FallSteadman808
Trying to get a blender to describe what his or her work involves is never easy. Perhaps not because they're deceptive, far from it. They are almost relieved to have to be able to tell their story.
It is only that the particulars of blending are complex that unusual analogies need to be employed: orchestras, soccer groups, actors vehicles, cakes, homes - all can be found in the blender's lexicon. Colin Scott, master blender at Chivas Brothers, is really a master of the art. Produced by company of high-class Aberdonian grocers who began mixing whiskies in the 1840s, Chh Regal is Seagram's flagship Scotch since 1949. It is Colin, nevertheless, who has supervised the recent surge of Chivas manufacturers, such as the excellent 18-year-old a^ the wonderful Oldest.
Colin thinks it's essential not to get hung i over numbers. 'How several malts and grains I enter the mix is not important,' he says. 'What is essential is obviously having Chivas the glass.' The one constant is Strathisla. 'Making a Chivas mixture is similar to developing a house; with malts as the bricks, grains as thj mortar and Strathisla as the base. Chivas Regal is one model of house, 18-year old is grander and Oldest is just a fort'!
They may be specific models, but then is a distinct family likeness. 'The company have a line running through them... Abundance, smoothness and roundness of flavours. You employ different stones to chang the flavor profile, while keeping the character,' says Colin. 'That means influencing the number of accessible flavou (different malts, grains, wood forms, ages) and creating different but similar groups. Chivas 18- is not 12-year-old aged for a further 6 years, it is another group.'
Each group is in a consistent state of flux, to make matters more interesting. 'Consumers do not desire to see character o-r quality alter, but to maintain them you mu make changes,' urges Colin. 'If you've one pot of whiskies to work with in a mixture, you should t always also have another pot which thou contains different whiskies will have the same taste while the first. You know wh any differences are and may thus find approaches to narrow any difference between them, since you knc what is in each of the pots.
That 2nd pot is much like footballers sitting to the seat. We know how they perform, so are job is to make sure what actually ones we use they'll make chavis. CHIVAS The Chivas friends owned a grocery company in Aberdeen and started joining whiskies (for, amongst others, the Royal house) in the 1880s.
Regal appeared at the change of the 20th century and was another light Spey'side-dominant mixture to make it big in the United States throughout Prohibition. It was purchased by the Canadian distiller (and one-time bootlegger) Sam Bronfman in 1949 and continues to be a major player in the China areas and US.
TASTING RECORDS
Chivas Regal 12^year-old
Deceptive weight behind the apparently gentle mix of apples, grass and cereal on the nose. A grassy, almost mossy start to the taste, it crisps up pleasantly mid-palate. * * * ()
18-year-old
An outstanding melange of red pulp/peach cobbler, currant leaf, barley malt and turfy smoke. The palate explodes with flavoring, but often for the reason that elegant, controlled family style. * * * * * Oldest
The best in-the selection. Peatier still, with a rich, complex mixture of citrus notes (tangerine, lemon) heather, fresh fruit and hot feed. Spectacular. ***** tell us what you think
