Chivas "Century of Malts." (best, taste, rum, bottle)

[OpenD]

While rummaging in a cabinet today I found a small bottle of Chivas "Century of Malts" whisky that I had forgotten was there, lurking in a corner.

As I recall, it was a special bottling (some might say a "stunt" bottling) of a vatted malt whisky (using the term as it was used then, meaning a blend of malts, with no grain spirits added) that was made up from 100 different malts, mostly from small rural distilleries which had long been closed. Chivas gathered up 100 of these different fine historic whiskies, some consisting of as little as a partial barrel, and blended them together and bottled them.

I bought a full bottle and a number of small gift bottles on one of my trips to Scotland, perhaps a dozen years ago. In retrospect I think the point may have been to give people bragging rights to have sampled "Old Sloshin' Grabber" at some point... even if they could not tell you what it tasted like... but there was a list of every ingredient whisky, and it seemed like fun and something my friends would appreciate. Which they did. It was a huge success with my giftee buddies at the time.

But as a tipple to be savored it was disappointing to me, and checking out a few online reviews today... mostly older, because it's no longer available from Chivas... I see that others shared my opinion. There just wasn't anything unique about the taste of the "average" Scotch Whisky which resulted from marrying too many exceptional ones.

If anything, it taught me to appreciate the fine art of whisky blending more. What the master blenders are able to achieve to create a distinct flavor profile with a brand identity, given how different individual barrels from the same warehouse can taste, is quite remarkable.

Anyway, I'll keep this last lonely dram as a conversation piece, but I wonder if anyone else ever tried the "Century of Malts?"

[Bulldogdad]

I believe John Walker Blue achieved what Chiva's was hoping for with its product. Snob appeal.

Its what I have found with most things in life, A collection of the best is usually far from it.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Anyway, I'll keep this last lonely dram as a conversation piece, but I wonder if anyone else ever tried the "Century of Malts?"

Yes, I tried it and decided it was absolute rubbish. Something to appeal to Americans who don't know any better.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Yes, I tried it and decided it was absolute rubbish. Something to appeal to Americans who don't know any better.

Heh.

In my self-defense, I think I had already tasted a hundred malts or so that night before I made that purchase.