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Which is the Best Blended Whisky? BATTLE OF THE SCOTCH BLENDS! 6 Blended Whiskies Ranked.

Today I pit six blended whiskies against each other. Three from Chivas Regal (Chivas 12, XV & 18) and three from Johnnie Walker (Black Label, Double Black & Gold Label XR).
I try them straight and also with water to arrive at the most accurate of results!
Thanks to Sharad Gupta & Prem Rodrigues for the samples! You guys are legends!
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00:00 INTRO
03:22 JW BLACK - NO WATER
06:49 JW BLACK - WITH WATER
08:23 CHIVAS 12 - NO WATER
10:16 CHIVAS 12 - WITH WATER
11:27 JW DOUBLE BLACK - NO WATER
13:12 JW DOUBLE BLACK - WITH WATER
14:13 CHIVAS XV - NO WATER
16:05 CHIVAS XV - WITH WATER
16:55 JW GOLD XR - NO WATER
18:30 JW GOLD XR - WITH WATER
19:34 CHIVAS 18 - NO WATER
21:00 CHIVAS 18 - WITH WATER
21:52 FINAL RANKINGS

Пікірлер: 56

  • @NurseDave
    @NurseDave3 жыл бұрын

    I have never heard of anyone adding that much water to drink other than trying to find tasting notes. If you need to add that much, just buy something you like the taste of better.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    While I agree with you in principle there is a very large majority of whisky drinkers in my part of the world that drink their whiskies like this (some with even more water). This video was partly for their benefit. Do I agree with the way they drink their whisky? Absolutely not. Do I give them the respect to drink their tipple anyway they please? Absolutely.

  • @LoyPinheiro
    @LoyPinheiro3 жыл бұрын

    Awesome video mate, thanks for doing the comparisons so that we don't have to! 😀 Would love to see a head-to-head video featuring some popular blended malts as well (Monkey Shoulder, Green Label, Naked Grouse, Sheep Dip etc). Keep 'em coming!

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    Super idea. Next video!

  • @cliffnorman178
    @cliffnorman1783 жыл бұрын

    What a superb review!!!!!! 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Cliff !!!

  • @WhiskeyQuests
    @WhiskeyQuests3 жыл бұрын

    Nice fun video. I typically just drink any whisky neat. If I add water it’s just a generous drop. Here’s to the next battle of the bands, I mean blends video lol. Cheers 🥃🥃

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    hehehe nice one

  • @parasnanda5722
    @parasnanda5722 Жыл бұрын

    Great video, enjoyed it.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it

  • @benjaminwang6544
    @benjaminwang65442 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic review!

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad you liked it!

  • @DonnerPassWhisky
    @DonnerPassWhisky3 жыл бұрын

    Quite a review thanks for all the work you put into this. Myself would be interested in how Chivas 18 would do vs Dewars 18 ? Cheers

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    Interesting. Let me see if I can get my hands on both.

  • @welshtoro3256
    @welshtoro32563 жыл бұрын

    Nice one buddy. A couple of years ago I was given some blends from the 80's by my non-whisky drinking Spanish father-in-law. They were corporate gifts. Anyway, one of these was a Chivas 12 bottled at 43% which, apart from the signature grain bitterness on the finish, was better than expected. Serge Valentin reviewed it and gave it 88 points. The other bottles were a Chivas 21 and an in interesting museum piece called Chequers 12 (bottled at 43%) which I'm enjoying without water. I still have a bottle of unopened Hibiki 12 in the stash and I wonder if it's any better. Our job, Captain, is to go forth and explore.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    I have been on the lookout for old school blends to no avail. The Hibiki 12 is exceptionally sweet and in my opinion quite unremarkable. However, given current revelations re Japanese blends having Scotch in them I wonder how much of that Hibiki was actually made in your backyard. Onwards and upwards, Captain.

  • @mindtwister1984
    @mindtwister1984 Жыл бұрын

    It should just be a few drops of water to open the whisky. 50-50 is only for the street whisky drinker. And your ranking more or less reflects the pricing order.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    I have a lot of street drinkers on this channel!

  • @supervillan326
    @supervillan326 Жыл бұрын

    Only just seen this review. Really interesting. On the water “controversy”, I’m absolutely in the camp of drinking whisky however you like it. It’s worth noting that the minimum ABV requirement to be a whisky is 40%. Even adding a drop to 40% whisky means you’re technically not drinking whisky anymore. Adding 50% water to even the strongest whisky means you’re drinking whisky squash, (which is fine if that’s your jam). 🙂 Sadly the sensitivity and sophistication of my nose and palate doesn’t appear to be as good as some, so I can’t risk over dilution or it just kills all taste and I’m just drinking flavoured water. I therefore almost always drink my drams straight, but I’ll occasionally add water to fully explore a whisky. However, I’ll only add a two or three drops and will only do it when the whisky is more than 40% ABV, so I know I’m still drinking actual whisky. Keep up the good work! 👏🥃

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm with you on that - but this was just an experiment

  • @supervillan326

    @supervillan326

    Жыл бұрын

    @@MaltActivist yeah I get it. As I said, really interesting. Keep up the great work! 👍🙂

  • @clintondeabreu8565
    @clintondeabreu85652 жыл бұрын

    Odd how you never include Compass Box in the blended wars, considering they are in my opinion one of the best for buck blends.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    2 жыл бұрын

    I am scheduled to do one for Blended Malts which will, of course, be overrun by Compass Box.

  • @jackthepickledhound
    @jackthepickledhound3 жыл бұрын

    You're a masochist, taking one for the team like this

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    It is what it is....

  • @fturla___156
    @fturla___1566 ай бұрын

    Considering that the Chivas Regal 18 is three to four times as expensive than the Chivas 12 year old, it better have some stand out traits. Thanks for the comparison video. And yes, I already know that watering down most scotch whiskeys makes the drinks dramatically less appealing.

  • @Onoelo23gf
    @Onoelo23gf6 күн бұрын

    Dewar 18 YO. Streets ahead.

  • @abhikmukherjee1736
    @abhikmukherjee1736 Жыл бұрын

    I would have expected JW 18 also in this group.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    Couldn't find it !

  • @abhikmukherjee1736

    @abhikmukherjee1736

    Жыл бұрын

    @@MaltActivist yes. A bit elusive. Also you can focus on Dewar 15 & yrs & Ballantyne 17 yrs are excellent blends for neat sipping.

  • @IRamOne_w
    @IRamOne_w2 жыл бұрын

    Great work and fun, thanks. But added water killed all of them, should be just a bit of water :)

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    2 жыл бұрын

    I wanted to see how robust the spirit was!

  • @IRamOne_w

    @IRamOne_w

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@MaltActivist looking forward for more reviews :)

  • @karldunne5595
    @karldunne55953 жыл бұрын

    John Walker - King George V 😊👍🏻.... is good straight😊😁✨...

  • @darkoanton5
    @darkoanton5 Жыл бұрын

    Lesson: don't put water in your blends. Lesson learned. 😂

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    haha good lesson

  • @gibec8252
    @gibec8252 Жыл бұрын

    I think u added tad bit too much water

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    While I principally agree with you there's a couple of reasons I did that. 1. In my part of the world there is a culture of drinking blended whiskies like this. 30% whisky vs 70% water. And so I wanted to test it like that. 2. Secondly most master blenders I've spoken to said they dilute their whiskies down to 20% just to see if the flavors are still coming thru despite the massive dilution. Hence.... But yes, you're right -- it's still too much water.

  • @gibec8252

    @gibec8252

    Жыл бұрын

    @@MaltActivist ahh i see. So its just to test it. I should have paid more attention, that was my bad.

  • @darkoanton5
    @darkoanton5 Жыл бұрын

    Scallywag 10 100% sherry matured - my favourite.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    Nice. Will check it out.

  • @aframs-cctaf-rams-cct6424
    @aframs-cctaf-rams-cct6424 Жыл бұрын

    Dewars 27, followed by 32 then 21. John walker 21XR AND CHIVAS 21 don’t come close any of the Dewars double double

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    wow! That's quite a list - might be fun to do a Dewars vertical.

  • @pchitti241
    @pchitti241 Жыл бұрын

    You lost me on black label 50/50. No whisky(whiskey) drinker dilutes a base level variation that much. Anyone that does should stick to daiquiris.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    To each their own. People should be allowed to drink whisky any way they please.

  • @enzeda
    @enzeda11 ай бұрын

    You choose two brands only? Cmon get real.

  • @samuelrodriguez6707

    @samuelrodriguez6707

    11 ай бұрын

    While I don’t agree with the tone of your comment, I do wish I would see a video comparing all the major 12 year blends. Johnnie Walker Black, Dewars 12, Buchanan’s 12, and Chivas Regal 12. That’d be cool.

  • @gonzaloandres8971
    @gonzaloandres8971 Жыл бұрын

    I do not agree with the result of the tasting!!! The Double Black (I would never buy it again) is below the Black Label, and I think the Chivas 12 is a little below the Black Label. But if you want to compare brand with brand you should have tasted: Blue Label vs Royal Salute 21 or Chivas Regal 18 vs JW Green Label or Chivas Mizunara vs JW Gold label. By the way, to compare Blends there are other brands to consider: Old Parr, Monkey Shoulder, Naked Grouse, Ballantines, Buchannan's... In lowest price, my choice is Grand Old Parr 12 and the premium one I choose the Johnnie Walker Green Label or the Royal Salute 21

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    Жыл бұрын

    Great points! I just did a comparison based on the blends available to me. Will do a more exhaustive one next.

  • @steveno7058
    @steveno70583 жыл бұрын

    My Liver: don’t waste your time on these…..

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    My brain : do it ! do it !

  • @timothyjuarez5306
    @timothyjuarez53063 жыл бұрын

    Love the smell of JW black but the taste....yuck. Not a fan of the ashy taste.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    3 жыл бұрын

    Come on! it's not that bad.

  • @user-wy3dl2em7p
    @user-wy3dl2em7pАй бұрын

    😂😂😂😂😂 Whisky is not for you dude. Stick with a water.

  • @MaltActivist

    @MaltActivist

    14 күн бұрын

    I think I'll stick to both

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