Chivas Regal 12 Year Old 1980’s Bottling Whisky Sotland

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: Certainly more herbal and kind of mineral/metallic than contemporary Chivas, with more smoke as well, perhaps bone marrow, vegetable bouillon, bread, barley… The scope was much wider for sure, there are even touches of leather and tobacco, and, of course, overripe apples and honey. It’s as if some excellent Strathisla was shining through, but let’s remember that the mid-1980s were very ‘low tide’ with regards to whisky, so they may have ‘doped up’ their blends.

Mouth: Wow! Plain and pure old Strathisla, with oranges, cider apples, dried pears, plenty of honeys, brioches, and then a little cough syrup and smoke. Very fat mouth feel, with a surprising creaminess. This is almost pure honey.

Finish: Long, wide, complex, very fulfilling, honeyed, fruity, liqueury…

Comments: Well, I had thought we’d have a little apéritif just to warm us up. Fail, this is just amazingly perfect. Probably one of the best batches of Chivas 12 I’ve ever tasted, not to be compared with contemporary offerings. Feels like 20 years old, at least.

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