Wenn ein Formel-1-Pilot gegen einen Schach-Großmeister in einem vom Piloten ersonnenen Schachderivat namens SE!ZE antritt, denkt man zunächst nicht unbedingt an Blended Scotch – und dennoch ist der Chivas Regal 16, der von Charles Leclerc gemeinsam mit Master Blender Sandy Hyslop kreiert wurde (wir berichteten hier), das verbindende Glied des ganzen PR-Stunts: 16 ausgewählte Whiskys, gebaut rund um das Backbone aus sherry-gereiften Longmorn, alle mindestens 16 Jahre gereift, so wie der unterlegte Grain – und dann vielleicht die 16 auch im Schachspiel, nämlich 16 Figuren bei jedem Spieler.
Und wenn die Presseaussendung rund um Formel 1 Pilot Charles Leclerc und Schachgroßmeister Hikaru Nakamura und ihr Live-Duell in Monza vor dem Rennen den Chivas Regal 16yo uns Whiskyfreunde in Erinnerung ruft, hat sie ihre Aufgabe erledigt (es gibt ihn übrigens in vielen Fachgeschäften und Onlineshops):
| Externer Text | Inhalt verantwortet das Unternehmen |
TWO MASTERS, ONE BOTTLE, ONE GAME:
CHARLES LECLERC AND HIKARU NAKAMURA WENT HEAD-TO-HEAD IN A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND CHIVAS REGAL SHOWDOWN AT MONZA
2ND SEPTEMBER – Ahead of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Charles Leclerc and Chess Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura met in a high-stakes, first-of-its-kind showdown. Brought together by Chivas Regal, the two masters faced off before a live crowd in one of the year’s most unexpected matchups.
The head-to-head marked the ultimate expression of two creations born from the same mindset: Chivas Regal 16 Year Old, Leclerc’s debut co-created whisky, and SE!ZE, his bespoke chess-inspired game. Inspired by the belief that success comes from deliberate choices, both were designed around the same principle: every move matters.
On one side, Leclerc, whose vision shaped both the whisky and the game, and whose pursuit of mastery has never been confined to one world. On the other, Nakamura: one of the most formidable minds in chess. Two elite competitors, one board, the ultimate test.
From the bottle to the board, Chivas Regal 16 Year Old and SE!ZE share the same DNA. Drawing on sixteen carefully selected whiskies, each aged at least sixteen years, Chivas Regal 16 is built from deliberate choices, including Charles’ selection of Longmorn Single Malt, matured in sherry casks, as the whisky’s signature component. SE!ZE applies this same thinking to gameplay, where every decision carries weight and nothing is left to chance. Both are a living tribute to the same belief: true mastery is never accidental.
The Chivas Regal Arena of Mastery buzzed with energy. Fans packed in to witness the live one-time-only showdown as two elite competitors from different disciplines challenged each other across a single board. Every move drew a reaction. Every decision landed with weight. This wasn’t just a game. It was a live, charged demonstration of what mastery looks like when it has everything to prove.
The showdown demonstrated that the spirit behind Chivas Regal 16 Year Old extends far beyond the bottle. Co-created by Charles Leclerc and Master Blender Sandy Hyslop around the number that has defined him, the whisky reflects Leclerc’s drive to constantly push further.
“I’ve faced plenty of challenges in my career, but stepping into the Chivas Regal Arena of Mastery was something entirely different. The crowd, the arena, facing Hikaru, the energy was electric. SE!ZE and Chivas Regal 16 are built on the same idea: that every choice matters and nothing happens by accident. Facing one of the greatest strategic minds in the world at my own game brought that to life in a way I hadn’t anticipated. That’s what Chivas Regal and I are always pushing towards: moments that test you in ways you don’t expect.”
Charles Leclerc, Global Brand Ambassador, Chivas Regal.
Livestreamed via Chivas Regal’s YouTube, the showdown offered a rare glimpse of mastery beyond its usual arena – a contest where the real aim was to prove what it means to push into the unknown.
„I’ve competed in front of big crowds before, but nothing quite like that. Charles and Chivas Regal built a game that keeps you on edge from the first move: fast, precise, with no margin for error and where every decision matters. That’s the kind of challenge that reveals what you’re really made of. True mastery isn’t just about knowing the game, it’s about how you handle the pressure when it counts.”
Chess Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura
Raise a glass to the pursuit of better. Chivas Regal 16 Year Old is available on Amazon with an RRP of £64.00/$69.99. SE!ZE will be available to play digitally later this year. Sign up here.
Anm.: Titelbild durch AI generativ erweitert mit Firefly Fill & Expand
