JAMES Chivas

In Scotland, all covered with legends - whether it be Loch Ness or clan McCloud, the immortal highlander, struggling with dark forces. Is your tradition and the family Chivas, whose names adorn the bottles of the famous whiskey. They say their success, James Chivas must ensure that nearly half a century ago, broke the main commandment drank man - "do not bother me drinks". Whatever it was, but since that time the best selling varieties of whiskey are blended, ie, "mixed".
Scottish chivas back to drevnekeltskomu seims ( "bottleneck", "river mouth"). This was the area in the north-east Scotland, where the North Sea flows into the river Ex, originating in the Grampian Mountains. Since ancient times, people from these places were the name of Chivas. Scots pronounce it as "Shievas, savoring the vowels, like a mountain river slowly gurgling over the rocks. Two hundred years ago lived here a hereditary farmer Robert Chivas, who had 12 children. Ten sons into adulthood, as usual, one after another left his home. Older brother William was the skipper of a merchant ship and the fate suffered by him to the shores of India, Ceylon and Japan. And James and John leaned in Aberdeen, to devote themselves to trade.

. Port Aberdeen in the early XIX century, grew even faster than the Scottish capital Edinburgh, largely due to its geographical position: the town's proximity to the sea had to barter
. In Aberdeen was taken to the grain, wool, and products with the Highlands - northern Scotland, also came here from the continent and the colonies of the court, holds that were bursting with goods. Only with the 1801-th to 1841 the population of Aberdeen has grown from 27 thousand. people to 63 thousand

First, the way John and James Chivas in Aberdeen went. John settled into a large garment shop, promoted to manager and eventually opened a business - has become hatter. James hired a vendor to an expensive grocery store of William Edward Street Castle Street. He diligently selling Scottish cheese, ham, pickled beef tongue, as well as exotic overseas - tea and curry. Zeal James did not go unnoticed, and eventually shop owner Edward made his business partner. Above all, James has taught his experienced colleague - the goods must be only the highest quality, and the buyer in the store - the king and god.

. In 1839, successful associates have moved on King Street, 13 (the number is yet to play a role in the fate of the company)
. This was a store of the latest device - a large market square, the spacious cellars to store beer, wine and other beverages.
In 1842, Scotland, first visited the young Queen Victoria. She liked it so much these places (hilly landscapes, . pastures, . sea views, . numerous streams and lakes, . unhurried, . almost spa lifetime - and at the same time, the proximity of civilization), . that next year she came here again, . and at the royal court the notion of 'Scottish holidays,
. Soon Victoria bought the castle and estate Belmoral, which prospered so that they are unfit for worldly pleasures and entertainment - hunting, horse riding, balls and sea walk. After the queen reached suite, and Scotland has come into vogue.

Fresh sea air and dalliance stimulates the appetite - for the royal party needed more and more wine and snacks. It turned out that gastronomical desire to satisfy the nobility can only shop on King Street, 13.

. In August 1843 Chivas received a letter: Lord of Liverpool reported that "Queen Victoria gives James Chivas grace to become a supplier of products to the Court of Her Imperial Majesty"
. Since then, these letters (now would call them contracts) came to King Street, 13 year. The example of the Queen was followed by the Duchess of Kent and Prince of Wales.


After the death of William Edward moved the business to James. He began to practice a kind of convenient for clients services such as custom made. Preserved a note from the Duke of Edinburgh, who suffered from rheumatism, in which he requests Chivas addition of provisions to send him a few pairs of wool socks. James Chivas gained fame failsafe artist of the most incredible orders. Lord Aberdeen, for example, confided to him an invitation to the orchestra for the ball, and when it was necessary to bring a sea of wonder, like a piano, the operation charged a businessman with an impeccable reputation - James Chivas.

. Shop on King Street, 13 advertised itself as: "All that may need a wealthy family"
. Clients became more and more, their demands grew. And James Chivas invited to be their partner's brother John, a prosperous hatter. In 1857, the shop on King Street, 13, was adorned with a sign: Chivas Brothers
An important part of the range store Chivas Brothers was whiskey. Although this drink was very popular in Scotland, in England, he was treated more skeptically. In 1836 the Royal Commission in its annual report concluded: "Significant demand for whiskey in its pure form does not exist. The most popular drink among the richest men in Britain remains brandy. Whiskey considered unworthy of a nobleman drink.

But to the 60-th years of last century the situation changed. The reasons for this were three. First, the Victorian fashion for Scotland and all Scottish culminated. Secondly, the French vineyards struck some sort of infection - brandy, cognac and wine, not so much disappeared altogether, but the rise in price enormously. Thirdly, the Irish Coffey invented and patented a new method of producing alcohol from grain, which could quickly produce cheap whiskey.

. Scottish drink became an alternative to brandy (incidentally, believe that the original meaning of the word whisky was "water of life")
. And especially prized whiskey, which is made in the vicinity of Aberdeen. The terrain is hilly, and because the water is crystal clear why the local tape has a mild taste - as opposed to whiskey from other parts of Scotland, where peat soils through the water pass the drink its pungent smell.

. It is known that the taste and smell of whiskey depends on a multitude of nuances: the quality of grain, the method of its malting, from the water, finally, to what a barrel, and how long it was kept
. James Chivas knew about whiskey almost everything.


Once, after hours, having closed shop, James went down to the cellar where the number of bottles of whiskey, and decided to take a nip or two. First, from one bottle, then from another, then two at once. Third glass seemed tastier earlier, and he recorded a number of bottles and mix proportions. This happened every night.

It is not known how long Chivas continued their experiments, but the magazine with the recording went weighty. In the end, the light appeared the first two classes of mixed (blended) whiskey nine excerpts - Royal Glendee and Royal Strathythan. Consumers liked the novelty. By the end of the 60-ies Chivas began to receive orders from all over the United Kingdom. These two types of steel to bring us the greatest profit, including fans were elderly and the young Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill.


James Chivas left four of their children flourishing business. Before his death in 1886, he bought an estate Kolta, and with him an entire village and opened a chain of stores.

Although the children had a good start-up capital, it decided to continue his father's only two sons - James and Alexander. However, James Chivas, Jr. did not inherit his father's business brooms. Into debt, he went to seek his fortune overseas. It happened again, and James came back and demanded to sell its stake in order to pay debts. A series of lawsuits, the results of which, as on the future of James Chivas, Jr., history is silent.

Alexander Chivas was much more serious brother. During the life of his father, he stood in the shop behind the cash, went to study winemaking in France, Spain and Portugal. Alexander began to actively export whiskey in the British colonies - Canada and India. But his career was short-lived: in 1893 at the age of 37 he died from a mysterious infection throat. Company Chivas Brothers inherited his wife - was only three days. Not moving her husband's death, she followed Alexander.

. Since there was no direct heirs, the trading house Chivas Brothers moved to the general manager, Alexander Smith and master blender, Charles Howard.

. Master blender until now - the main (and very highly paid) person in the companies that produce whiskey
. This is about the same as that man-nose in the perfume companies. It blender, appreciating the taste and smell of whiskey, blends its different varieties to get brand new.
. Charles Howard continued the tradition viskosmesheniya, searching for new flavors, and in 1909 it produced its most famous brands - Chivas Regal (the truth, then the whiskey was the 25-year exposure, and not 12 and or 18 years, as now)
. Bottle sealed the Portuguese stopper was filled with red sealing wax, and the inscription on the label reads: manufacturers are the suppliers of the Court of His Majesty King George V and Her Majesty Queen Alexandra (widow of Edward VII).
. Company Chivas Brothers has annual sales of $ 1.25 billion
. Manufactured by its whiskey exported to 150 countries, and in its class (premium - at least 12 years old) sales up 22% of the world market.
. Perhaps, for all his life, James Chivas allowed only one mistake.
. Once again, fulfilling the royal order, he has traced, in some bottles of whiskey poured
. When he saw the bottle from the party, which has already been sent to the court, he was seized by fear. Bottom paunchy bottle was done so clumsily that it could not stand firmly on the table and began to rotate from contact. However, the queen found it even funny. This is born sort of whiskey Revolve (his release and to this day, and bottled in the same "nimble" bottles). In any case, such a legend.