Chivas Regal 18 Year Old Ultimate Cask Collection First Fill Japanese Oak Finish Blended Scotch Whisky (1000ml)

This is number three in a series forming Chivas Regal's 'Ultimate Cask Collection'. Apart from the one litre bottle and unusual finishing, there's a lot to like about this Travel Retail exclusive: A serious ABV of 48%, excellent reviews and presentation that works, marrying contemporary design with traditional Japanese elements. It's also non chill filtered.

Japanese oak casks are a rarity even in Japanese whisky maturation. The barrels are made using local Mizunara oak sourced from trees that are up to 200 years old. The oak is sought after for imparting exotic wood notes to whisky, such as cedar and sandalwood. Very limited stocks.

Other reviews... A blast of exotic spices, followed by sweet oak, juicy tangerines, bosc pear, sandalwood, petitgrain oil, and vanilla seeds; it’s that junction of oak and spices where the mizunara has worked its magic. The palate is medium in weight with caramel, hazelnut, and a collision of orange and active spices, with the mizunara continuing to influence the flavor of the finish. The cooperage may be arduous but it’s worth it.
93 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2019)

Notes from Chivas... Nose: A sweet opening with honey, pears, ripe apples. Following on are exotic spices of sandalwood, vanilla and a hint of cloves, balanced by citrus orange and lemon rinds. Impressive maturity develops around ripe banana, and a subtle nuttiness.Taste: Sweet clementine, orange, nutmeg, almonds, vanilla and homemade raspberry jam appear in a complex arrival, flowing into stewed apples, honey and a tantalising aromatic oak character.Finish: Spices and a sensation of incense perfectly balanced with delicate fruitiness. An appetizing dryness provides complexity into the long finish.