When Chivas Regal announced the release of Crystalgold, a clear spirit described as whisky that had been “filtered crystal clear and ultra-smooth,” the whisky world raised more than a few eyebrows. Chivas is one of the biggest names in Scotch whisky, but this new release doesn’t technically qualify as whisky at all — and that’s where the controversy begins.
I decided to put it to the test the fairest way I could think of: a blind comparison against the classic Chivas Regal 12 Year Old.
A Quick Look at Chivas Regal’s Legacy
Chivas Regal’s history stretches back to the 1800s when the Chivas brothers earned a Royal Warrant to supply the British royal family — a mark that positioned them as purveyors of premium products. In 1909 the released Chivas Regal, a 25year old blended Scotch whisky that they marketed as “the first luxury whisky.”
In 1939 the now-famous Chivas Regal 12 Year Old was launched — a blend that remains the fourth best-selling Scotch in the world.
It’s a whisky that many consider smooth and approachable, but for me, it’s never quite hit the mark. At 40% ABV, Chivas 12 feels designed for those who enjoy it on the rocks or mixed with soda — not necessarily neat.
Still, there’s no denying it’s consistent, polished, and well-crafted for its target audience.
So, What Exactly Is Crystalgold?
According to Chivas, Crystalgold is a “golden oak-aged spirit filtered crystal clear and blended with a touch of freshly distilled spirit.” That final phrase — freshly distilled spirit — immediately caught my attention.
Normally, whisky gains its flavour and colour from time spent in oak casks. The new make spirit that comes straight off the still is completely clear — much like vodka — and only turns amber through years of cask maturation. The idea that Chivas would then charcoal filter an aged spirit until it became clear again feels, frankly, counter-intuitive. How much of that flavour from the oak aging would be filtered out with the colour.
In fact, this extra filtration step is precisely why Crystalgold can’t legally be called whisky. Instead, Chivas markets this as a “spirit drink” rather than Scotch whisky.
The Blind Taste Test — Crystalgold vs Chivas 12
Visually, there’s no competition. Chivas 12 is a pale golden whisky with the colour you’d expect from ex-bourbon cask aging. Crystalgold, on the other hand, is crystal clear — like a gin or vodka. It does leave some oily legs on the glass, but the resemblance to whisky ends there.
To avoid bias, I blindfolded myself and tasted both spirits side by side.
On the nose, the differences were instantly obvious. One glass offered subtle oak and honey sweetness, typical whisky notes. The other? I immediately noted the grainy, almost chemical sweetness that I pick up on newmake spirit, the kind of scent you’d find at a distillery straight off the still.
This actually really surprised me – I was expecting the Crystalgold to have substantially less character than whisky on the nose, but I did not expect it to actually smell like newmake spirit.
Tasting Notes
The palate of the Crystalgold was extremely light. There’s a fleeting honey sweetness and a hint of spirit warmth, but not much else. Chivas 12, by comparison, shows gentle wood spice, vanilla, and soft fruit — subtle, but recognisably whisky. Crystalgold tastes more like diluted new make, lacking the depth that cask maturation brings. The finish wasn’t really much to speak of either, gone in an instant.
Chivas describes Crystalgold’s flavours as “sweet apple pie, creamy butterscotch, and juicy pear,” but I struggled to find any of those notes. The only warmth comes from the alcohol itself, which you would get from any spirit at 40%.
So Who Is This For?
At $100 AUD per bottle (exclusive to The Whisky Club in Australia), CrystalGold sits in premium pricing territory — but its character doesn’t justify it for neat sipping. Perhaps it’s intended for cocktail aesthetics: imagine a clear Old Fashioned where the bitters add just a faint hue. For that, it might be visually striking. Though, you could get the same result using vodka, without the raw, unaged spirit notes.
But if you’re buying this expecting a new kind of whisky experience, prepare for disappointment.
Final Thoughts
Chivas Regal has long been associated with refinement and smoothness — qualities that earned it a global following. But Crystalgold seems to take that pursuit of smoothness too far. By stripping away the colour and complexity, it loses the very essence of what makes whisky… whisky.
While I appreciate the ambition to innovate, the result feels like a misstep. I don’t know if they added more than a “touch of freshly distilled spirit,” or if the filtration just reverted it back to its original form, but this came across as moonshine. As far as moonshine spirits go, it doesn’t taste bad, but it’s definitely not even close to whisky in flavour, and it doesn’t warrant a price tag almost twice that of the Chivas Regal 12.
It’s a curiosity, not a keeper. If you’re a collector or a cocktail experimenter, it’s a conversation piece. For everyone else — the Chivas 12 still delivers far more flavour, value, and character.