Chivas Brothers Announce New Master Blender

Chivas Brothers has announced that Kevin Balmforth will succeed Sandy Hyslop as master blender. Hyslop now moves into a master blender emeritus role, supporting prestige projects. Balmforth, Chivas Brothers’ blending manager and cask expert, joined the company in 1999 after his appointment by master blender Colin Scott, Hyslop’s predecessor. Hyslop and Balmforth have worked together for 20 years. Following the retirement of Glenlivet master distiller Alan Winchester in 2022, Balmforth took on the role of Glenlivet cask master and reworked the recipes of Glenlivet 21 year old and 25 year old as part of the Sample Room Collection.

Sandy Hyslop’s career began in 1983 at Stewart & Son in Dundee, Scotland, producers of blended scotch Stewart’s Cream of the Barley. Ballantine’s appointed Hyslop as its fifth master blender in 2005, his blending skills honed by his predecessors and mentors Jack Goudy and Robert Hicks. Pernod Ricard, owners of Chivas Brothers, took control of Ballantine’s when it acquired Allied Domecq in 2005, bringing Hyslop into the heart of Chivas Brothers. From there, he rose up the ranks to take one of the highest-profile jobs in scotch whisky, spanning an era when blended and single malt ranges expanded significantly in terms of innovation and creativity. “I have been incredibly privileged to have created more new expressions across our portfolio of whiskies than any other master blender before me,” Hyslop told Whisky Advocate. “There are many favorites, but my highlights were Royal Salute 29 year old, which was fully finished in Pedro Ximénez casks, and creating Ballantine’s 40 year old, the oldest expression in the history of the brand.”

Hyslop became director of blending in 2016, with master blender Colin Scott stepping back into the emeritus role (Scott later joined The Last Drop Distillers in 2020). Hyslop developed an exceptional knowledge of the Chivas Brothers inventory, from assessing batches of new make to sampling casks left maturing for decades in warehouses across Speyside, helping him plan the stocks he needed to support new releases many years in advance. Hyslop steps back after a 42-year career in the scotch industry, where he was responsible for some of the world’s most recognizable blends, including Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Royal Salute, and countless single malt scotches.

Three Whiskies by Sandy Hyslop

97 Royal Salute The Coronation of King Charles III, 52.3%, $25,000

Royal Salute was founded for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. For the expression to mark the coronation of Charles III in 2023, Hyslop chose a blend of 53 rare malt and grain whiskies.

Dark sherry, leather, black truffle, sticky toffee pudding, baked plum, baking spices

95 Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute The Original Reserve, 43%, $3,000

Named after the highest ceremonial honor in British royal tradition, Royal Salute first launched this prestige blend in 2010. Reimagined in 2024 for the new reign of King Charles III, Hyslop created an outstanding blend of 50 rare malts and grains, and expanded the line-up with a peated reserve and American oak reserve.

Black cherry, marmalade peel, black tea, candied ginger, cinnamon, chocolate hazelnut cake

95 Royal Salute The Time Series 51 year old, 45.4%, $30,000

With a heart of Longmorn, Hyslop combined Glen Keith, Strathisla, Caperdonich, Dumbarton, Schenley-era Strathclyde, and more in this rare blend.

Ruby grapefruit, gentle smoke, grilled peach, Victoria plum, ginger, chocolate