Chivas Regal 13 years Oloroso Cask

Score: 38

Chivas Regal 13 Year Old Oloroso Cask, bottled at 40% ABV, was a poetic disappointment in the club tasting, finishing last despite its sherry pedigree and elegant branding. It arrives like a winter dusk, damp oak and tired sherry hanging in the air like faded grandeur. The nose speaks softly: bruised apples, worn leather, and the ghost of burnt orange peel. On the palate, there’s a slow trickle of dusty almonds, dry toffee, and cinnamon past its prime, like echoes in an old drawing room where the fire’s gone out. The finish is long, yes, but fading, a thinning trail of cocoa husk and distant tobacco, as if the dram itself has grown tired of being remembered. While the Oloroso influence adds a layer of nostalgic charm, the overall impression was one of weariness, an elegant silhouette lacking vitality. In a lineup of bold contenders, it felt like a whisper in a room full of voices.