Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest This October 2016, Chivas Regal Extra will be available in the Philippine retail market as a permanent addition to the iconic Chivas Regal Blended Scotch range. “The Philippines is an exciting whisky market,” says Darren Hosie, International Brand Ambassador for Chivas Brothers, Asia – Pacific. “The market is definitely growing in terms of volume of sales but also in terms of acquiring knowledge.” When he visited Manila recently for a week of whisky tastings, he acknowledged that the questions he was receiving were “not your entry-level questions, so to speak. A lot of people here do know and want to learn a lot about whisky.” It’s been almost a decade since Chivas Regal 18 was introduced in 2007. Why did it take so long to introduce a new blend? “There are no shortcuts in making and blending whisky,” says Hosie. “We already have Chivas 12, 18, 25. We have Brother’s Blend as our Travel Retail Exclusive. We were looking for something a little bit different.” Master Blender Colin Scott had to source and carefully select the whiskies ageing back in Scotland, and the process took a long time. The end result is “Chivas Regal Extra,” aptly named for all the extra richness of the whisky flavor. Chivas Regal Extra is aged in two types of casks, ex-bourbon (American) and ex-sherry (European), but with a higher proportion of ex-sherry casks. This brings out slightly different flavors, with an “extra” level of complexity, depth, and taste. “In terms of the aromas, you’re looking for a lot of vanilla, a lot of sweetness, a lot of nuttiness, some of the classic ex-sherry cask flavor,” explains Hosie. “The maturation from the ex-bourbon cask also brings in flavor notes reminiscent of tropical fruit flavors.” Hosie says if you’re from Scotland you’ll detect notes of pear, but if you’re from the Philippines hints of watermelon would most likely come through. Darren Hosie, International Brand Ambassador for Chivas Brothers, Asia – Pacific The sherry cask imparts the rich, deep caramel toffee flavor with a bit of spice found in Chivas Extra, which you don’t see so often in the classic smooth style of Chivas 12 influenced by Speyside. People whose palates gravitate towards the sweeter side will enjoy the flavors of chocolate, cinammon, ginger spice, and a bit of nuttiness that precede the warm, long finish. Hosie muses “Everyone is different, so everyone will pick out different flavors, which maybe some people do find, some people don’t find”. “That’s one of the great things about a good blend of Scotch: different people will find different flavors to each one’s enjoyment. “We’re looking to provide an option for current Chivas 12 drinkers to trade up. Chivas Extra, in terms of the range, will sit between 12 and 18. Extra hits that sweet spot between Chivas 12 and 18 and gives the Chivas Regal drinker a chance to move across the premium range of blended whiskies. The Best Ways to Enjoy Chivas Regal Extra “In terms of how I would normally drink it: a couple of cubes of ice, a little bit of water. That’s my proposed way of drinking Chivas Extra,” Hosie explains. For those who like it neat, a dram of Extra and a little bit of water to open up the spirit is a perfect way to enjoy its flavor profile. In terms of pairings, Hosie recommends dark chocolate or bits of nuts to go with the whisky, but if you’re craving a richer experience, you can have a dessert of molten lava cake to complement the dram. Steak is also a perfect pair for Extra. “The flavor of the whisky cask is strong enough to stand up to the texture and also the flavor of red meat steaks,” Hosie explains. For people who want to experience the whisky in a cocktail, Chivas Regal Global Brand ambassador Max Warner has created a whole range of mixed drinks for Chivas Regal Extra. “He treated a range of cocktails with pretty much fortified wines, a little bit of sherry, a little bit of port, etc. Flavors that won’t stand out to the intensity of Extra but will also bring out the flavors,” Hosie shares. The cocktail recipes complement the “extra” addition of the sherry cask flavors. Chivas Regal Global Brand ambassador Max Warner Global brand ambassador Max Warner’s Chivas Extra Recipes: APERITIFS: Sunset Boulevardier “Based on the classic Rob Roy, we fortified the floral, vermouth aromatics with deep cherry to enhance the nuttiness of Chivas Extra with the right peach and citrus aftertaste.” Ingredients: 50 mL Chivas Regal Extra 20 mL Regal Rogue Rosso vermouth 20 mL Lillet Rose 2 mL peach bitters 2 mL Regans’ Orange Bitters 15 mL cherry liqueur and 5 mL sugar Directions: In a mixing glass, add all ingredients. Add ice and stir. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with fresh cherry. Silver Fox Fizz “A variation on the sour, the addition of the egg white changes the textures and the soda holds the shape and form. For those who look for more, we’ve added Kummel to enhance the spices with cumin the freshness of caraway and fennel.” Ingredients: 50 mL Chivas Regal Extra 15 mL lime juice 10 mL sugar syrup 15 mL egg white 5 mL Kummel liqueur 50 mL soda top Directions: In a shaker add Chivas Regal Extra, lime juice, sugar syrup, egg white, and Kummel. Dry shake. Add ice and shake until chilled. Add chilled soda water to the flute glass. Strain and pour the drink directly into the flute. EASY DRINKING The Gentleman’s Agreement “An unusual yet exotic initial blast of pinapple develops into a sensation which delivers smoke and a savory sweetness. The ginger ale provides the refreshment to entice another sip.” Ingredients: 40 mL Chivas Regal Extra 20 mL Regal Rogue Bianco Vermouth 10 mL Mezcal del Maguey 30 mL fresh pineapple juice 15 mL Suze (French fortified digestif) 50 mL ginger ale 5 mL Briottet Crème de Peche (Peach) liqueur Directions: In a tall glass, build the drink. Add Chivas Regal Extra, pineapple juice, Regal Rogue, Suze, Mezcal, and Briottet Peach liqueur. Add a splash of ginger ale to lengthen. Add crushed ice. Garnish with pineapple leaves. The Bayswater “As a tribute to one of the most iconic Sydney bars, this summer drink offers accessible fruity flavors which use a combination of aperitivo orange and dark aromatic spices to enhance the whisky base.” Ingredients: 50 mL Chivas Regal Extra 60 mL watermelon juice 5 mL sugar syrup 15 mL lime juice 5 mL aperol 10 mL Amaro CioCiaro 1 mL Angostura bitters 0.5 mL Peach bitters 25 mL soda top Mint leaves Directions: In a mixing glass, add all the liquid ingredients but the soda. Add mint leaves and ice. Stir. Strain the liquid directly into a tall glass. Top with soda. Add crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. DIGESTIF The Velvet Bomb “Traditionally flips were made with ales and fragrant spirits combined to produce a smooth textured libations. This is delicious layers of almond, apricot, and nutmeg spice.“ Ingredients: 40 mL Chivas Regal Extra 15 mL Dry Oloroso Sherry 15 mL apricot liquer 2 mL peach bitters 30 mL apple juice 5 mL Amaretto 7.5 mL Cynar 15 mL egg (white and yolk) Directions: Add all ingredients in a cobbler shaker, including the egg white and yolk. Dry shake. Add cube ice and shake until chilled. Pour into the glass and spray Angostura bitters on top. The Modern Dandy “Delightfully sublte yet sharp at the same time. The berry flavors are lengthened with earthy aromatics, releasing a tonic sensation and a floral finish.” Ingredients: 30 mL Chivas Regal Extra 15 mL Plymouth gin 15 mL Port 10 mL Fino sherry 20 mL lemon juice 10 mL sugar syrup 1 mL orange bitters Directions: In the cobbler shaker, add all the ingredients. Fill the shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Double strain in a wine glass. Chivas Regal Extra will be available starting this October in S&R stores. Attend talks and tastings by Chivas Brothers International Brand Ambassador Darren Hosie on October 28 and 29th at the Whisky Live Manila event at Shangri-La at the Fort, Bonifaco Global City in Taguig.