THE CHIVAS REGAL
ORIGIN STORY
The Chivas Regal journey to excellence, beginning in the 19th century.
THE CHIVAS BROTHERS
Our founding fathers John and James Chivas were always fuelled by ambition. Driven by their pursuit for greatness, they were drawn from the rural Scottish Highlands to the bustling city of Aberdeen in 1836. Despite the journey being a three-day venture by foot, our fearless founders confidently took the challenge on.
THE EMPORIUM
The Chivas brothers never settled. Once in Aberdeen, they opened an Emporium that stocked a wide and diverse range of goods. In the 1860s, most whisky was unmatured single malt; but John and James spotted an opportunity. They developed groundbreaking innovations in ageing and blending Scotch to create a smooth style rich in flavour. Encouraged by excited reviews, they made blending the best Scotch their mission.
ALWAYS REGAL
In 1843, the Chivas brothers were awarded their first Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria as ‘Grocers to Her Majesty’ – and our whisky journeyed from Aberdeen to the iconic Balmoral country retreat to serve royalty. Despite the brothers’ regal success, they never left behind their community, generously elevating those around them through passionate local initiatives.
A GLOBAL POWERHOUSE
Leveraging the rapid technical developments in glassmaking of the Industrial Revolution, the Chivas brothers bottled their whisky for export – and a fast-beloved brand with global reach was born. In 1909 they created the world’s first luxury whisky in Chivas Regal 25Year Old, which took New York by storm. Despite a temporary setback with Prohibition, the brothers came back stronger than ever with Chivas Regal 12 Year Old in 1938 – and they never looked back.
THE HOME OF CHIVAS REGAL
Our spiritual roots lie firmly in Strathisla Distillery in Speyside, which takes the title of the oldest continuously working distillery in the Highlands of Scotland, dating back to 1786. You can visit the distillery to explore more of the Chivas Regal story, and discover more about the makings of our outstanding blend.
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