given in years and refer to the youngest whisky in the blend.
How strong must Scotch be in the UK or US?
At least 40% ABV, which is 80 proof.
When was Chivas Regal created?
In 1909, according to the Chivas Brothers archive.
Which distillery is linked to the brand?
Strathisla, bought for the company at a public auction.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Scotch from a single distillery: only malted barley, water and yeast, distilled in pot stills; at least 3 years in oak, 40% ABV (80 proof in the US) or more. Not the same as single cask.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🧑🤝🧑 British — People of Great Britain; their protected West Country Cheddar matures for at least 9 months, and tea is drunk with milk.
Similar
🥃 Johnnie Walker · 🥃 Ballantine's · 🥃 Strathisla · 🥃 Cutty Sark · 🥃 100 Pipers · 🥃 The Glenlivet
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3 (Scotch Whisky; Blended Scotch Whisky)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 12 (age statements)
- Chivas Brothers archive: Timeline (Chivas Brothers 1857; Chivas Regal 1909, Charles Howard; Seagram 1949; Strathisla 1950; Strathisla 1786)
- Pernod Ricard: Our history (2001 — acquisition of Seagram including Chivas Regal)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)