There's a particular corner of the whisky market that fascinates me — the space where liquid quality meets industrial design, where the bottle becomes an object in its own right. Chivas Regal 18 Year Old Pininfarina Level 2 sits squarely in that territory. This is the second collaboration between Chivas and the legendary Italian design house Pininfarina, the firm responsible for shaping Ferraris since the 1950s. The result is a presentation piece that commands attention on any shelf, packaged here with two matching glasses in a gift set priced at £150.
Let's be clear about what you're buying. The liquid inside is Chivas 18 — a blended Scotch that has long been one of the more reliable expressions in its age category. At 40% ABV, it's bottled at the legal minimum, which is standard practice for Chivas and, frankly, for most blended Scotch at this level of the market. What the Pininfarina collaboration adds is the exterior: a redesigned bottle with clean, aerodynamic lines that genuinely look like they belong in a Milan design studio rather than a drinks cabinet. Whether that justifies the premium over a standard Chivas 18 depends entirely on how much you value the object itself.
I'll say this much — it works. The packaging is genuinely striking, and the included glasses complement the bottle's aesthetic rather than feeling like an afterthought. As a gift, it makes an impression that a standard bottle simply cannot. Chivas have always understood the gifting market better than most Scotch producers, and this collaboration demonstrates that instinct at its sharpest.
Tasting Notes
The Chivas 18 blend draws from a stable of Speyside and Highland malts, with Strathisla typically cited as the heart of the recipe. At eighteen years of age, you're getting a blend with genuine maturity — this isn't a whisky that needs to hide behind flash. Expect the richness and rounded character that comes with well-aged blended Scotch: a style that prioritises smoothness and complexity over any single dominant flavour. It's approachable without being simple, which is precisely what a blend at this age statement should deliver.
The Verdict
At £150, you're paying a meaningful premium over the standard Chivas 18, which typically sits around £55–£65. That delta is almost entirely for the Pininfarina design and the glassware. If you're buying this for yourself purely for the liquid, it's not the most efficient use of your money. But that rather misses the point. This is a presentation product, and it does that job exceptionally well. The whisky itself is solid, dependable, and genuinely enjoyable — Chivas 18 has earned its reputation as one of the better blended Scotches at its age point. Paired with the design-house collaboration and the complete gift set, it becomes something worth giving and worth displaying. I'm scoring this 8.2 out of 10, weighting the overall package — quality liquid in a genuinely impressive presentation.
Best Served
Pour it neat into one of those included glasses and give it five minutes to open up. If you prefer a touch of water, add just a few drops — the 40% ABV means it doesn't need much dilution. This is also a whisky that works beautifully in a refined highball: a measure over ice, topped with good soda water and a twist of orange peel. It's a blend built for versatility, so don't be precious about it.
