The 100-year-old Hotel Palisade with sprawling views of Sydney’s stunning harbour created the perfect backdrop to celebrate Chivas XV in collaboration with KLIM, the men’s range of former Olympic swimmer Michael Klim’s skincare brand, Milk & Co.
At the exclusive masterclass, special guests including five-time Olympic gold medallist Ian Thorpe, actor Ben Mingay, Olympian James Magnussen and TV personality Dean Gladstone crafted their own unique blends with a selection of Chivas’ finest drops; smoky, citrus, creamy and fruity.
“The event encouraged everyone to free-pour their own whisky, so each blend was unique – they couldn’t recreate them even if they tried,” – Michael Klim
“There’s a tagline ‘success tastes better shared’, and that’s what the night was about – bringing people together,” Klim told The CEO Magazine . “It was a celebration and a really organic way to bring everyone together in a relaxed atmosphere.”
Quaint glass bottles and rustic barrels were displayed atop charming timber tables and, whisky sour in hand, guests were encouraged to awaken their senses.
“Whisky is a drink that used to be popular, but it went quiet for a while and now it’s becoming trendy,” Klim says. “The event encouraged everyone to free-pour their own whisky, so each blend was unique – they couldn’t recreate them even if they tried.”
Chunks of decadent raw honeycomb dripping in honey, dried oranges, candied orange peel, cinnamon sticks, spices and nuts provided sensory examples of the Chivas whisky selections tasting notes.
Star of the night: Chivas XV
While attendees were able to craft their own brew, the real star of the masterclass was Chivas XV. Aged for a minimum of 15 years and finished in Grande Champagne Cognac casks, the unique whisky is luxuriously fruity and deliciously sweet with a subtle hint of cognac.
“It was a celebration of great whisky and great choices. Everyone thought their whisky was the best – they were all completely different,” Klim says. “Everyone walked away with a greater appreciation for Chivas, especially the new Chivas XV, which is slightly lighter and summery.”
“There’s a tagline ‘success tastes better shared’, and that’s what the night was about – bringing people together,” – Klim
The masterclass proved to be a successful evening of reflection and celebration. Klim told The CEO Magazine he was able to get together with Thorpe and fellow former Olympian Chris Fydler – a rare occasion in itself as the Milk & Co Founder is based in Bali.
“It was nice to be with the guys I share so much history with,” he says. “It was great to have a quiet chat with no obligations.”
With a giftbag of KLIM skincare products in one hand, guests soaked up the historic beauty of Hotel Palisade while enjoying their unique whisky blends – mirroring the beverage of choice at the historic Rocks area of Sydney.
“But we didn’t have cigars to go with it unfortunately,” Klim laughed.
