Chivas Brothers traces its history back to a grocery business selling quality provisions, wine and spirits in Aberdeen in 1801.

In 1836, James (26 years) and John Chivas (22 years) left their home in Overton of Dudwick, to find work in Aberdeen.

Their cousin Alexander Chivas found them jobs – James working for William Edward, the grocer in Castle Street, and John with D.L. Shirres, merchant and hat maker in George Street.

James and John Chivas were two brothers that were born near Aberdeen in the early 1800s. James was born in 1810 and John in 1814. They were part of a family of 11 other brothers and sisters born to Robert and Christian Chivas in the parish of Ellon.

They formed Chivas Brothers in 1857.

James and John Chivas leave their home to find work in Aberdeen. James is employed by William Edward and becomes a partner in the grocery and John begins work in a wholesale firm.

A Royal Warrant was originally granted by Queen Victoria to James Chivas in 1843, as ‘Purveyor of Grocery for Her Majesty in Ordinary’. The first Royal Warrant for Scotch Whisky was granted to Chivas Brothers as ‘Purveyors of Scotch Whisky’ in 1923. Chivas Brothers no longer hold a Royal Warrant.

In 1853, a new Act permitted vatting under bond for individual distilleries and The Spirit Act of 1860 allowed whisky from different distilleries to be blended without payment of duty.

This opened the door for modern blending and it is believed that James Chivas created his first Brand Name blended whisky during this time.

The Chivas traditions in the art of blending have been passed on to blenders and master blenders over the years.

James and his successors created seven branded whiskies before Chivas Brothers created Chivas Regal in 1909.

Chivas Brothers’ clerk, Alexander Smith, and Charles Stewart Howard acquire Chivas Brothers.

Charles Stewart Howard started blending for Chivas Brothers when he and Alexander Stewart took over Chivas Brothers in 1895.

By 1909, Chivas Brothers had extensive knowledge and expertise on aging and blending whiskies and had built up extensive stocks of maturing whisky.

The first Chivas Regal was created by Master Blender Charles Howard, a blended whisky containing whisky 25 years old produced primarily for the North American Market. Often considered the world’s first luxury whisky.

Chivas Brothers purchase their first distillery (Strathisla) and prepare to launch Chivas Regal 12 year old into the USA market.

Chivas Brothers expands with the building of Glen keith Distillery

Offices and bottling plant are built in Paisley as sales of Chivas Regal 12 Year Old continue to increase

Chivas Brothers continues to expand by building new distilleries and acquiring The Glenlivet Distillers Ltd.

Colin Scott creates Chivas Regal 18

Purchase of Chivas Brothers by Pernod Ricard

Colin Scott creates Chivas Regal 25

The House of Chivas Whisky expands with Extra (2014), Icon (2015), Ultis (2016) and Chivas Regal XV (2018)

Today Chivas Brothers is a large dynamic company that has grown to be a global leader in Scotch Whisky and Gin.
Chivas Brothers owns 13 malt whisky distilleries, 1 grain distillery and 2 gin distilleries and many world famous brands such as Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s blended Scotch whiskies and The Glenlivet single malt Scotch whisky.