Showing posts with label Scotch Blended Whisky. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scotch Blended Whisky. Show all posts

Chivas Regal Royal Salute 21 Years Review


Country: Scotland
Brand: Chivas Regal Royal Salute
Type: Blended Whisky
Age: 21 Years
Alcohol: 40%
Date: 28/02/2012

Colour: Dark Amber

Nose:  Beautiful Nose. Quality Oak and Peat. The Vanilla from the Oak reminds me of good Bourbon. Honey, Apples and Cinnamon. Additional Fruits come through. Think of Apricots and Melon. Bit of Salt and Sweet Oloroso Sherry and a hint of Smoke. This is very well balanced.

Taste: Full Bodied Delivery despite its mere 40%. Wonderful. Ripe Pear and Melon. Buttered Toast with Honey. Spices like Ginger. The Oak is still there as well as a bit of Smoke. Sweet Oloroso holding it all together.

Finish: Sweet Barley and Chocolate. Toffee, Honey and Vanilla from the Oak. Bit of dry Ashes in the end.

Rating: 90 

Nose 23 - Taste 23 – Finish 21,5 - Overall 22,5

I added a few drops of water, which brought out more Apples in the nose and some Malt and Nuts. The Apricots and Melon are replaced by Blossom and Grassy tones. On the palate you get more Sweet Grains and Sherry and more Chocolate is added to the finish. You can certainly play with a couple of drops of water with this Blend.

Strathisla Distillery


General Remarks: This Blend was launched in 1953 on the occasion of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Her crown was set in precious stones (Emeralds, Rubies and Sapphires). The colors of those Stones inspired the hand made bottles for the Royal Salute. The name of the Blend derives from the 21 Guns Royal Salute that is given in the honor of notorious visitors to the English Crown. At the heart of this blend lies the Speyside Single Malt Strathisla. It is aged in Oak Casks for at least 21 long years. The main markets for this blend are The Middle East, South America, Asia and Russia. It’s expensive. Prices may vary from as low as US$ 125, - in Free Shops to a maximum of around US$ 600, - here in Brazil.

Drinking Experience Straight: Very Good

Conclusion: This is good stuff! This would have gone straight to # 1 in my list if not for my slight disappointment with the finish. Don’t get me wrong, the finish is still good but given the Royal Salute’s high price and its great nose and taste, a little bit more attention should have been paid here. As it is, this is a very good blend for a Special Occasion. If you find it under US$ 150, - you can safely buy it. You won’t regret it. After all, the Royal Salute is a whisky worthy of Queens!

Jan van den Ende                                                            February 2012

Whyte and Mackay Special Review


Country: Scotland
Brand: Whyte & Mackay Special
Type: Blended Whisky
Age: Unspecified but probably between 4 and 8 Years
Alcohol: 40%

Colour: Copper

Nose: Initial wafts of young Alcohol force you to have a little patience. After 20 minutes or so the first impressions start to develop. I find Grain and Malt, Oak and Citrus, mostly Orange. I don’t find the nose overly sweet though. There’s some fruit here but the alcohol makes it difficult to get there. Peach or Apricot I would think. With a bit of Honey sprinkled over it. The nose is not bad but the Alcohol spoils some of the fun.

Taste: Spicy delivery! Some Honey, Toffee and burnt Sugar. Slightly bitter but within reason.

Finish: Short. Bit of Malt. Sugar and Spice!


When you add a bit of water you get a bit of extra Malt on the nose but the palate gets too watery. Drink this blend straight or, if you like it, with an ice cube or two.

Rating: 75,5

Nose: 19,5 – Taste: 19 – Finish: 18 – Overall: 19

General Remarks: Allan & Poynter started as a warehouse in 1843 in Glasgow, gradually starting to store whiskies as well. It changed hands various times before it was sold to Whyte & Mackay. Soon afterwards these two partners started to blend whisky. Between 1900 and 1950 the company survived despite the World Wars and the recession. In the sixties things became better. After a large number of take-overs, United Breweries from India took control in 2007.
The blend is made following the Double Marriage process. First 35 Single Malts are married and stored in Sherry Casks for about six months. Then this vatted mixture is blended with 6 Grain Whiskies and stored for another couple of months in sherry casks.

Drinking Experience Neat: Average/Good. 

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Average.


Conclusion: It’s slightly better than the blends I’ve been testing recently as you will notice by looking at the Complete Rankings of Reviewed Whiskies. But not by much. The nose is not bad but suffers from the wafts of alcohol. On the palate the Searchers sing Sugar and Spice but not in an unpleasant way. The finish is on the short side. This blend is known as the Whyte & Mackay Special. That, it’s not, but it’s not too bad either.

Jan van den Ende                                                          January, 25 2012