XV (700 ml)

When Master Blender Sandy Hyslop specified Grande Champagne Cognac casks for the XV finish, he created one of the few blended Scotches that formally bridges two of Europe's most codified spirits traditions — a deliberate transgression that no other expression in the Chivas core range replicates. Strathisla Distillery in Keith, Speyside — founded in 1786 and the oldest continuously operating distillery in the Scottish Highlands — supplies the heart malt, drawing process water from the Broomhill Spring, naturally filtered through granite approximately one mile away. The distillery's short-necked pot stills allow heavier vapours to rise, producing a full-bodied, generously textured new make that resists the lighter, more floral character typical of taller Speyside stills. Fermentation runs in traditional wooden washbacks for approximately two days, providing thermal insulation that sustains a steady, flavour-building ferment. Component whiskies — including Longmorn, The Glenlivet, Braeval, Miltonduff, and Allt-a-Bhainne alongside Strathclyde grain — are matured in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry American and European oak to a minimum of 15 years before the Grande Champagne Cognac cask finish layers dried apricot, beeswax, and brandy-soaked oak onto the house profile. Bottled at 40% ABV. Drink now through the medium term; the Cognac finish is most expressive within two to three years of purchase.