Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Royal Salute 100 Cask Selection

One hundred carefully chosen words to describe one hundred carefully selected casks
From our rarest, oldest whiskies, our Master Blender selects one hundred casks that have reached perfect maturation for blending. He then blends these characterful whiskies to create Royal Salute The Hundred Cask Selection. A limited edition, each release is bottled just once. Whisky connoisseurs will savour it, collect it and compare it with former and future releases. Like other releases, it has The Hundred Cask Selection’s signature warmth and oaky fi nish. Unlike other releases, it has its own unique nuance – never to be repeated again. Demonstrating their skill and prowess, connoisseurs will enjoy experiencing the fine distinction of each release.

Precious
Chivas Brothers has, for more than two centuries, established a tradition of laying down whiskies for future generations. Kept securely under lock and key, this unique wealth of aged spirit is carefully monitored and nurtured over the years. It is from this precious reserve – practically impossible to match in the world of Scotch Whisky – that The Hundred Casks are selected.

Exclusive
Every release of The Hundred Cask Selection is limited, literally, to a hundred casks. Each houses a blend that owes its noble distinction to a combination of a hundred casks – carefully hand-selected by the Master Blender from our reserve of exceptionally aged whiskies. While each release pays homage to the distinctive style of The Hundred Cask Selection, it will have a unique, subtle nuance never to be repeated.

Selection
From time to time the Chivas Brothers Master Blender will select one hundred very old whisky casks of fi ne breeding and noble character that have reached perfect maturation for blending. It takes three types of cask of extremely aged whisky to produce The Hundred Cask Selection. Old Sherry butts bring rich fruitiness, hogsheads bring dry nuttiness and former Bourbon barrels add a touch of spicy oakiness. Selecting such precious whiskies with different characters and balancing them to a given taste profile is a considerable challenge – and an art in itself.

Collectable
Each release and selection of one hundred casks will create around twenty five thousand bottles. Only when the Master Blender judges that his selection is ready can a new release be made available to connoisseurs.
The blend is decanted into porcelain flagons that are individually numbered and given the mark of the release. It is a privilege to own a bottle from The Hundred Cask Selection; it is a rare privilege to own bottles from more than one release.

Distinctive
The Hundred Cask Selection is a rare and exclusive blended Scotch Whisky with a deep, smooth flavour. Long-lasting, luscious aromas mingle with a fruity sweetness leading to a finish with the Hundred Cask Selection’s signature warmth and mellow, smoky oakiness – the result of exceptional ageing. Each release of Royal Salute The Hundred Cask Selection has a distinct style. The Inaugural Release offers rich aromas of sweet plums, marzipan and vanilla. Release No.2 is round and rewardingly warm, with rich and creamy fondant orange aromas and underlying silky coconut flavours.

Connoisseurship
It takes supreme craftsmanship to create The Hundred Cask Selection. The result is always magnifi cent and a true connoisseur will relish the challenge of detecting the subtle nuances that distinguish each Limited Release.

Character
Whiskies considered for The Hundred Cask Selection must be of strong and noble character. They must have the potential to stand above all others if they are to be granted extensive periods of ageing. As they mature in casks of oak, each whisky must stand the test of time, resolutely maintaining its character and power.

Craftsmanship
Since 1801, the Chivas Brothers business has relied on fine craftsmanship. Distilling, the starting point of the whisky-making process, calls on the stillman’s prowess, while crafting oak casks still relies on the unique hand skills of the cask-maker or Cooper. Whisky blending requires rare talent, and decades of practice to make harmonious blends from different, aged casks.

Mastery
Born and raised in Scotland to a family with nearly 100 years of whisky making experience spanning three generations, our Master Blender has refined his craft for over 30 years with Chivas Brothers. Like his predecessors, he can detect the subtlest differences between almost identical whiskies drawn from similar casks.

The Hundred Cask Selection is a tribute to this mastery of the art of blending.
“Wood is natural, whisky is natural. We are working with a living, changing thing. It is the result of working with tools and processes that are a hundred per cent traditional and natural.” MASTER BLENDER

Provenance
Whisky is the Water of Life (Latin: Aqua Vita). Uisge beatha is Gaelic for water of life and for whisky. The Hundred Cask Selection is created from Scotland’s natural ingredients. The finest spring water is the foundation of all the Scotch Whiskies in our Selection. Harnessed within the finest crops of barley are the origins of The Hundred Cask Selection’s sweet and subtly fruity flavours.

Heritage
Our ‘Exceptionally Aged Reserve’ includes whiskies with a rich and illustrious heritage. Each of our distilleries has its own history and distinctive pot stills that produce whiskies with their own unique character, aroma and flavour.

Legacy
For over 100 years, Chivas Brothers has built and nurtured a special reserve of maturing whiskies. The legacy of this foresight is a magnificent reserve of exceptionally aged spirit, unique in the world of Scotch Whisky. The most exceptional of which finds its way into the Royal Salute Range and most notably into The Hundred Cask Selection.

The last word…Royal Salute The Hundred Cask Selection is a jewel of a whisky – rare, precious and supremely enjoyable.

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