Mark Adams
Ultis is the first blended malt from Chivas Regal. A blend of five Speyside malts – Allt a’Bhainne, Braeval, Longmorn, Strathisla and Tormore – this is a rounded, complex and full-flavoured whisky.
Ladle of Contents
Chivas Regal Ultis Review:
Nose: As expected – a rich and rounded malt. More malt and fruit than spice – something like peaches and plums. Cinnamon and ginger. Raisins too. There’s a slightly salty note but overall this is one fruity and rounded malt.
Palate: A lot of oily texture with the oily substance lingering on the tongue. Heavier than the nose but still a smooth malt. Heavy fruit (peach) and alcohol.
Finish: Medium. A spicy / sweet woodiness lingers. It’s a little thin and a little over-powering; like a malt with too much malt and not enough fruit. Some evenness from first to last with some fruit and a slight salty note.
As you can see this is a highly enjoyable whisky. It isn’t the most intense and certainly isn’t the most complex of the Chivas blends (we’ll get to that) but it’s good whisky and a great intro to blended malt (and indeed to whisky in general).
Chivas Regal Ultis Review
“Superbly balanced, delicately flavoured and ready to be enjoyed at regular intervals.”
Chivas Regal Ultis – The Glass
Like other blended malts it is straightforward, simple and often plastic. A whisky in a glass full of ice, a dram with a good aroma but less to offer taste-wise.
I like the shape of the glass too – it has a Johnnie Walker style and gives the impression of a slightly sophisticated dram. So it’s a good party whisky and good on ice.
Chivas Regal Ultis Review:
“Very easy and friendly” – this dry but easy whisky is a real pick me up with a very enjoyable fruity malt.
“It’s hot, honeyed and smooth” – a mixture of sweet honey, ethanol and malt. Not hugely complex but very tasty.
Chivas Regal Ultis Review:
“Lovely, fresh, light and easy-going” – so fruity I would almost say it is dessert wine but not sweet!
“Very seductive with bright fruity tones and an appealing woodiness.” – this is certainly like a big juicy peach with a slight smokiness.
Chivas Regal Ultis Review:
Chivas Regal Ultis is no competition for Chivas Regal 15 – it’s a simpler, easier drinking vanilla and malt malt. So if you like Chivas 15, you’ll like Chivas Regal Ultis. I think this is good malt.
Chivas Regal Ultis has a good, colourful and aromatic nose and oily texture. It’s fruity (peach) and floral (cinnamon) with an oily savoury quality. There is a slight oily and slightly sweet, almost lemony quality too. But the oily texture is more than matched by strong floral – and alcoholic – notes. It’s definitely fruity, floral and oily. This isn’t to say it isn’t good whisky. It’s a great malt whisky. However it’s not subtle or complex and certainly not like a malt that has been made for the sherry cask. At 43% it’s relatively high ABV and the fruity, floral heavy palate is certainly strong. Not unexpected with a blend of five different Speyside malts.
I think in this case (as often happens in blends) Chivas is aiming for something a bit bigger and a bit better than the malts they’ve chosen. This is a very good malt – enjoyable and easy-drinking. But this is the sort of malt that you’ll want to have a few of. At a tidy (for a blended malt) it’s certainly a great value.I’d drink it again.
Chivas Regal Ultis Verdict:
A very good whisky albeit one that’s a bit heavy for everyday drinking.
Chivas Regal Ultis Recommendation:
A great blended malt whisky. Drink it within a good couple of years of opening.
Chivas Regal Ultis Review:
It feels great with one sip !!! A good malt whisky – not complex but refreshing and easy to drink.
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It’s got the right fruit and picked up fruit aromas. It has a nice floral sweetness and a herbal, peppery spiciness, it’s a good malt.
Chivas Regal Ultis Review:
This lighter bodied whisky has a strong, slightly salty flavour that lingers on the palate. The floral mouth-feel is there but I felt that it was almost like a lesser version of Chivas 12 – like a rich Scottish Hermitage, say. This is a Scottish malt but the hint of sherry is strong and the sweet amber, fruity flavours are caramel, toffee, spices. It’s like a rich malt with a predominate influence from the casks it has been matured in – a heavy, sweet and fruity whisky with a spiced note. It’s a closed, regular malt – a whisky you could have every day. Great for hot summer days, with a bit of fruit and floral flavour.
Chivas Regal Ultis Review:
Chivas Regal Ultis is a strong, fruity malt with more flavour than character. A fruity floral malt. The aroma is very aromatic – fruity floral, sweet, a great fruity malt. A robust, fruity and well-rounded malt whisky, with an accurate spicy appeal. It has a strong alcohol taste on the finish.
This is a light, fruity whisky, with a fresh floral character. It has a good smoothness and a fruity, slightly bitter finish. The best part of Chivas Regal Ultis is the aftertaste. So fine and so elegant is this whisky that it is almost fragile.
Chivas Regal Ultis Review:
So fruity, so floral with an oily quality, and a touch of smoky sweetness. This is a malt that you could sip and not worry about boring your friends.
Chivas Regal Ultis (43%) is a light bodied, fruity malt that has a sweet, sharp flavour. A malt so rich and sweet that you just want to take another sip.
